Cyberbullying: Implications for School Officials

Abstract

Technology has changed the way in which students can communicate with each other. Social media, cell phones, and internet has brought on a new phenomenon of bullying; cyberbullying. Cyberbullying has the ability to humiliate, threaten, or create fear in a victim using electronic devices. As social media continues to evolve, so do the effects of cyberbullying on students. Adolescents who are cyberbullied can suffer detrimental effects and in serious cases it may lead to suicide. It is important for school officials, parents, and adolescents to be educated on cyberbullying and understand the latest forms of technology where it is occurring. Without immediate consequences for the cyberbully, the behavior is more likely to continue and could create harmful effects on the victim.