Just as students who experience bullying through more traditional means are likely to avoid the spaces they associate with negative experiences – such as school cafeterias, hallways and playgrounds – victims of cyber-bullying often attempt to avoid the technological spaces in which they are subjected to bullying. These digital channels, including everything from social networks to chat programs and school computer rooms, are a vital component in the educational development and social lives of students. As a result, students who feel excluded from them are less likely to participate in social activities that take place or are planned online and face more difficulty obtaining basic computer skills. As technology and technological skills become more important in modern academics and professional training, cyber-bullied students face a number of academic and career disadvantages.
One of the unique threats of cyber-bullying to a student's well-being is the lack of limitations on when and where cyber-bullying attacks can take place. Unlike traditional bullying, from which students could often find refuge among friends or in their homes, cyber-bullying uses technology to deliver intimidating or demeaning messages at any time and through a variety of avenues. A child with a cell phone or a social network account, for example, can receive cyber-bullying messages nearly anywhere and at any time of day. Many cell phone and digital messages can also be anonymous, increasing the amount of uncertainty and fear experienced by the victim. This intense psychological stress, particularly for the more vulnerable students who are most often the victims of bullying, adversely affects a child's ability to concentrate on school work or be able to reflect calmly on school lessons or activities.
Particularly in the case of network communications or social utilities like Facebook, MySpace or Twitter, cyber-bullying can generate public attacks. Social media networks link students with different groups of friends and acquaintances. If, for instance, a cyber-bullying classmate publishes humiliating content about a victim, that message is distributed not only to mutual school friends but to the victim's wider social circle, including family and groups of friends from other activities. These public attacks increase the sense of humiliation experienced and eliminate safe social spaces for the victim, resulting in negative effects on the victim's self-esteem. Poor self-esteem, of course, makes a student less likely to participate in class, try new academic activities and generally thrive in an academic environment.
If traditional bullying can result in a general decrease in academic performance, cyber-bullying has the potential to multiply these effects by the infinite number of places in which a modern student experiences technology. Decreases in concentration, self-esteem and social interaction are closely correlated with poor school attendance, a lack of in-class participation, reluctance to participate in enriching after-school activities and even problem drug use as an escape from a difficult reality. While cyber-bullying lacks the potential for physical violence present in traditional bullying, the significant psychological dangers of bullying are still present and arguably even enhanced by cyber-bullying.