How is bullying at school related to cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is a whole-school and community issue. Bullying at school, at home, in the neighborhood, and online are all connected. Schools and communities can work in unison to reduce the threat of cyberbullying among children and youth.¹
Bullying is about the abuse of power. When we think of bullying, we typically think of physical power. However, power can take many forms both offline and online. Using the Internet, e-mail or text messaging to threaten, hurt, single out, embarrass, spread rumors or reveal secrets about others are all components of cyberbullying. ²
Children who are a part of "offline" bullying are more likely to be involved in cyberbullying.³ Children who bully face-to-face also bully online and it may be that some victims of face-to-face bullying become bullies online.¹
Cyberbullying is distinguished from face-to-face bullying in four ways:
1. Students who are victimized have no place to hide, and can be targeted anytime and anyplace.
2. Cyberbullying can involve a very wide audience (e.g., through the circulation of video clips on the Internet).
3. Students who cyberbully others are relatively protected by the anonymity of electronic forms of contact, which can safeguard them from punishment or retaliation.
4. As with some indirect traditional bullying, students who cyberbully do not usually see the response of the victim, changing the nature of the satisfaction or inhibition normally generated by bullying.¹

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