From schoolyards to screens: The evolution of school bullying
Middle-aged and older adults likely remember bullying as confined to school corridors or playgrounds. For today’s adolescents, however, bullying no longer ends when the final school bell rings. Supercharged by smartphones and social media, it follows young people into their homes and can reach hundreds of peers within seconds. Cyberbullying — defined as the intentional and repeated use of digital technologies to harm others — has become one of the fastest-growing threats to adolescents’ well-being in Korea.
According to a 2025 national cyber violence survey, 42.3 percent of Korean adolescents from fourth grade to high school reported having been involved in cyberviolence as victims, perpetrators or both. Among those affected, the most commonly identified perpetrators were strangers (51.9 percent) and friends (33.6 percent). Disturbingly, 42.9 percent of those who engaged in cyberviolence perceived their actions went unnoticed by others. While retaliation, stress, amusement and intolerance of difference were commonly cited motives, some reported no particular reason at all. This suggests that cyberbullying is becoming normalized as part of online peer culture, blurring the line between perpetrator and victim and creating an environment in which anyone can become the next target.
Much public discussion centers on such technological fixes as enhanced monitoring tools, artificial intelligence (AI) detection and stricter platform regulations. While these measures are helpful, the more important question is how behaviors that intentionally humiliate, exclude or ridicule others have become accepted as normal.
Part of the answer lies in adolescence itself, a critical period during which empathy, emotional regulation and moral reasoning are still developing. At the same time, adolescents are especially sensitive to peer approval and social belonging, which can make them more likely to seek attention or conform to group norms. Digital communication can amplify these developmental dynamics by removing many of the cues that foster interpersonal understanding. Without directly witnessing another person’s distress, adolescents may underestimate the psychological impact of their words or images. The distance and perceived anonymity of online interactions can further diminish their sense of responsibility.
Unlike traditional schoolyard harassment, cyberbullying is not constrained by time or place and can continue after victims have left the classroom or changed schools. Tactics such as group chat exclusion, message bombing, anonymous insults, image manipulation, doxing and deepfake-based harassment can be disseminated instantly to large audiences. AI has made deceptive and humiliating content easier to create and distribute. Furthermore, accountability becomes diffused as harmful content is repeatedly shared and reposted across digital networks.
Another concern is the normalization of behaviors that would have been called out as abusive in the past. Now they are dismissed as jokes, entertainment or simply part of online culture. Repeated exposure to such interactions can desensitize adolescents to the suffering of their peers. The 2025 survey found that while nearly half offered comfort to victims after witnessing cyber violence, one in four did nothing, largely because they did not know how to respond, feared becoming targets themselves or doubted the effectiveness of reporting. Yet, this silence is not neutral. Perpetrators interpret the absence of opposition as tacit approval, further normalizing abuse and allowing it to become entrenched in online culture.
Addressing cyberbullying, therefore, calls for more than teaching safe digital use. It requires helping adolescents understand the human cost of their digital behavior. Digital literacy must include empathy, ethical reflection and responsible online citizenship. Schools can incorporate these lessons into existing curricula through case discussions, guided reflection, and opportunities for perspective-taking. In the past, some Korean public schools began the day with brief moments of reflection that emphasized community, mutual care and human interconnectedness. Reintroducing similar daily practices could encourage self-examination without overburdening school schedules.
Parents also play an indispensable role. Research has consistently shown that supportive parent-child relationships reduce adolescents’ emotional distress and their likelihood of engaging in cyberbullying. Open, judgment-free conversations about online experiences help build emotional awareness and encourage responsible digital habits. Schools, meanwhile, should establish trusted reporting systems that encourage students to seek help, while equipping teachers to respond promptly and consistently to cyberbullying. Students should be taught to avoid sharing harmful content, preserve evidence through screenshots and report incidents to relevant platforms and trusted adults. Bystanders should be empowered to intervene rather than remain passive observers.
Korean higher education institutions have also begun to strengthen accountability. Some universities now factor bullying history into their admissions decisions, with some rescinding or denying admission for serious bullying. Adopting such measures more widely would send a clear message that bullying carries consequences beyond adolescence and that harmful behavior will not be tolerated.
Cyberbullying is frequently treated as a digital problem, but it is, in essence, a human one. As online cruelty becomes increasingly normalized, our challenge extends beyond policing individual incidents to actively building a culture in which respect, accountability and mutual responsibility are the norm. Technology will continue to evolve, but the human values we instill in young individuals who use it remain our most enduring safeguard.
Ma Kyung-hee is a Seoul-based editor and researcher focusing on psychological well-being and community care.