cyberbullies
Digital platform abusers
Cyberbullies are people who harass, threaten, or intimidate others through digital channels—social media, text messages, online forums, or gaming platforms.
The term emerged as bullying migrated from schoolyards to screens: The cyberbullies posted humiliating photos of her.
As a verb, to cyberbully is to engage in such harassment: He was cyberbullied relentlessly after the video went viral.
Publishing personal information maliciously
- catfishingDeceiving via false identity
- swattingFraudulent emergency calls as harassment
- cyberstalkingElectronic pursuit and intimidation
- impersonationPretending to be another
exclusion · outing · pile-ons · sockpuppets · subtweeting · vaguebooking · sealioning · concern-trolling
Provoking reactions online
- flamingOn fire, or online attacks
- tauntingInsulting to provoke
- mockingScornfully imitating or ridiculing
- belittlingExpressing contempt or dismissiveness
ridiculing · shaming · humiliation · intimidation · threats · insults · hounding · targeting
Lasting psychological wound
- depressionProlonged low state
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- isolationComplete separation from others
- suicideVoluntary death by oneself
self-harm · fear · shame · helplessness · withdrawal · PTSD · loneliness · humiliation
Spoken or written reactions
- forumsVenues for collective discourse
- DiscordGaming communication platform
- InstagramPhoto-sharing social platform
- TikTokShort-form video service
Snapchat · Twitter · Facebook · YouTube · Twitch · Reddit · messenger · texting
Of unknown origin
- pseudonymFictitious professional name
- facelessLacking identity or features
- hiddenKept out of sight
- maskedHaving face covered
nameless · untraceable · throwaway · sockpuppets · cowardice · unaccountable · invisible · disguised
Deliberate online agitators
- aggressorsInitiators of hostility
- harassersPeople who intimidate repeatedly
- tormentorsThose who cause anguish
- abusersThose who harm others
bullies · attackers · mob · bystanders · enablers · participants · instigators · griefers
doxxing
Publishing personal information maliciously
- catfishingDeceiving via false identity
- swattingFraudulent emergency calls as harassment
- cyberstalkingElectronic pursuit and intimidation
impersonation · exclusion · outing · pile-ons · sockpuppets · subtweeting · vaguebooking · sealioning · concern-trolling
trolling
Provoking reactions online
- flamingOn fire, or online attacks
- tauntingInsulting to provoke
- mockingScornfully imitating or ridiculing
belittling · ridiculing · shaming · humiliation · intimidation · threats · insults · hounding · targeting · dogpiling
trauma
Lasting psychological wound
- depressionProlonged low state
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- isolationComplete separation from others
suicide · self-harm · fear · shame · helplessness · withdrawal · PTSD · loneliness · humiliation · powerlessness
comments
Spoken or written reactions
- forumsVenues for collective discourse
- DiscordGaming communication platform
- InstagramPhoto-sharing social platform
TikTok · Snapchat · Twitter · Facebook · YouTube · Twitch · Reddit · messenger · texting · online
anonymous
Of unknown origin
masked · nameless · untraceable · throwaway · sockpuppets · cowardice · unaccountable · invisible · disguised · incognito
trolls
Deliberate online agitators
- aggressorsInitiators of hostility
- harassersPeople who intimidate repeatedly
- tormentorsThose who cause anguish
abusers · bullies · attackers · mob · bystanders · enablers · participants · instigators · griefers · haters
- criticscritic, critics, criticizer, criticizers, faultfinder
- digital annoyancesspam, pop-ups, ads, malware, viruses
cyberbulliestargets
Intended aims or marks
upstanders · victims · community builders · moderators · survivors