What Do You Consider On-line/cyber Bullying?

In my world bullying is when the same person continues to pick on you over and over again and seeks you out just to be mean...
A one time thing wouldnt be bullying to me.

Good answer GrandmaT. Cyber-bullies just don't stop. They are always harking on others. Specifically on MP, they lash out at those that disagree with them, most likely sending rude PMs to those she disagrees with.

Handle it? Hmm. with my personality, I often ignore it. Easier and less stressful than answering them.

doesnt facebook have settings so you can completely block a particular person.
that is what i would do.
dont read. it dont look at it.
this is a computer in your home. you control it.

Really it depends on the age of the people and the circumstances. The more serious cyber bullying is what you see with teens. It is more serious because they also know the people in the real world, and go to school with them.

In the legal sense, I discussed this once with one of the attorneys who worked on an anti cyber bullying law, what goes on here does not fit the definition. Mostly because we have no personal contact with the other members of the board.

In the practical sense the PMing members trying to intimidate them into silence on subjects is bullying. Going around making comments on threads to other members that has nothing to do with the question is bullying. Pretty much anything that is done to intimidate another member into not expressing their opinion.

I handle it by not getting worked up about it. It hasn't really bothered me until I started seeing new members attacked. I will protect others long before I will protect myself. I have thick skin! :) Which is also rather pale and freckley. :p

One thing I have seen here that I consider clearly bullying is starting a question and wording it in a way that flames. Then after the right people answer, changing the wording to make people wonder why those people took that specific opinion. Bullying isn't just about being mean and trying to control people by fear, the biggest component is actions that isolate the victim from the peer group. By making them look crazy, angry, even a bit nuts, people who are outside the bully/victim dynamic start to avoid the victim because they don't want to draw the attention of the bully.

There's a commercial out right now where they have kids saying things out loud that normally are just written online, insults, etc. Then the announcer - "If you wouldn't say it out loud, why would you type it?" I think that's a great message to get oout to everybody, even some of the ladies on here!

I don't think cyberbullying is any differant than face to face bullying. It's trying to intimidate or insult someone, instill them with fear and self loathing. I'm sure the same triggers that create school yard bullies contribute to cyber ullies. They just feel so much tougher because it is all through the computer, so they feel invincible. It makes them feel powerful to make others feel weak and afraid. The bad part is words can cause long term trauma that fists can't. When someone pushes your insecurity button it sticks with you. A school yeard bully is easy to dismiss as a brute, but a cyber bully is attacking your character, intelligence, looks, worthiness

If you as an adult are being bullied by people you don't know then you should just ignore it. And if you ignore long enough the people will leave you alone. If they don't then report them. It's just that easy. Don't let people you don't know ruin your day.
I myself would laugh but that's just me. I don't really let that kind of stuff get to me.

Emailing/posting false and hateful information about another person; unwanted emails (if you can't block someone).

I agree with Grandma T...I think bullying is when someone picks on the same person over and over again just to be mean.

Differences of opinion are one thing, but when someone takes those differences as a reason to attack someone OVER and OVER again, then it becomes something more.

I'm pretty new to this site, but I've already noticed one person in particular that seems to always seek another out to make cutting and rude remarks. Sad really.

I think all you can do is ignore the behavior. Sadly, those who bully usually do so because their self-esteem is low and it makes them feel powerful.