Introduction
With the rise of internet and electronic technology, bullying has evolved from its traditional schoolyard setting to a more pernicious form: cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is defined as “the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person” (Kidshealth, 2012). The diverse means include but are not limited to: text messages, phone calls, emails, social networking websites, chat rooms, and instant messenger services. Adolescents constitute the population most susceptible to aggressive and harassing online behavior whether as victims, perpetrators or witnesses. More often than not, the online identity directly transcribes offline social status and both influence each other in a chicken and egg dilemma. Cyberbullying is a major hindrance to the educative, psychological and social well-being of children; in extreme cases, it has led to depression, nervous breakdown and suicide. Meanwhile, unsuspecting parents bemoan their children’s constant use of a technology they see as addictive and,-ignorant of the dangers and prevalence cyberbullying- consider internet predators as a bigger threat. (In 2011, 33% of teenagers have been victims of online bullying according to the Cyberbullying Research Center). Cyberbullying has a viral nature, ergo, the repercussions of have a quicker and more permanent impact at a larger scale, are harder to quench and nearly impossible to contain. Identifying the persecutors is also much more difficult due to anonymity features and the possibility to create a fake online identity. Furthermore, the polymorphous aspect of technology renders cyberbullying boundless. As a result, the torment and oppression seem more constant. Nonetheless, online bullying is as much a g...
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As a recently recognized form of bullying, cyber bullying also referred to as electronic or Internet bullying, is defined as “the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group that is intended to harm others” (Belsey, n.d., p. 8; Bonanno & Hymel, 2013). Cyber bullying is characterized by intimidation, harassment, victimization, and aggression toward others that occurs through email, chat rooms, instant messages, webs...
We live in an era where technological innovation is constantly evolving and the integration of electronic devices for daily functions have become a standard of living. These devices allow users to perform communication electronically by means of text messages, instant messaging programs, email and provides easy access to social networking. People of all ages, especially teenagers have become more reliant on these applications to maintain their social network and connect with others on a global scale. This method is still a form of human interaction and therefore unethical behavior and unmerited practices such as cyber bullying which are still a common concern amongst its users. Bullying can affect individuals of all ages and is defined as
Context: Cyberbullying is a relatively new strain of bullying. With the Internet being at such easy reach and children and teenagers being so tech savvy, things such as a mean text or an unfriendly social media post is just a finger click away. “Cyberbullying is in simple terms, known as, bullying through the Internet. Whether it is through email, instant messaging, on a Web site through images sent digitally. Because cyberbullying is so new, it has caught the eyes of the press and educators recently. Cyberbullying has both similarities and differences of traditional bullying. There are also unique repercussions and ways of dealing with it. (Kowalski, Limber, and Agatston pg. 1-2).
Bullying has been around forever, however with today’s technology bullying has become easier than ever. It is easier to bully in cyberspace than it is to bully face to face. With cyberbullying a bully can pick on people with much less risk of being caught. Bullies are natural instigators and in cyberspace bullies can recruit the participation of additional students who may be unwilling to bully in the real world. Cyberbullying is any harassment that occurs over the Internet. Vicious discussion posts, name calling in chat rooms, posting fake profiles on web sites, and cruel email messages are all ways of cyber bullying. Cyberbullying can be more serious than conventional bullying. At least with conventional bullying, the victim is left alone on evenings and weekends. Many people may think that cyberbullying is not a problem in life; well, think again, it can change a victim’s life forever by just one offensive comment about them. It will make the victim want to commit suicide, drop out of school, and suffer from self-esteem issues like depression and anxiety. We must fight for what is right, the sooner the better. The movement into the digital age has change the behaviors and interactions of minors and it is time our culture to rethink its relationship with the Web and social networking.
Technology has changed the world for today’s teens, and not all for the better. According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, cyberbullying can happen twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, and reach a kid even when he or she is alone. By definition cyberbullying is “willful and repeated harm inflicted through the median of electronic text” (Deuck). This happens in many ways shapes and forms. The use of information and communication technologies such as e-mails, cell phones, pagers, text messages, instant messaging, and defamatory online personal polling web sites has became common among teens. As a result of cyberbullying, victims suffer from emotional harm, loss of self- esteem, and experience physical harm.
Cyberbullying, though just surfacing in recent times, has accelerated quickly to being one of the most observed forms of bullying to take place in today’s society. With the ease that comes with using the Internet and social networks, new kinds of bullies are being born each day. Sadly, though this problem has just developed, it has been proven to be one of the worst forms of bullying to take place over the past years, solely based on the permanent and detrimental negative effects associated with it. It not only affects one’s physical well-being but it also has a way of picking apart a person’s psyche—which is where the true issue lies. Cyberbully tends to occur where ever teenagers gather-- which is in itself a destructive pattern since teenagers are at that age where social status and self-actualization is important to their development and how they find themselves. Thus, having to ex...
Traditional bullying that used to occur commonly on school-grounds has now been over shadowed by harassment through the Internet and other technology related devices. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary “cyber bullying” is defined as ...
In her article “How the Internet Has Changed Bullying”, Maria Konnikova explained how bullying has reached technology, and in the workplaces of many adults. The Internet has made it harder to escape from bullying, and easier for bullies to escape from confronting their victims. Furthermore, the author stresses that cyberbullying not only targets high schoolers, but it’s affecting the lives of college students as well (Konnikova 1). Cyberbullying takes place in the Internet world where is easier for a bully to gossip and humiliate multiple of victims in a faster pace. The studies have shown that cyberbullying is making a greater impact in the victims’ and the bullies’ lives more than the traditional bullying and many people are not aware of it; therefore the schools, witnesses, and employers should work together to fight against cyberbullying and provide help to the victims and bullies.
This sort of phenomenon makes major headlines regularly in recent times and effects a clear majority of today’s youth. State and local lawmakers have taken steps to prevent this type of bullying by making illegal under several criminal law codes. Michele Hamm, a researcher in pediatrics explained, “There were consistent associations between exposure to cyberbullying and increased likelihood of depression.” Cyberbullying became widespread among students with the rapid growth in use of cellular devices and the Internet. With this kind of technology bullies have the ability to send harmful messages to their recipients at any given time. This type of bullying is the hardest to control because it involves students but often happens off school grounds. However, because the evidence is material, students and parents could bring this evidence to the school and local police departments if a situation were to happen. Parents should be mindful of their child’s use of the internet and electronic messaging, cyberbullying usually takes place in a medium in which adults are seldom present (Mason, 2008). Also, instead of sending direct messages to other students, bullies use platforms such as social media and anonymous blogs to post harmful things for others to see. Educators must understand the significance of social media use to their students, especially
Trach, J., Hymel, S., Waterhouse, T., & Neale, K. (2010). Bystander responses to school bullying: A cross-sectional investigation of grade and sex differences. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 25(1), 114-130. doi:10.1177/0829573509357553
Internet usage in children and adolescents has been increasing in a steadily fashion in the past number of years and with the increase in internet usage, a new form of bullying has developed – Cyber bullying. Cyber bullying can be defined as “the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person,” (Merriam-Webster, 2012). This form of bullying can come through various mediums including but not limited to text messages, emails, videos, and social networking sites. There is an overwhelming amount of information that defines cyber bullying, identifies the demographics of bullies and victims of cyber bullying, and identifies the outcomes of cyber bullying on victims. More focus needs to be placed on who the perpetrators of this form of violence are and how this form of violence is linked to traditional bullying. This will allow researchers and practitioners to move forward with research and implementation preventative methods and intervention once the problem has already occurred.
Mickie Wong-Lo and Lyndal M. Bullock, in their encouraging attempt to intervene in incidents of cyberbullying, have recommended many ways to deal with it. In their article entitled “Digital Aggression: Cyberworld Meets School Bullies”, they asserted that children do not acquaint their parents with their activities on the Internet and as a result parents do not know how to address similar situations (67). According to Kowalski, parents ought to follow “reporting techniques, which includes knowing when to ignore, block, or react, being mindful of the language being used and respond appropriately;” (qtd. in Wong-Lo and Bullock 68). In other words, the authors rightly emphasize that systematic supervision and knowledge can be valuable measures because parents will monitor children’s use of Internet and will be able to provide appropriate guidelines just in case a danger arises (Wong-Lo and Bullock 68). Moreover, as Keith and Martin argue, “[…] incorporating popular youth technology would be to teach youth how to use a social networking site to promote themselves in a positive manner that would appeal ...
The online bully’s goal is to make their target feel weak; these online bullies can be referred to as a cyber bully. Cyber bullying is the exercise of using technology to embarrass, threaten, harass, or target another person; according to its definition it occurs among young people (New, 4). It is usually performed by a child’s peers and surprisingly occurs early as the second grade (Jacobs 1). Cyber bullying can even be unintentional, especially through the use of emails, IMs, and text messages because the tone of the sender may be hard to depict. However, recurring emails, online posts, and texts are hardly ever unintentional (124). As the number of youths increase that have the availability to technology, cyber bullying is likely to continue to rise and continue to take its toll on youth. Due to its excessive effect that it has on children today, Cyber bullying should be taken more seriously.
Adults are easily accessible to the goods and bads on social media, compared to children that are less capable to realize what is convenient for them. As a result, children have become victims of cyberbullying via social media. One of the major problem of cyberbullying had to do with the fact that “[t]he Internet provides more than ample opportunities for children to bully one another anonymously. Kids can embark on impressive and terrifying bullying campaigns, drawing in dozens of other completely anonymous children. Even a child who never does anything risky online is at risk of being bullied”, (Woda,2015, p.32). Children are expose to more cyberbullying in social media than in their normal everyday lives. According to Woda Tim, (2015) “a 2013 Pew Research Center study, indicates that 20.8 percent of kids ages eight to ten report that they have been cyberbullied at least once in their life, while 88 percent of social media-using teens say they have witnessed someone being mean or cruel on a social media site”, (32). Parents should focus more when their kids are using phones or computers in the house and it should use in public areas of the house, where parents can be aware of what their kids are doing in social media. They must use a “Parental intelligence” with their children and know that kids are the more vulnerable to be involved in cyberbullying. It is painful to see how everyday in the news kids are committing