Are Online Bullying and School Bullying Connected?

When most adults think about bullying, they imagine classic examples that happen in school. The thought of a student being bullied by their peers during or directly following the school day is unfortunately far too common, but it is not the only type that affects young people today. Bullying can happen in many different places, and there are many forms that it can take. One of those places is on the Internet. Cyberbullying happens with ever-increasing frequency, but it is a mistake to believe that all online and school bullying are connected all the time.

Many people today experience cyberbullying regularly with the rise in popularity of social media. It is becoming increasingly more difficult for parents, teachers, and administrators to monitor their kids when it comes to what they are doing with their cell phones and computers. This makes finding a connection between school bullies and online bullies difficult, but there is no doubt that a connection exists.

At-School Challenges Spill Over Onto the Internet

As children and teens spend a large portion of their time at school, it makes sense that bullying there and on the Internet are frequently connected. It is not difficult to find a classmate online and continue the harassment, trolling, and digital violence that is practiced face-to-face. Unfortunately, even online lessons and community groups created by the school can attract bullies, and these are almost impossible to escape from an educational or social standpoint.

Cyberbullying takes things further, however, because the entire world full of people have access to the individual unless they take specific precautions. Much of the bad behavior has nothing to do with school and all, but still mimics traditional bullying intention.

Causes and Effects Are Basically the Same

Although individual research differs slightly, the basic causes of cyberbullying and school bullying are the same. Also, the harassed person experiences the same types of distress and trauma no matter where the bullying takes place. The setting and structure of bullying behavior may be different, but everything else matches enough to take the same approach to solving this problem.

Does the School Have a Role in Stopping Cyberbullying?

If the bullying occurs on a school-related website or platform, they absolutely have a responsibility to stop it. Unfortunately, many instances are not reported to the people in charge or school administrators. Putting safeguards in place to automatically recognize the type of activity done by the attackers can help although human moderators do more good in general.

When the question focuses on whether schools can stop cyberbullying as a whole, the answer gets murkier. School districts, teachers, and administrators have no control over what happens on social media sites, gaming platforms, or through text messages and chat apps. However, it is important for them to educate students about what cyberbullying is, how to avoid it or stop it as much as possible, and what the bullied person can do to make things better.