Cyberbullying and the Gaming Communit

Over the past decade or so, cyberbullying has taken the world by surprise. With the advent of social media connecting individuals with others within a community to the entire world, individuals could easily harm others with a few words. Cyberbullying is often used in the context of social media platforms and school settings, however, there is one emerging community that should be monitored closely, the gaming community. Video games and cyberbullying are often not looked at holistically. With online gaming communities become vastly popular through the recent rise of online competitive gaming and E-sports leagues being introduced, it is time for us to view the issue of cyberbullying within gaming. Only through understanding and awareness of how cyberbullies victimize others through online gaming experiences will strategies and talks about mitigating such offenses come to fruition. Parents, educators, government officials, and health care providers must be informed of the dangers when children and adolescents play video games online. Video games are not inherently bad for them, rather it is the community that can be. Through understanding the implications of online gaming, we can start to build a more welcoming platform for all.