Nancy Willard with the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use (CSRIU) has developed this useful taxonomy of the various forms of cyber bullying. Visit CSRIU's site.
Flaming
Flaming refers to a brief, heated exchange between two or more individuals that occurs via any communication technology. Typically, though, flaming occurs in “public” settings, such as chat rooms or discussion groups, rather than private e-mail exchanges. If a series of insulting exchanges ensues, then a flame war has started.
Cyber Harassment
In the cyber bullying literature, cyber harassment generally is viewed as a unique form of cyber bullying that involves repetitive offensive messages sent to a target. Most often harassment occurs via personal communication channels, such as e-mail, but harassing messages may also be communicated in public forums, such as chat rooms and discussion groups.
Denigration
Denigration is information about another that is derogatory and untrue. The information may be posted on a web page or it may be disseminated to others via e-mail or instant messaging. Included within this category of cyber bullying is posting or sending digitally altered photos of someone, particularly in a way that portrays them in a sexualized or harmful manner.
With impersonation, the perpetrator poses as the victim, most often by using the victim’s password to gain access to his or her accounts, then communicating negative, cruel, or inappropriate information with others as if the target himself or herself were voicing those thoughts.
Outing and Trickery
Outing refers to sharing personal, often embarrassing information with others with whom the information was never intended to be shared. This may take the form of receiving an e-mail or instant message from a target that contains private, potentially embarrassing information and/or photos and then forwarding that e-mail on to others. Trickery refers to tricking someone into revealing personal information about themselves and then sharing that information with others.
Exclusion/Ostracism
Whether in the online or offline world, children often perceive that they are either in or out. If they are not in the “in-group,” then they are in the “out-group.” Online exclusion can occur in any type of password-protected environment or by a target being knocked off of buddy lists or by refusal to accept a friend request from a classmate on a social networking site.
Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking refers to the use of electronic communications to stalk another person through repetitive harassing and threatening communications. Black’s Law Dictionary (1999) defines “stalking” as : (1) The act or an instance of following another by stealth. (2) The offense of following or loitering near another, often surreptitiously, with the purpose of annoying or harassing that person or committing a further crime such as assault or battery.” Although clearly related to harassment, cyberstalking involves more threats than pure harassment.
