ABSTRACT

This chapter explores several forms of cyberviolence, including cyberbullying, cyberstalking, trolling, flaming, and hate speech. There are several similarities between physical violent crime and cyberviolence. First, and most importantly, someone is hurt in both environments. The violent crime of rape, for example, can be understood as an individual perpetrator committing an act of sexual violence towards an individual victim. Flaming can be defined as the uninhibited expression of hostility, insults, and ridicule. Trolling can be described as the act of generating conflict online, often for a meaningless prank. Online shaming refers to a group subjecting an individual to harassment, bullying, and condemnation because of some real or perceived transgression. The Cyberbullying Research Center provides evidence-based tips and strategies on cyberbullying. The term hate speech is used in everyday language to describe almost any critical comment towards a person or group. Hate speech is prevalent in the digital environment.