Definitions of Cyberbullying

Abstract

Across the academic literature, there is little agreement with regard to what constitutes cyberbullying, leading Tokunaga (Computers in Human Behavior, 26:277–287, 2010) to argue that the term is somewhat of an `umbrella' phrase that encompasses online bullying, electronic bullying, and Internet harassment. Some definitions of cyberbullying have utilised definitions of face-to-face bullying as a foundation including elements of repetition, power imbalance, and intention. Other definitions highlight the distinct nature of cyberbullying behaviours and also acknowledge the various media through which it can occur. This chapter considers some of the debates surrounding the definition of cyberbullying and provides an overview of some of the contemporary definitions.