Bullying has always been a factor in everyone's life, whether big or small, but with the updates in various technological devices, a new epidemic has arisen: cyber-bullying. This can be defined as a type of bullying that is done online or through harassing phone calls or text messages. Almost daily, one can flip the channel on the television and hear about a new story of a person that has been victimized by cyberbullying. Many of these cases have taken horrible turns for the victim, whereas he or she have been forced to move away from their family and enter a new school district just to get away from the bullying. Others have taken a different route. With cyberbullying becoming so harsh and neglected by authorities, people feel as if they have no one to confide in with their problems and keep them to themselves; all of this may build up and lead to depression, which can raise the rates of suicidal thoughts and actions. Many of the stories these days on headlines have been focused on the suicidal rates of teens caused from cyberbullying.
Many people see cyberbullying as an anonymous and fast way to say what they want, where they are not going to be held accountable for what is posted. It is a reliable and easy way to get their feelings across to a wide audience. All websites are able to be seen world-wide, unless there is a privacy setting, or so many think. Although this setting is to make postings and profiles secure, there are ways to get around this blockade. What goes online is never private. An example can be related to a picture posted on Facebook. The picture may be linked as private to where only the poster's friends can see it, but if any of the viewers save the picture and re-post on their own profile, it can be spread to many more people. This can be used on any website on the internet; there is no limitation.
With the internet being such a broad spectrum, many actions can be taken online while no one in "real life" knows about them.