Cyberbullying remains a critical concern in the digital age, especially for minors navigating a virtual world where harassment has found new and diverse ways to manifest. A recent study has identified a total of 17 practices that shape the current landscape of digital harassment, underscoring the importance of constant vigilance by both parents and educators.
Minors are particularly vulnerable to “catfishing,” where perpetrators create fake profiles to deceive and emotionally manipulate their victims. This tactic goes hand in hand with “trickery,” in which attackers build trusting relationships only to betray and expose private information.
Another disturbing phenomenon is “grooming,” significant for the psychological manipulation minors are subjected to for sexual exploitation purposes. This strategy is often meticulous and prolonged, making early identification difficult.
Technological modalities such as “scareware” and “baiting” are also observed, using misleading messages to induce actions that compromise the cybersecurityCybersecurity solutions are essential in the digital age of the user. These practices exploit the trust and curiosity inherent in childhood and adolescence in the digital environment.
“Doxing” and non-consensual “sexting” stand out for their ability to cause deep emotional harm by exposing personal data or intimate content without authorization. These forms of harassment have a severe impact on the privacy and psychological well-being of minors.
The list of modalities is complemented by “cyberstalking” or persistent harassment, which involves constant digital monitoring, generating anxiety and fear in victims. Alongside this, intentional exclusion from digital platforms fosters harmful social isolation.
To better understand these threats, a summary table of the identified forms of cyberbullying is presented below:
| Modality | Description |
|---|---|
| Identity theft | Creation of fake profiles to defame or deceive. |
| Trickery | Abusing trust to reveal secrets. |
| Baiting | Using attractive lures to compromise security. |
| Pretexting | Creating false stories to obtain private information. |
| Scareware | False alert messages to induce downloads of malicious software. |
| Outing | Dissemination of personal information without consent. |
| Fraping | Unauthorized access to social networks to post inappropriate content. |
| Catfishing | Fake profiles to establish fraudulent relationships. |
| Harassment | Sending repetitive, threatening, or insulting messages. |
| Cyberstalking | Constant tracking and online stalking. |
| Trolling | Provocative comments to sow discord. |
| Flaming or Roasting | Offensive and vulgar messages to publicly humiliate. |
| Social exclusion | Deliberate exclusion from online activities or groups. |
| Doxing | Publishing personal data to endanger the victim. |
| Non-consensual sexting | Dissemination of intimate images without authorization. |
| Grooming | Emotional manipulation of minors for exploitation. |
| Masquerading | Using fictitious characters for harassment, hiding real identity. |
The prevention of cyberbullying requires a coordinated effort among parents, educators, and authorities to establish effective action frameworks and raise awareness of these threats. Education in digital skills and the promotion of safe communication environments are essential to protect minors in today’s digital landscape.