ABSTRACT
Cyberbullying has been identified as a risk for young people online with the potential for serious implications for those on the receiving end of these behaviours. However, our understanding of cyberbullying is hindered by the use of outdated definitions of the term. The current chapter discusses the early approaches taken to understanding cyberbullying; as an online extension to traditional forms of playground bullying. More recent developments in the use of technology as well as our understanding of online behaviour indicate that a direct translation of the offline to the online context misses some of the specific aspects of cyberbehaviours such as cyberbullying. The current chapter proposes a new and more nuanced definition of cyberbullying, which takes into consideration some of the key aspects specific to online interaction.
