10 Types of Cyberbullying

1. Exclusion

Exclusion is the act of leaving someone out deliberately. Exclusion exists with in-person bullying
situations, but is also used online to target and bully a victim. For example, your child might be
excluded/uninvited to groups or parties while they see other friends being included, or left out of
message threads or conversations that involve mutual friends.

2. Harassment

Harassment is a broad category under which many types of cyberbullying fall into, but it generally refers
to a sustained and constant pattern of hurtful or threatening online messages sent with the intention of
doing harm to someone.

3. Outing/Doxing

Outing, also known as doxing, refers to the act of openly revealing sensitive or personal information
about someone without their consent for purposes of embarrassing or humiliating them. This can range
from the spreading of personal photos or documents of public figures to sharing an individual’s saved
personal messages in an online private group. The key is the lack of consent from the victim.

4. Trickery

Trickery is similar to outing, with an added element of deception. In these situations, the bully will
befriend their target and lull them into a false sense of security. Once the bully has gained their target’s
trust, they abuse that trust and share the victim’s secrets and private information to a third party or
multiple third parties.

5. Cyberstalking

Cyberstalking is a particularly serious form of cyberbullying that can extend to threats of physical harm to
the child being targeted. It can include monitoring, false accusations, threats, and is often accompanied
by offline stalking. It is a criminal offense and can result in a restraining order, probation, and even jail
time for the perpetrator.
6. Fraping

Fraping is when a bully uses your child’s social networking accounts to post inappropriate content with
their name. It can be harmless when friends write funny posts on each other’s profiles, but has potential
to be incredibly harmful. For example, a bully posting racial/homophobic slurs through someone else’s
profile to ruin their reputation.

7. Masquerading

Masquerading happens when a bully creates a made up profile or identity online with the sole purpose
of cyberbullying someone. This could involve creating a fake email account, fake social media profile, and
selecting a new identity and photos to fool the victim. In these cases, the bully tends to be someone the
victim knows quite well.

8. Dissing

Dissing refers to the act of a bully spreading cruel information about their target through public posts or
private messages to either ruin their reputation or relationships with other people. In these situations,
the bully tends to have a personal relationship with the victim, either as an acquaintance or as a friend.

9. Trolling

Trolling is when a bully will seek out to intentionally upset others by posting inflammatory comments
online. Trolling may not always be a form of cyberbullying, but it can be used as a tool to cyberbully
when done with malicious and harmful intent. These bullies tend to be more detached from their
victims, and do not have a personal relationship.

10. Flaming

This type of online bullying constitutes of posting about or directly sending insults and profanity to their
target. Flaming is similar to trolling, but will usually be a more direct attack on a victim to incite them
into online fights.

Common Forms of Cyber Bullying

In the past, bullying only took place face-to-face between the bully and the bullied. With the rise of
technology, especially the internet, came a new form of bullying known as cyber bullying.

A survey of 3,000 secondary school students conducted by TOUCH Cyber Wellness showed that one in
four students admitted to having bullied their peers online within the past year 1.

Cyber bullying refers to the “deliberate and intentional attempt to cause harm to others through the use
of the internet and/or other digital technologies” 2 and it can have real and adverse impact on one’s
emotional and psychological wellness.

With technology, bullying can now go on 24/7 since it does not necessarily have to occur face-to-face.
Your child can be bullied by someone else even within the safe premises of your home.

Tracking the cyber bully may also be like searching for a needle in a haystack because he or she can
remain anonymous or hide within the mass of internet users. Hence, before your child starts suffering
from any severe consequences, educating your child about cyber bullying is an important prevention
measure you can adopt.

If you do not know where or how to start, fret not!

Here are some examples of how cyber bullying can look like:

Harassment

Harassment usually involves the bully sending offensive and threatening messages via instant messaging,
SMS or any other forms of communication to his or her target. Multiple people may even gang up to
send thousands of messages to the victim at once.

Imagine receiving repeated and unpleasant messages every hour, every day. Sometimes, such virtual
harassment may even escalate into offline actions that may put the victim’s safety at risk.
Impersonation

Impersonation is when someone creates a fake profile in another person’s name or hacking into another
person’s account. The cyber bully pretends to be his or her victim online and tarnishes the victim’s
reputation.

The bully may go on to disseminate messages that may provoke internet users to attack the victim. The
cyber bully may also share real information like humiliating photographs or contact details that the
victim does not want others to know about.

Flaming

Kids will be kids – they argue over some small matter and make up with each other after a period of
time. But sometimes the anger can build up within individuals and a small argument can sometimes
escalate into a case of cyber bullying when things become extremely heated.

Flame wars, which involve the repeated exchanges of “angry, rude, or obscene [electronic] messages”
between individuals, may eventually break out 3. Often, such online fights that take place in more public
spaces (e.g. online forums) also draw in many people who may not be directly involved in the argument
and even those who are trying to lend a hand in resolving the issue.

Denigration

Denigration is an attempt to damage the victim’s reputation or ruin the friendships that he or she has by
spreading unfounded gossip or rumours online. In more 'sophisticated' cases, blogs, online polls,
discussion groups etc. may even be set up by the cyber bully to publish altered or skewed content that
ridicules or humiliates the victim.
Exclusion

Gathering a bunch of friends in the virtual space for online group activities such as group conversations
and multiplayer games is extremely easy these days. Exclusion is intentionally excluding or singling
someone out from these virtual groups.

While this act may seem not to have as much of a direct impact on victims, it constitutes as a form of
cyber bullying and can evolve into something worse. More often than not, members of the virtual groups
may even organise an 'online operation' to taunt the victim together.

Outing

Friends often share secrets which they promise to keep for each other. But when the friendship turns
sour, the promise can easily be broken and outing may occur. Outing is a form of cyber bullying in which
the cyber bully uses technological means to publicly “[share] private information without permission
with the intent to hurt” the victim 4.

Trickery

The cyber bully may employ methods to trick his or her victim into believing that “they are speaking in
confidence with a close friend so that they share sensitive information” such as secrets or humiliating
information 5.

Once the cyber bully has obtained the information, he or she will use it against the victim by publicly
disseminating it to others, “in an attempt to shame the victim” 5. The two forms of cyber bullying –
outing and trickery – often go hand-in-hand.

Cyber stalking

Cyber stalking is a form of harassment. Victims usually receive threatening and disparaging electronic
messages from cyber bullies. Such messages are extremely intimidating and tend to instil deep fear in
victims. Victims may often start to believe that “the intimidator can move offline and harm them
physically,” causing them to be overly suspicious of their surroundings as well 6.

Cyber bullying is an issue that should not be taken lightly because falling prey to it can lead to
unthinkable consequences. While some victims may be able to successfully recover from his or her
sufferings, there are also others who suffer in silence and choose to take their own lives to end the pain.

Tips for parents

Be aware of the different forms of cyber bullying and educate your child about it. Sometimes, what is
even more worrying about cyber bullying is that your child may not even realise that he or she is being
cyber bullied.

Use the list above as a useful tool to help you effectively detect potential cases of cyber bullying when
your child share with you about his or her online activities.

If your child shows visible signs of being distressed, ask him or her to look through the list of different
forms of cyber bullying to identify a possible source of tension.

What Methods Are Kids Using to Cyberbully?

While there are a number of different ways kids are bullying others online, the majority of online
harassment falls into one of six categories. Here are six of the most common methods of cyberbullying.
Harassing Someone

Using text messaging, instant messaging and email to harass, threaten or embarrass the target.

Posting rumors, threats or embarrassing information on social networking sites such as Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram.

Engaging in “warning wars.” (Many Internet Service Providers and social media sites offer a way to report
a user who is saying something inappropriate. Kids use these report buttons as a way to get the victim in
trouble or kicked offline.)

Participating in text wars or text attacks, which occur when bullies gang up on the victim and send
thousands of texts. These attacks not only cause emotional distress but create a large cell phone bill.

Why Cyberbullies Choose

Effects on the bullied victim can include:

• Social isolation

• Feelings of shame

• Sleep disturbance

• Changes in eating habits

• Low self-esteem

• School avoidance

• Symptoms of anxiety

• Bedwetting

• Higher risk of illness

• Psychosomatic symptoms (stomachaches, headaches, muscle aches, other physical complaints with no
known medical cause)

• Poor school performance

• Symptoms of depression
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Online safety and online bullying

Impact of bullying

Bullying of any form or for any reason can have long-term negative impacts on everyone involved,
including bystanders.

However, interactions and behaviours which appear similar to outsiders can have different impacts on
different individuals.

Unwanted behaviours may or may not cause apparent harm to the person targeted. This depends on the
personal resources (attributes) of the individual who is targeted as well as the protective capacity and
support of the system (school and family) around the individual.
Schools need to respond to bullying whether or not the individual shows serious or immediate harm.
Responding immediately and appropriately can stop bullying escalating or happening again.

Being bullied

Bullying others

Being a bystander

Personal resources and support systems

Being bullied

Bullying is not a harmless part of growing up. The most obvious and immediate effect is reducing
students' participation, learning and enjoyment of school.

Feeling unsafe or being unable to focus on learning at school can have its own long term impacts. Staying
away from school to avoid being bullied can lead to additional problems.

Other impacts include physical health complaints and fatigue, mental health impacts such as depression
and anxiety, and social implications including self-doubt and reluctance to participate in group activities.

Researchers have also identified negative impacts in adults many years after being bullied. Students
consider their social interactions online and in face-to-face settings to be connected rather than
separate.

This applies to bullying as well. Many students who are bullied online are also bullied in person.

Just as bullying in person can cause harm, being bullied online can lead to social, psychological and
educational issues.
Some research into the impacts later in life has suggested that online bullying leads to more significant
negative impacts, but research asking students directly what they think at the time found the majority
considered bullying in person to be more harmful.

The most significant negative impacts have been reported in students who have been subject to direct
and relational forms of bullying.

Bullying can create high levels of social anxiety and a sense of loss of dignity and 'agency'. Agency is the
sense of control a person has over what happens to them and their life, and their ability to make choices.
Feeling powerless and unable to stop the bullying can lead to lasting harm.

Feelings of anxiety, fear and distress about being excluded and being treated with contempt can
continue away from the school setting for students who experience bullying in person or online.

Many factors influence whether students consider bullying they experience to be harmful. The effects of
bullying are specific to each individual. The impact may depend on the personal resources and support
systems around the student.

Bullying others

The impact for students who bully others depends on whether the bullying is short-term or persists over
years.

Some students engage in bullying for a short time only and then stop either because they realise it is
inappropriate or the school supports them to learn more appropriate behaviour. A small group of
students continue to bully others over many years.

Students who persistently bully others have been found to have later issues in mental health and
educational outcomes, as well as showing criminal and anti-social behaviour.

These outcomes do not necessarily mean their bullying behaviour results in the later outcomes and the
criminal behaviour. It is possible something else in the child's attributes, environment or experience
contributes to both. However, these later outcomes suggest that persistent bullying is an important
warning sign of ongoing problems.

Schools and parents/carers need to support those who bully others to learn more appropriate ways to
get on with others and deal with conflict and social challenges.

Being a bystander to bullying

Students who see bullying happening can also experience negative impacts. Students can also feel
distress about not knowing what to do.

Many students who are bystanders to bullying feel distress and anxiety about seeing something they
consider to be wrong.

Schools need to respect students' assessment of whether or not it is safe to intervene. Students may be
concerned about their own safety or potential loss of social status. They may be afraid of being bullied
themselves if they say something.

Students who see bullying happening to others may also doubt whether they are generally safe at
school.

Feeling unsafe can have a negative impact on learning and participating for all students. Research shows
that frequent bullying and reports by students of feeling unsafe at school are closely linked.

Some researchers suggest that bystanders are key to stopping bullying, but these students are also part
of the peer group and there may well be issues for them if they speak up. Students weigh up a number
of factors to decide if they should intervene, including their relationship with those involved, the
apparent seriousness and impact, whether they think someone else should intervene, and their opinion
of the person being bullied.

Teaching students strategies for safe and supportive bystander behaviour is the most helpful way to
reduce the negative impacts of fear and distress.
Schools also need to provide support to bystanders when they are responding to bullying.

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Cyber bullying in the Philippines

Posted on March 14, 2017

Philippines

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ACCRA Law Firm Philippines In-House Community ACCRALAW Tower, 2nd Ave. Cor. 30th St.,
Bonifacio Global City

Taguig City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Tel: (63) 82 224 0996, / Fax (632) 4037007 or (632) 4037008

E: cpdelacruz@accralaw.com

W: www.accralaw.com

v14i7_Jur_PhilippinesThe pen is mightier than the sword or so the adage goes. When this was once said,
it was to highlight the power of thoughts and ideas over brute force and violence as a way to effect
change. Today, the pen can very well be a tap of a button, as social media has reinvented our way of life
anew — for good or for bad.

Regardless of political affiliation or social philosophy, it is undeniable how the power of social media has
shaped recent events. The perceived anonymity that social media brings tends to shed people’s normal
sensibilities or even basic civility. We therefore sometimes see posts or commentaries meant to
embarrass competence and intelligence, gender or just plain rumour mongering.

Such acts done behind the cloak of a social media platform may have legal implications under Philippine
Laws.

The Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 (RA 10627)

This law finds applicability in school-related bullying, student-student bullying in particular, which covers
those uttered in social media. “Bullying”, as defined, refers to any severe or repeated use by one or more
students of a written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination
thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in
reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his property; creating a hostile environment
at school; infringing on the rights of another; or materially or substantially disrupting the education
process. (Sec. 2, RA 10627) These acts are collectively called “cyber bullying” when committed online.
(Sec. 2-D, RA 10627) This covers social bullying aiming to belittle another individual or group or gender-
based bullying that humiliates another on the basis of perceived or actual sexual orientation and gender
identity. (Sec. 3, B-1, RA 10627, Implementing Rules).

The Revised Penal Code and the Cybercrime Prevention Act

One who publicly or maliciously imputes to another a crime, vice, defect, real or imaginary, or any act,
omission, condition, status or circumstance tending to cause the dishonor, discredit or contempt of a
natural or juridical person, or blacken the memory of one who is dead may be liable for libel under this
Code. (Art. 353, RPC) These acts are more severely punished when done online in addition to the civil
action for damages which may be brought by the offended party. (Sec. 4(c-4), RA 10175) Cyberlibel holds
liable only the original author of the post (Sec. 5(3), Implementing Rules of RA 10175). Likers or sharers
of a post cannot be held liable under this law.

Slander may also be applicable to one who, in heat of anger, utters statements that are highly
defamatory in character. (Art. 358, RPC) Intriguing Against Honour may also find applicability when the
principal purpose is to blemish the honour or reputation of a person. (Art. 364, RPC) However, the
requirement is that the post be directed to a specific person. Hence, a blind item is not as actionable as a
named-post in social media.

The Civil Code on Damages

One who is aggrieved by a defamatory post in social media may find refuge in the provisions of the Civil
Code on Damages. (Art. 2176, Civil Code) One who posts in social media, causing damage to the
reputation of another may be liable to the subject for damages and this can be a valid cause of action
under the law. Such posts must tend to pry to the privacy and peace of mind of another, meddle or
disturb the private life or family relations of another, intrigue to cause another to be alienated from his
friends or vex or humiliate another on account of his religious beliefs, lowly station in life, place of birth,
physical defect or other personal condition. (Art. 26, Civil Code)
ARE you a victim of bullying on social media? Cyber-bullying, as defined by House Bill 5718, is the act of
posting rude, offensive or insulting messages against a victim on the internet. With the increase in the
use of social media, cases of cyber-bullying have likewise increased worldwide.

In the Philippines, a specific law covering cyber bullying is still pending in Congress. However, victims of
cyber-bullying still have other remedies under the current laws of the Philippines.

Bullying by a student against another student is covered by the Anti-Bullying Act or R.A. 10627. The acts
of bullying may be reported to the school, which shall determine the appropriate disciplinary action to
be imposed on the student-offender.

Posting online of malicious and/or defamatory words against another person is punishable under the
Revised Penal Code and the Cybercrime Prevention Act. Victims may report the bullying to the police. If
the victim decides to file a criminal case against the offender, the police or a lawyer can help in the
preparation of the complaint.

Victims of bullying can also seek for the payment of damages from the offender. The Civil Code of the
Philippines provides that whoever causes damage to another shall be liable to pay for the damage done.
A complaint is required to be filed in court before the judge shall determine if the offender is liable for
damages.

This community education column from Quota International of Metro Cebu (QIMC) is not intended to
take the place of legal advice. Consult with a private attorney of your choice to review the facts, laws,
and remedies specific to your case.

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Cyberbullying: A victim's tale of lies and the madness of crowds

Published September 15, 2012 3:09pm

By Victoria Camille Tulad

In the Philippines, where virtually everyone who has an Internet connection is on Facebook, it becomes
all too easy to change —and even ruin— peoples’ lives without a moment’s hesitation.

Just like millions of other Pinoys, 27-year-old Raymond Malinay is a confessed Facebook fanatic: he
spends every free minute online updating his status, sharing his thoughts, and liking his friends’ posts.
He even made his account public to reach more people.

But what Raymond considered nothing more than a tool for entertainment eventually turned out to be
the medium for his oppression: he became the victim of a very ugly prank.

On July 4, 2012, this edited photo of Raymond Malinay went viral on Facebook. He was accused of
having and spreading HIV. He was later tested negative for the disease. (Photo courtesy of Raymond
Malinay)

It was the morning of July 4, 2012, recalls Raymond, when he went on Facebook to check rumors that an
anonymous user had accused him of having HIV. That same user even grabbed Raymond’s picture from
one of his albums, edited it, and put a supposed statement from the AIDS Society of the Philippines
saying he was wanted for spreading the deadly disease.

“I really don’t know where the issue came from, I don’t have enemies… I’m not gay,” says Raymond.
“That picture spread really fast; in just two days it got 4,000 shares and reached other countries like
India and the USA.”

Crowd madness: ‘You will burn in hell’

“The worst remark I got was ‘I hope you die, your body will burn in hell,” he added.
The day he saw the malicious pictures and comments, Raymond did not attend class at his university in
Manila, where he studies Mass Communication as a third-year student.

“I admit I got depressed. Why would that happen to me when I didn’t do anything to anyone? I didn’t
know what to do, it was too much,” Raymond says. “I was really traumatized. It’s hard enough to get
criticized by your friends but this is nationwide, you’ll really get hurt.”

Strangers, loved ones show support After seclusion at home, Raymond decided to attend school the
next day. Riding the LRT wasn’t a breeze, though, since other students who went to colleges in the
University belt recognized him.

“When I entered the LRT, there were a lot who looked at me disdainfully,” he says. “I knew they
whispered to each other, and I knew it was about me.”

Despite getting cyber bullied, Raymond gathered strength from his friends and family, who backed him
up all the way.

GMA News was able to talk to his parents, friends, and teachers, and they were unanimous in saying that
Raymond is good-natured, hard working, smart, and honest.

Despite the multitude of netizens attacking Raymond, he also received consolation from strangers who
believed his account of the story.

False accusations, a cruel prank

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Immediately after the pictures came out, Raymond went to a hospital affiliated with the AIDS Society of
the Philippines to dispute the allegations and get an HIV test.
As expected, the test turned out to be negative. Raymond then had proof that he was merely a victim of
a cruel prank. For their part, the AIDS Society of the Philippines issued a disclaimer saying that the
organization had nothing to do with the posts.

On July 6, 2012, Raymond Malinay tested negative for HIV. The AIDS Society of the Philippines also
categorically stated it had nothing to do with the accusations versus him. (Photo courtesy of Raymond
Malinay) M

“As you very well know [the] Aids Society of the Philippines has been in existence for 15 years, and its
very adherent to promote human rights confidentiality of issues, patient rights especially on the aspects
of HIV and AIDS,” said the organization’s president, Dr. Jose Sescon. “We have to be responsible with
the message or pictures we have posted… there are human rights that needed to be protected," he
emphasized.

No Anti Cyber-Bullying Law

With the upsurge in the number of Facebook users in the country, Buhay party-list Representatives Irwin
Tieng and Mariano MichaelVelarde saw it fit to introduce House Bill 6116 or the “Anti Cyber-Bullying Act
of 2012”, an act which would seek to punish hackers and hear cases of bullying on the internet.

Tieng admits, however, that it is difficult to have their bill passed since not many legislators currently
share their view on its importance.

The lack of an anti-cyber bullying law is precisely the reason why, when Raymond went to Camp Crame’s
Criminal Investigation Detection Group or CIDG back in July, he was told that the agency had no means of
tracking the culprit, and that all they could do was to record his statements. A more dangerous kind of
bullying

According to Pscyhologist Dr. Ali Ng-Gui, cyber bullying is a more dangerous kind of bullying.
“Your typical bullying happens in school or anywhere outside but it stops when you go home. Cyber
bullying on the other hand comes inside your home and takes advantage even of younger children,” says
Ng-Gui. “The first effect [of cyber bullying] is the fear to speak up, anger, humiliation; the person can
become anti-social.”

Ng-Gui says that the best way to address the trauma caused by cyber bullying, is to step out, tell others
and surround yourself with people that support you.

Think before you click

From time to time, Raymond still receives biting feedback from people who believe the damaging
pictures and posts, but he has learned to put them all aside.

He eventually traced the original post to a certain user named “Shine Siy”, but he still could not be sure if
that person was indeed responsible for the posts.

At the moment, he remains hopeful that no one will go through what he had to endure.

“I just thought of the positive side because I felt more loved and cared for,” Raymond says. “I learned
that even if you have Facebook you don’t need to broadcast everything about your life. It is very
important to be responsible and as they say, to ‘Think before you click’.” —TJD/HS, GMA News

This story is based on the “E-Bullying” segment of Brigada aired on August 27, 2012 on GMA News TV
made by Segment Producer Ayen Bayani, Researcher Winxel Ochoa, Production Assistant Andrew Calla,
and Correspondent Victoria Tulad.

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Confessions of a Cyberbullying Victim

Published September 4, 2012 5:30pm

Bullying is no longer something that happens only in schools or on playgrounds. Recent studies have
shown that social media networks like Facebook and Twitter have become a new breeding grounds for
cyberbullies. In a recent episode, the GMA News TV program "Brigada" spoke with cyberbullying victim
Raymond Malinay Lopez. Twenty-seven-year-old Raymond used to live a quiet life as an ordinary college
junior at Far Eastern University (FEU). But last July 4, his world was turned upside down when an online
poster falsely accusing him of purposely spreading the HIV virus began to spread like wildfire on
Facebook. “We have reason to believe that he has been intentionally spreading the HIV virus by
promiscuous sexual acts … Please share this picture for the safety of the community,” read the poster,
which also showed a picture of Raymond in his school uniform.