Cyber Bullying

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We’ve all heard the saying “stick and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” Sure words don’t hurt physically, but to those who have been or are currently victims of cyber bullying words can be the difference between life and death. “Words hurt, and they hurt much more when repeated in the echo chamber of the Internet.” (Rep. Linda Sanchez via FoxNews.com) There are at least 4 examples in the United States where cyber-bullying has been linked to the suicide of a teenager [1].

What is Cyber Bullying?

Cyber bullying is defined as “bullying through information and communication technologies, mediums such as mobile phone text messages, emails, phone calls, internet chat rooms, instant messaging, and social networking websites such as MySpace,

Facebook and Twitter” [2]. Due to all the technology involved, it is more common amongst children and teenagers. Many experts believe that it is more harmful than schoolyard bullying because nearly all of us can be contacted 24/7 via the internet or mobile phones. Victims can now be reached anytime and anyplace. For many children, home is no longer a refuge from the bullies. Children are now susceptible to threats and abuse in the classroom and coming home to find text messages and emails from the same tormentors when they arrive home. This can leave victims feeling helpless and overwhelmed.

The methods used are only limited by bully’s imagination and access to technology, which many children now have [3]. It includes, but is not limited to, threats, sexual remarks, making the victim the subject of ridicule in forums, and posting false statements on popular social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc. Cyber bullies may disclose their...

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...in order to verify their victim‘s home or place of employment, making threats, identity theft, gathering information in order to harass, sending the victim a multitude of junk e-mail, or sending viruses [9].

Works Cited

[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberbullying

[2]http://www.cyberbullying.info/resources/downloads/ChrisWebster_WhatIsCyberbullying.pdf

[3]http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/what_is_cyberbullying_exactly.html

[4]http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci1023061,00.html

[5]http://www.teachtoday.eu/en/Teacher-advice/Cyberbullying/What-are-the-effects-of-cyberbullying.aspx

[6]http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=13495

[7]http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=Nemours&lic=60&ps=107&cat_id=145&article_set=65413

[8]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberstalking

[9]http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbName=DocumentViewer&DocumentID=32458

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