13. Cyberbullying

The rapid growth of the internet, together with ever plummeting prices and increasing miniaturizations of digital devices popularized by easy mobility and fast access to online services, have all contributed to the creation of an exciting seemingly unlimited virtual environments in which the concept of presence has been transformed to mean virtual presence. Virtual presence, while great as an entertainment environment, is complex as it anchors anonymity, thus making it extremely dangerous. It is being misused and abused as more and more people of all shades get easy access to cyberspace. In fact, the combination of these two build and boost individual confidence that sometimes boards to the realms of insanity. Because with these two, individuals in these virtual environments may be tempted to become reckless, knowingly or otherwise. This is one of the key causes and perpetuators of cyberbullying. In this chapter, we look at the dangers of virtual presence and anonymity, dangers associated with them, how to remedy the impact, tools, and best practices for protection.