Political Cyberbullying: Perpetrators and Targets of a New Digital Aggression

Although cyber-aggression is not a new phenomenon, the presidential campaign and election in 2016 appeared to embolden some adults who exploited the principle of free speech to attack others for their personal characteristics or views, bringing cyberbullying into the political realm. The political climate remained toxic through 2017 and 2018, and 2019 has both enflamed the vitriolic and venomous potential of public discourse and encouraged the appropriation of personal disclosure for political ends, something likely to continue through the 2020 election and after.

In this work, psychologist Sheri Bauman, an expert on cyberbullying who has addressed audiences across the nation and internationally, summarizes the world of political cyber-aggression, its perpetrators and their psyche, and its targets and how they are chosen. She then explains steps we can take to defuse the effectiveness and the harms of these online assaults. Case studies bring primary points to life, and the clarity of the text will appeal to students, researchers, and others interested in aggression, communication, and politics online.