Cyber Bullying in Chinese Web Forums: An Examination of Nature and Extent

There is an emerging body of research examining the problem of cyber bullying in juvenile populations. These studies provide significant insight to the frequency and correlates of cyber bullying victimization. Few, however, have considered the content of messages used by bullies in order to understand the most common forms of bullying and the ways that victims are targeted. Additionally, little research has considered the prevalence of bullying in Asian nations despite their increasing connectivity and large population of young Internet users. In order to address this gap in the literature, this study utilizes a sample of 374 threads from web forums for multiple middle and high schools throughout China. The findings are used to understand the forms of bullying that occur in online environments, and the ways that victims and bullies interact. The findings demonstrate the dynamics of cyber bullying in a cross-cultural context, and the prospective policy implications for schools and parents