There was a time when cyberbullying wasn't taken seriously, believe it or not. Times have certainly changed, haven't they?
Now that smartphones are so ubiquitous, people take cyberbullying more seriously than they ever did, not that there weren't cases of cyberbullying that made the news before.
There was a time when people were just instructed to not take cyberbullying so seriously, to the detriment of everyone.
It's a kind of bullying that is now treated with the attention and seriousness it deserves.
People shared their thoughts after Redditor moth-flame asked the online community:
"What do people not recognise as bullying, but actually is?"
"Belitting people..."
"Belittling people for asking genuine questions, or shaming them for not knowing what is polite based on your specific culture and lifestyle."
koolaidgirl40
This is true. And it's very common online because people assume others aren't acting in good faith.
"Dating someone..."
"Dating someone through a dare."
AussieTeenager
This sounds awful for someone's psyche. Even worse – there are teen comedies with this concept.
"My teachers..."
"My teachers sure didn’t recognize things like kicking the back of my chair over and over again and laughing as bullying, but it was to me."
obsertories
Some teachers are guilty of really just ignoring bad behavior, aren't they?
"Provoking someone's anger..."
"Provoking someone’s anger so much that almost anyone on earth would eventually retaliate physically, thus leading to the bullying victim getting into trouble."
whitehack
An excellent observation. If you push someone enough, they will snap – and there's no reason to push anyone that much.
"Exclusion..."
"Exclusion is pretty bad."
"It's not "bullying" because they're not hurting or otherwise harassing the person but it fucking hurts badly. This includes everything from your friend group being upset with you and excluding you when you're 8 and when you're in college and all your "friends" are ghosting you."
"It's so psychologically damaging. It hurts your confidence, self-image, and much more."
Snapple207
When your so-called "friends" exclude you, it can hurt immensely. That's not what actual friendships are made of.
"People insulting..."
"People insulting your interests. Music taste especially. Please just let listen to my rock/techno/pop in peace."
BeansReallyAreGood
Just let people enjoy things! It's really that simple. Why bully someone over what they like?
"Whenever I invited..."
"Whenever I invited my "friends" somewhere they'd always come. But they never invited me. They'd talk about how much fun they all had over the weekend right in front of me."
Spencer2091
Now's a good time to remind people of something very important: Friendship is a two-way street.
"When people..."
"When people get called on their terrible behaviour and try to pretend they’re the victim instead of actually taking accountability for their actions."
awkwardlyherdingcats
Taking responsibility is a real sign of maturity. Sadly, many people don't ever seem to reach that point.
"People in relationships..."
"People in relationships who manipulate the other if they're growing as a person out of fear of them changing too much or losing them."
KitchenPackage9605
People who do this are incredibly insecure and it's in your best interest to stay as far away from them as possible.
"It's more subtle..."
"It's more subtle, but I think toxic positivity is just bullying someone into shutting up about their unpleasant feelings."
Both-Glove
People's emotions are valid. It's a good idea to not make them feel like they can't speak about their feelings candidly or honestly.
Now that you've been informed about behaviors that also count as bullying, you'll be able to stand up for yourself more effectively. Even better: you'll be able to defend others in similar positions.
Have observations not included here? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
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