If you notice a classmate bullying online, or a humiliating photo shared in a chat, or an offensive viral video…and you do nothing, is it the right thing to do?
Psychology calls this “the bystander effect”: the more people see an injustice, the less everyone feels like doing something. Everyone thinks: “Somebody else will do it!”
Today, social media makes this phenomenon bigger.
In cyberbullying there are not only the bully and the victim. There is always an audience.
Online audiences can be huge. And all it takes is a click to:
- like
- sharing
- comment with a laugh
- remain in silence
But wait, the silence is heavy too.
For those who attack, it’s an encouragement.
For the victim, it’s a sense of abandonment.
The online bullying:
- can go viral
- can be visible over time
- can reach everyone
One single act can turn into a permanent humiliation.
Why do we often do nothing about it?
Moral disengagement plays a crucial role in this, we tend to find justification for not feeling guilty:
- “it was just a joke”
- “It’s not so bad”
- “I didn’t do anything, I just watched”
Online is easier. We don’t see the hurt person, we don’t hear his voice. The screen makes distance. Empathy is lower.
And that transforms suffering in a show.
In cyberbullying there are:
- Active spectators: they share, comment, increase the offense
- Passive spectators: they only watch
But there is a third possibility: become conscious spectators. The bully feels strong because the group supports him or remains in silence. If the group stops doing this, the gear breaks down.
Responsibility is the key to making a difference online.
What you can do in practice:
- don’t share offensive content, even as a joke
- don’t like humiliating posts, a like is a message too
- write in private to the victim: a support message can make a difference
- report the content to the platform or to a responsible adult
- don’t stay alone if you are afraid to intervene: talk to someone
You don’t have to be a hero. You have to choose a side.
Because online, like in real life, silence can seem neutral. But often, this is the way to continue the violence. And every time you share, comment or click you’re helping to build the kind of network you want to live in.
Bibliography
- BULLISMO E CYBERBULLISMO https://www.buccarimarconi.edu.it/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PROTOCOLLO-GESTIONE-CASI-DI-BULLISMO-E-CYBERBULLISMO.pdf
- Gli spettatori del cyberbullismo: qual è il loro ruolo nella prevenzione? https://www.sullorlodellapsicologia.it/spettatori-nel-cyberbullismo-il-loro-ruolo-nella-prevenzione/
- Associazione Italiana Cyberbullismo e Sexting https://www.aics-cyberbullismo.it/cyberbullismo/
- Cos’è il Bystander Effect? https://www.igeacps.it/cose-il-bystander-effect/
Author: Fabiola Forgione, JUMP staff (Italy)