Not everyone has been mistreated by a school yard bully. However, everyone knows bullying exists. Bullying is not restricted by age or environment and doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical altercation to be considered bullying. In fact, designers and developers are also prone to bullying – cyber bullying. You may have been unfairly and unreasonably criticized and made to feel small or defeated. Clients, designers, developers and even the audience you cater to are all capable of bullying if they choose to do so. More often than not, culprits hide behind false identities and abuse others just for their own twisted pleasure.
Not everyone has been mistreated by a school yard bully. However, everyone knows bullying exists. Bullying is not restricted by age or environment and doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical altercation to be considered bullying. In fact, designers and developers are also prone to bullying – cyber bullying. You may have been unfairly and unreasonably criticized and made to feel small or defeated. Clients, designers, developers and even the audience you cater to are all capable of bullying if they choose to do so. More often than not, culprits hide behind false identities and abuse others just for their own twisted pleasure.

Image credit: bernov69
Cyber bullying is a rapidly increasing trend that is not a good sign for our web community. Statistics show that almost all bloggers have experienced some form of cyber bullying at one point or another.
Negativity online can become too much for anyone to bear. In extreme cases, it will terrorize and traumatize people and affect their quality of work. When one becomes afraid of criticism and negativity, you are prevented from fulfilling your full potential. Stamp out bullying. Treat others the way you would like to be treated; with respect and dignity. In order for the community to grow, we must do our best to minimize and discourage cyber bullying.
Today, we’ll take a look at the negative effects of cyber bullying on the design community as well as on the writer. Cyber bullies are like weeds in a garden. They are not outright lethal or dangerous, but they stunt the growth and quality of the surrounding plants and flowers. If all bullies think twice before committing this “cyber crime” and consider mending their ways, the web community would be a more enjoyable place and will be able to flourish and grow positively. If you are a cyber bully, consider these factors mentioned here and reflect upon your actions.
Cyber Bullying – More Than Just A Term
Let’s explore the term cyber bullying and clarify the definition of this “crime”.
Cyber bullying presents itself in many forms; mean-spirited comments are very common, so are threats and offensive behavior. When digital technology is intentionally used to torment, threaten, harass, humiliate or embarrass, it is considered as cyber bullying. While missing the physical aspect of bullying, often times, cyber bullying is even more vindictive because physical wounds can heal but emotional wounds leave a lasting impression and mark on a person.
The Bully’s Cyber Playground
Cyber bully can happen to you anywhere online and on various platforms. Social networking sites, chat rooms, instant messaging programs, email, text messaging, personal digital assistants (PDA), and of course internet websites like design blogs or forums.

Image source: Martin Cogley
Putting a Face to the Cyber Bully
As mentioned above, anyone is capable of being a cyber bully. No one is perfect. We are all susceptible to our human emotions and frailties. Fellow designers could very easily cross the line when the green eyed monster is in play. Very easily, what should have been common and objective criticism can turn very ugly, very fast.

Image source: Arthur Coddington
There are many various motivations that can propel a person to partake in cyber bullying. Anger, jealousy, revenge, and in some cases, just entertainment is a sufficient reason to bully. Humans put other human beings down to feel better about themselves, and to exert the fact that they have power over someone else. Sometimes, a victim could suddenly lash out after much repression only to find themselves becoming the bully they once feared so much.
There are so many reasons why people bully, as such each case of cyber bully needs to be tackled different. Unfortunately, because of our human complexity, there isn’t a “one size fits all” solution where cyber bullying is concerned.
Be aware that it is not necessary for you to have made any mistakes to be targeted and persecuted by cyber bullies.
Understanding the Bully
Doctors have to first diagnose a patient’s illness before they can prescribe an appropriate medicine. This is the same with the cyber bully. In order to try and resolve this issue, we must first understand the reasons why cyber bullies bully. What do they want? What is their psychological mindset? Is it fame, notoriety or attention that they seek? Continuar leyendo «Cyber Bullies – The Terminators of the Design Community»
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