Persuasive Essay On Internet Bullying

The internet provides an opportunity unlike any our ancestors ever experienced. We are able to connect – instantly – with people of all ages, genders, and races, all across the globe. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow users to send images and text posts to their friends or to the public, that is, anyone on the internet who happens upon their post or cares to run a simple search for it or for the user. This provides many incredible opportunities for artists to share and get feedback on their creations, and to make money. People who are not artists can converse with others from all over the world and potentially develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and therefore a greater tolerance of people unlike them.

Examples could include repeatedly emailing or texting someone threats, posting deprecating comments on their artwork or on a post they have made, or insulting someone on a chat forum. It happens frequently, to varying degrees. A person may email someone a threat once then never contact them again, or an aggressor may pick one specific victim and harass them multiple times a day for weeks, months, or even years. Parry Aftab, an expert on Cyberlaw, estimates that a minimum of 40% of high school students have been cyberbullied, with nearly 80% of middle school student being cyberbullied (Cyberbullying Growing More Malicious). There are several theories regarding why internet aggression is becoming such a problem. Dr. Oren Amitay, a psychologist, points out that so called “mob rules” apply online – that when several people start doing something, others are likely to join in. ((reyersonian)) This can help explain why after one user begins harassing another user, more are quick to join the attack. It does not, however, explain why that initial attack happened. Amitay has a possible explanation for that as well. “The sense of having anonymity or operating undercover does make people do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do,” he says. ((Reyersonian)) This theory of a safe haven of anonymity is the most commonly held belief regarding internet aggression - the offender need not fear a physical attack and often cannot or will not be traced or blamed in any way, and so may act