Cyberbullying: The Challenge to Define

Where intention, repetition or an imbalance of power are absent from cyberbullying research, such behaviors may be more appropriately classified as cyberaggression.

“Where intention, repetition or an imbalance of power are absent from cyberbullying research, such behaviors may be more appropriately classified as cyberaggression, given that these criteria are central to differentiate bullying from aggression more broadly (15, 24, 70).”

Defining cyberbullying has proven challenging due to a lack of consensus regarding its definition and criteria.

“Defining cyberbullying has proven challenging due to a lack of consensus regarding its definition and criteria, with researchers unable to agree upon a standardized definition (15, 18, 43, 44), reflecting its characterization in the literature as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon (45).”

Power imbalance is multidimensional, encompassing technological skills, target accessibility, anonymity, publicity and lack of control over dissemination.

“and power imbalance is understood as multidimensional, encompassing technological skills, target accessibility, anonymity, publicity and lack of control over dissemination (8, 15, 24–27).”

Consistent with previous studies, this meta-ethnography indicates that the unique features of cyber technology increase the severity of cyberbullying and may instill feelings of powerlessness and lack of control in victims.

“Consistent with previous studies, this meta-ethnography indicates that the unique features of cyber technology increase the severity of cyberbullying and may instill feelings of powerlessness and lack of control in victims (Dooley et al., 2009;Dredge, Gleeson, & de la Piedad Garcia, 2014;Langos, 2012;Nixon, 2014;Sticca & Perren, 2013;Tokunaga, 2010).”

In the cyber world, the potential for anonymity, including the ability to assume a new persona, means that physical, psychological, and social characteristics of perpetrators and victims are less relevant.

“Power in the physical world is delineated by the physical, psychological, and social characteristics of perpetrators and victims but consistent with previous studies, findings suggest that in the cyber world the potential for anonymity, including the ability to assume a new persona, means that these characteristics are less relevant (Dooley et al., 2009;Langos, 2012;Thomas et al., 2015;Tokunaga, 2”

Repetition is a well-established criterion for traditional bullying, but debate regarding its nature and importance in characterizing cyberbullying is ongoing.

“Repetition is a well-established criterion for traditional bullying, however, debate regarding its nature and importance in characterizing cyberbullying is ongoing (Dooley et al., 2009;Langos, 2012;Olweus, 1997;Tokunaga, 2010).”

Findings from this synthesis support the interpretation that the nature of repetition is altered in cyber space, where it can occur in the form of direct multiple attacks by the perpetrator and/or through the perpetrator's execution of an act in the public domain where one-time actions can have repetitive effects.

“However, they support the interpretation that the nature of repetition is altered in cyber space where it can occur in the form of direct multiple attacks by the perpetrator and/or through the perpetrators execution of an act in the public domain where one-time actions can have repetitive effects (Cassidy et al., 2013;Cuadrado-Gordillo & Fernández-Antelo, 2016;Langos, 2012;Peter & Petermann, 2018”