Identifying Online Abuse

Learn to recognize different forms of online abuse, from cyberbullying to harassment.

What is Online Abuse?

Online abuse, also known as cyberbullying, is any digital behavior meant to threaten, intimidate, harass, or harm someone. It's more than just a disagreement; it's a repeated or severe action that crosses a line. It can happen on any digital platform, from social media and gaming networks to messaging apps and forums.

The key is recognizing when behavior stops being a simple argument and starts being an attack. It's about the intent to cause distress and the impact it has on the person targeted. Recognizing these behaviors is the first and most powerful step toward protecting yourself and creating a safer online community for everyone.

Common Forms of Online Abuse

Interactive Game: What's The Harm?
Read the messages in the phone below and decide if they are harmful or harmless.
What's The Harm?
Is this message harmful or harmless?

"I can't believe you wore that today. It looked so weird."

Check Your Understanding
Score: 0
You are in a group chat, and two members start repeatedly sending insulting memes about a third member who isn't online. What is this an example of?