Bullys are moving beyond classrooms, slam books and whisper campaigns to websites, chatrooms, groups and forums, text messaging, instant messaging and emails. While in some cases its no worse than old-fashioned bullying, cyberbullying has a few idiosyncraries. Websites and screen names give bullys a mask of anonynity if they wish it, making them difficult to trace. Bullys can make themselves completely anonymous with no fear of getting caught, and the receive the high of bullying others. This is just as bad as being bullied in school or at home etc.

Someone intent on bullying will simply create another screen name or go use a public computer with their free new web based screen name when they are blocked or banned from a forum and website.

Its unfortunate, and inevitable, that if you spend any amount of time on the internet, you eventually have an encounter with someone who is rude, troublesome, or even downright insane.

Whenever you have an encounter with anyone online, it is completely different from a real-life encounter. Online, you cant pick up verbal or physical cues that you normally would, not to mention that the internet is a huge place and to use the old saying it takes all kinds.

Some problems you will encounter with people online are easier solved than others, and while it is hard to understand, there are people online whose sole purpose is to start problems with others and to cause others pain and aggrevation. ( These people are generally termed trolls in online communities)

Additionally, there are sets of online mannerism, etiquette, and codes of conduct that are sometimes unspoken and unwritten that must be aknowledged in any online community. Sometimes these people can become very personal, or even downright cruel or threatening. Any reaction to these bullys actions encourages them to continue. They have, much like a three-year old might do, gotten a reaction out of you and will now continue their actions to get more reaction.

When you have a bad encounter with someone on the web, and you have identified that it may not be a miscommunication on either part, and if the person seems to be just communicating to you to harass, insult, or you get the feeling that they are being hurtful on purpose, then that person probably falls into the one of the following categories:

* People who are idiots,

*People who are naturally mean (and would be in real life)

* And People who are trying to purposefully get a rise out of you for their own amu t.

YOU CAN RECOGNISE THESE TYPES OF PEOPLE IF THEY USE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TACTICS:

1) Not making any logical sense in their communication.

2) Their communication has little, if any point to it.

3) Their communication is filled with curse words, insults, and/or threatening language.

4) The communication may even be worded with correct grammar and a sense that they are stating a perfectly acceptable and even righteous statement, when the intent of the thread or email or forum post is to hurt or anger you.