cyberbully
Digital harassment perpetrator
To cyberbully is to harass, intimidate, or humiliate someone through digital channels—social media, text messages, online forums.
Unlike schoolyard bullying, cyberbullying follows victims home and can spread rapidly to wide audiences.
As a noun, a cyberbully is someone who engages in this behavior: The cyberbullies created fake accounts to torment her.
Publishing personal information maliciously
- catfishingDeceiving via false identity
- flamingOn fire, or online attacks
- swattingFraudulent emergency calls as harassment
- impersonationPretending to be another
screenshot · leak · expose · sockpuppet · brigading · sealioning · astroturfing · rumor
Deliberate online antagonist
- harassPersistently torment someone
- tauntInsulting provocation
- mockScornful imitation or fake
- belittleTo make something seem unimportant
humiliate · ridicule · demean · torment · abuse · target · attack · insult
Online content-sharing platforms
- InstagramPhoto-sharing social platform
- TikTokShort-form video service
- SnapchatDisappearing multimedia messenger
- TwitterMicroblogging social network
Discord · Reddit · Facebook · YouTube · Twitch · forum · chat · DM
Formal written findings
- blockSolid mass, or impede
- muteWithout voice or sound
- screenshotCaptured display image
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
moderator · policy · awareness · bystander · upstander · intervention · support · counseling
One harmed by another
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- depressionProlonged low state
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- suicideVoluntary death by oneself
self-harm · isolation · fear · shame · distress · suffering · helplessness · mental health
Of unknown origin
- pseudonymFictitious professional name
- fake accountFabricated user profile
- burnerHeat-producing device component
- hiddenKept out of sight
untraceable · faceless · alias · throwaway · masked · coward · secret · unidentified
Source of potential harm
- intimidateInstill fear to control
- blackmailCoercion through damaging threats
- coerceObtain by intimidation
- stalkPlant's vertical support
terrorize · harass · scare · warn · ultimatum · death threat · expose · retaliation
doxxing
Publishing personal information maliciously
- catfishingDeceiving via false identity
- flamingOn fire, or online attacks
- swattingFraudulent emergency calls as harassment
impersonation · screenshot · leak · expose · sockpuppet · brigading · sealioning · astroturfing · rumor · defamation
troll
Deliberate online antagonist
belittle · humiliate · ridicule · demean · torment · abuse · target · attack · insult · shame
social media
Online content-sharing platforms
- InstagramPhoto-sharing social platform
- TikTokShort-form video service
- SnapchatDisappearing multimedia messenger
Twitter · Discord · Reddit · Facebook · YouTube · Twitch · forum · chat · DM · comments
report
Formal written findings
- blockSolid mass, or impede
- muteWithout voice or sound
- screenshotCaptured display image
evidence · moderator · policy · awareness · bystander · upstander · intervention · support · counseling · hotline
victim
One harmed by another
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- depressionProlonged low state
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
suicide · self-harm · isolation · fear · shame · distress · suffering · helplessness · mental health · PTSD
anonymous
Of unknown origin
- pseudonymFictitious professional name
- fake accountFabricated user profile
- burnerHeat-producing device component
hidden · untraceable · faceless · alias · throwaway · masked · coward · secret · unidentified · incognito
menace
Source of potential harm
- intimidateInstill fear to control
- blackmailCoercion through damaging threats
- coerceObtain by intimidation
stalk · terrorize · harass · scare · warn · ultimatum · death threat · expose · retaliation · extort
- Neologismsselfie, blog, vlog, podcast, hashtag
- troublemakerstroublemaker, rascals, delinquents, imps, brats
- online personastroll, bot, influencer, lurker, spammer
- tormentorstormentor, tormenter, torturer, torturers, persecutor
- bulliesintimidator, tormentor, tormenter, harasser, persecutor
- Trollsmountain troll, forest troll, bridge troll, cave troll, rock troll
- cyberbullying preventionEfforts to stop online abuse