Digital stalking, doxing, grooming, cyberbullying and sexting are some of the forms of violence, abuse or harassment through the Internet.
Cyberbullying is a problem of the modern world that requires a comprehensive approach by the State and the community as a whole due to the serious consequences it entails. This word refers to online bullying , virtual harassment and, ultimately, all types of harassment carried out through the use of digital technology .
At least in Argentina , it constitutes a crime contemplated within the Penal Code , which is why legislation must be applied when punishing the person found guilty of carrying out an act of cyberbullying .
Given the enormous number of people of different ages, genders and nationalities who, today, have access to the Internet from multiple devices (mobile phones, desktop computers, notebooks, tablets, etc.) it is essential and extremely important to do, on a local scale, regional, national and international awareness campaigns , prevention , sensitization , advice and assistance to victims . At any age you can receive online threats , suffer extortion or suffer cyberbullying of various kinds, for this reason it is necessary to inform yourself, take precautions, be alert (especially with respect to minors who use social networks , entertain themselves with online video games , communicate through instant messaging services, etc.) and report any case of cyberbullying .
Types of cyberbullying
According to the practice and analysis of those who investigate and propose protection measures against online harassment , there are multiple types of cyberbullying .
Grooming is one of the many forms of virtual harassment . This term is used to identify the deliberate act by someone of legal age to contact, harass or intimidate children and/or adolescents via the Internet (that is, minors who, naively, end up trusting adult cyberbullies ) with a sexual purpose.
It is also necessary to know what and what cyberbullying is like in order to detect it and fight it. This concept refers to psychological harassment and abuse carried out through virtual communication platforms and services. The victims, minors, are humiliated, harassed, persecuted, ridiculed, attacked and threatened by other children or young people.
There is also sexting . This is known as the action of generating pornographic, erotic or sexual content and sending it by email , text messages , online forums or social networks to a trusted contact. Sometimes, intimate images or videos appear with the consent of the person seen on the screen, but they do not necessarily accept that this material circulates massively or reaches certain recipients. A hack, theft or the betrayal of a partner/ex-partner can lead to extortion or revenge porn linked to the dissemination of private documents without the approval or knowledge of the person appearing on the scene.
Strong passwords, privacy protection, updated antivirus programs and browsing trusted websites are part of the security precautions when using the Internet.
Another harmful practice linked to the virtual universe has been called doxing . It is based on the collection and disclosure of private data of one subject (or more) against the will of those affected (or their ignorance regarding the fact) with the intention of revealing personal information or making visible certain issues that damage the public/professional image of the subject. they.
Nor should we ignore, naturalize or allow the development of trolling , a type of abuse that is generally committed by people who take advantage of online anonymity to disqualify, inconvenience, scare, insult or psychologically harm users of a social network or community. virtual .
Prevention and education
An enormous effort is required in terms of prevention and strengthening education to, at some point, be able to eradicate cyberbullying or, at least, stop its advance.
The work on implementing protection strategies must be constant (such as parental control , web filters , etc.) as well as awareness-raising actions and research to develop technological solutions. Government regulations and policies, laws against cyberbullying , police response and the actions of Justice , meanwhile, must accompany the fight against all types of harassment .
Cyberbullying prevention specialists suggest configuring privacy settings with the aim of maintaining a minimum of control over who can, or cannot, access content on a website , profiles on social networks , etc. There is even the alternative of blocking certain accounts, users or profiles to avoid future contacts or locations, in addition to the possibility of putting an account in public or private mode. Of course, it is also essential to act quickly when detecting (or experiencing) an episode of virtual harassment .
It is important, both at home and in the academic field, to have and provide education in digital safety seeking to encourage healthy and careful behaviors when browsing the Internet .
Tutors, parents and educators have the challenge (and the responsibility) of engaging in dialogue with children and adolescents, leading them along the path of positive values and habits.
Techniques that, through deception or manipulation, allow cybercriminals to carry out identity theft, with all the disruptions and inconveniences that this entails, are known as phishing.
Psychological impact of cyberbullying
Each victim goes through it in a unique, very personal way, but cyberbullying always has a very serious impact that destabilizes and leaves alarming psychological consequences .
In principle, it usually has a negative effect on self-esteem . Those affected by digital bullying often experience sleep disorders , begin to suffer school (or work, as appropriate) problems , and may even self-harm . Furthermore, social isolation and signs of anxiety and/or depression are common among the recipients of harassment who, in certain circumstances, faced with the stress , terror and mental exhaustion they face, choose (wrongly) suicide as the only option. solution to end his torment.
Reports and statistics
Through reports and statistics, notoriety is given to the increasingly widespread and worrying problem of harassment . A study promoted in Spanish territory by the Complutense University of Madrid and the ColaCao Foundation , for example, has revealed that around half of young people who have suffered bullying admit that they suffered cyberbullying . More than twenty percent of the victims surveyed stated that, on at least one occasion, they attempted to take their own life.
A work from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) corresponding to 2022 , on the other hand, stated that on Mexican soil more than nine million women and almost eight million men suffered cyberbullying .
Figures from Colombia , on the other hand, show more than three hundred complaints of cyberbullying and almost 700 for slander or insults suffered via social networks that were received at the Police Cyber Center during 2023 .