In a world where smartphones rarely leave our hands and social media never sleeps, our digital lives feel inseparable from our real ones. This constant connection brings opportunity, new friendships, creative outlets, and a wealth of knowledge, but it also exposes us to dangers we often underestimate. Among the most troubling is cyberbullying: a new face of an old cruelty, magnified by technology and anonymity.
We love the internet. It’s where we laugh at memes, binge TikToks, connect with friends, and even find our voice. But let’s be honest, the same space that lifts us up can also bring us down. That’s the ugly side of the digital world: cyberbullying.
Unlike old-school bullying that ended when the bell rang, cyberbullying never clocks out. It follows you home, onto your phone, and sometimes even into your dreams.
What Cyberbullying Looks Like IRL
Cyberbullying isn’t just someone being “salty” in the comments. It’s way bigger than that:
• Fake accounts made to roast you.
• Private pictures dropped online without your okay.
• Group chats that spread rumours like wildfire.
• DMs full of insults or threats.
• Doxxing—when someone blasts your personal info for everyone to see.
And here’s the kicker: the audience isn’t just your classmates; it’s the whole internet. That constant pressure can crush confidence, fuel anxiety, and in extreme cases, lead to self-harm.
If You’re Targeted
Here’s the survival kit:
Don’t clap back — bullies want a reaction. Don’t feed them.
Block + report — that’s what those buttons are for.
Screenshot everything — receipts matter.
Talk it out — friends, parents, teachers. You don’t have to carry it solo.
Stopping It Together
We all play a role in making the internet less toxic:
• Think before you post—words stick harder than tattoos.
• Be the hype, not the hate—drop support when you see someone getting targeted.
• Push schools + lawmakers—digital safety should be taught and protected.
At the end of the day, the internet can be chaotic, but it’s also full of good vibes. Choosing kindness online isn’t cheesy; it’s powerful. Because behind every username is a real person who deserves respect.
Cyberbullying is not just a “teen issue” or a “social media problem”. It’s a mirror reflecting how we, as a society, choose to treat one another in shared spaces. The internet will continue to shape the future, but whether it becomes a tool for empowerment or a weapon of harm depends on the choices we make every day. Choosing empathy isn’t a weakness; it’s how we reclaim the humanity behind the screen.
Abdulhafiz Mohammed writes from
Kaduna