What is the Impact of Cyberbullying?

· They are not immediately confronted with the consequences of their actions and they don’t fear being punished for them. The nature of the medium means digital content can be shared and seen by a very wide audience almost instantly and is almost impossible to delete permanently. Young people may not be aware that the nature of cyber bullying provides for a permanent record of the bullying offense which could impact on them in the future.

· Young people are often fearful of reporting incidents, as they fear that adults will take away their mobile phone, computer and/or internet access.

· Like other forms of bullying it can cause stress and anxiety. This can make it more difficult for young people to learn. It can affect concentration levels and decrease ability to focus. In turn, this affects the ability to understand and retain information. For fear of reprisal after class, students who are being bullied can also demonstrate a reluctance to participate in lesson activities or discussions.

· They may feel distracted and pre-occupied with the bullying, spending time thinking of ways to avoid it.

· They may feel a lack of interest and motivation due to feelings of depression or anxiety.

· They might avoid school, complain of regular illness or ditch from classes or activities to avoid the bullying.