How cyber-bullying harms

A bully can harass, threaten, or humiliate you by using computers, cell phones, and social networking sites to:

• Send or forward hurtful or threatening emails or text messages.
• Post photos and other personal information online without your consent.
• Pretend to be someone else to trick or humiliate you.
• Spread lies and rumors about you.
• Create a group or social networking page to target or exclude you.
• Dupe you into revealing personal information that can then be used to hurt you.

In many cases, cyber-bullying can be even more painful than face-to-face bullying. A lot of cyber-bullying can be done anonymously, so you may not be sure who is targeting you. This can make you feel even more threatened and can embolden bullies, as they believe online anonymity means they’re less likely to get caught. Since cyberbullies can’t see your reaction, they will often go much further in their harassment or ridicule than they would do face-to-face with you.