Psychologists explore the reality of cyberbullies Millions of children are affected by bullies each year. Advances in social media, email, instant messaging, and cell phones, however, have moved bullying from a schoolyard fear to a constant threat.

Foreword vi
John Halligan

Preface ix

1 Introduction 1

2 Children’s Experiences with Traditional Forms of Bullying 18

3 What Is Cyberbullying? 56

4 Current Research on Cyberbullying 89

5 What Parents Can Do 118

6 What Educators Can Do 155

7 Laws and Policies 187

8 Conclusion 223

References 233

Author Index 262

Subject Index 271

“This indispensable book shows us the reality of young people’s digital lives and presents a wide range of specific, practical, and research-based interventions to build online safety, reduce harm, and help youth develop positive digital citizenship. Highly recommended!”
Stan Davis, author of Schools Where Everyone Belongs and Empowering Bystanders in Bullying Prevention

“Accurate information is empowerment. With this book, Kowalski, Limber and Agatston empower all of us to cut through the hype around cyberbullying and address it intelligently and with the sensitivity it requires.”
Anne Collier, Editor for NetFamilyNews.org and Co-Director of ConnectSafely.org

Bullying affects millions of children throughout the world each year. Recent advances in technology have led to greater prevalence of cyberbullying using e-mail, instant messages, social networking sites, and other digital messaging systems. The second edition of Cyberbullying provides the most current information on the nature and prevalence of this quickly-evolving issue that causes unique challenges and concerns for children, parents, and educators.

Examining the latest research and methods for studying this issue, the authors have utilized vital studies involving over 3,500 middle-school students, online research projects on cyberbullying, and data from focus groups of victims, perpetrators, and their parents. This edition includes updated and expanded empirical data; coverage of the newest digital venues where cyberbullying is appearing, including social networking sites; and a look at occurrences of cyberbullying among adults and among children with disabilities. The book also covers sexting and some of the legal issues surrounding it.

The authors – internationally known experts in the field – provide practical tips for parents and educators on how to prevent cyberbullying through family and classroom discussions about proper online behavior. They also offer suggestions for successful intervention techniques in cyberbullying episodes that stem from their own work, research, and experiences.

This indispensable book shows us the reality of young peoples' digital lives and presents a wide range of specific, practical, and research-based interventions to build online safety, reduce harm, and help youth develop positive digital citizenship. Highly recommended!
- Stan Davis, author of Schools Where Everyone Belongs and Empowering Bystanders in Bullying Prevention

Accurate information is empowerment. With this book, Kowalski, Limber and Agatston empower all of us to cut through the hype around cyberbullying and address it intelligently and with the sensitivity it requires.
- Anne Collier, Editor for NetFamilyNews.org and Co-Director of ConnectSafely.org

This book provides an eloquent mix of research theories and findings, together with actual experiences, in the important area of cyberbullying. It is especially strong in well-developed and comprehensive chapters about what parents and educators can do, to reduce both the likelihood of cyberbullying happening, and its negative consequences.
- Peter K. Smith, Goldsmiths, University of London

Foreword: John Halligan Preface 1. Introduction 2. Children's Experiences with Traditional Forms of Bullying       3. What is Cyber Bullying? 4. Research on Cyber Bullying 5. What Parents Can Do      6. What Educators Can Do 7. Laws and Policies 8. Conclusion References Index