With almost 60% of teenagers using the internet every day, cyberbullying has become a real threat that goes largely unnoticed by teachers and parents. In today’s technological age, children are using the internet for more than just research. They are using technology, like the internet and cell phones, to maintain social connections with their friends more frequently than visiting in person. Maintaining these online friendships has created a serious epidemic of cyberbullying. What is cyber bullying? Cyberbullying is the use of cell phones, instant messaging, e-mail, chat rooms or social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to harass, threaten or intimidate someone. Cyberbullying is often done by children, who have increasingly early access to these technologies. The problem is compounded by the fact that a bully can hide behind an electronic veil, disguising his or her true identity. This secrecy makes it difficult to trace the source and encourages bullies to behave more aggressively than they might face-to-face. It can include such acts as making threats, sending provocative insults or racial or ethnic slurs, gay bashing, attempting to infect the victim's computer with a virus, and flooding an e-mail inbox with messages
The issue of cyberbullying is so serious because teenagers do not speak out when they are harassed by their peers. It has become a serious epidemic and this has forced lawmakers and school districts to take a stand. A link to specific laws is below.
http://blogs.findlaw.com/law_and_life/2010/01/cyberbullying-suicide-shows-need-for-cyberbullying-laws.htmlA study conducted by psychologists at UCLA notes that among 6th graders bullying is a daily occurrence. It goes largely unnoticed and leads to a sense of anxiety and humiliation among its victims. The problem is that children remain quiet about these damaging situations. However the emotional affects of harassment can have lethal consequences. For example, in February of 2011 a young boy from Rittman, Ohio named Nicholas Kelo Jr.,died by his own hand after being incessantly teased. At the tender age of thirteen, Nicholas could no longer take the daily abuse he received from his peers after joining the high school band. His mother found him mortally wounded one afternoon, lying on the living room floor.
(Link to the full story)
Nicholas Kelo, Jr., of Rittman, who took his own life, may have been a victim of bullying.
Because children have the potential to access electronic devices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it could become impossible to avoid cyberbullying. As adults, we may not relate to this concept because we had the advantage of leaving the bully on the playground after our school day was done. The good news is that with parental supervision and school districts enacting specific policies against cyberbullying, we can take steps to keep our kids safe. For example, the school district that Nicholas attended has added a new program to counter the effects of bullying by teaching compassion. The school has now added an anti bullying course for all 6th through 12th graders that will teach empathy, sensitivity and good citizenship. They feel that teaching children to be more altruistic will create an environment that can extinguish harassment.
Annotated Bibliography:
teacher tube videoHone-McMahan, Kim. "Ohio.com - Rittman Boy May Have Died Because of Bullying." Ohio.com - Www.ohio.com. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. <http://www.ohio.com/news/117770373.html>.
Noonan, Kaley. ""She Used to Be Pretty": Schoolyard Harassment Goes Online | Edutopia." K-12 Education & Learning Innovations with Proven Strategies That Work | Edutopia. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. <http://www.edutopia.org/dispatches-she-used-to-be-pretty>.
Wolpert, Stuart. "Bullying of Teenagers Online Is Common, UCLA Psychologists Report / UCLA Newsroom." Home / UCLA Newsroom. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/bullying-of-teenagers-online-is-64265.aspx.
Cyber Bullying IS IT A BLUFF?
“When you hear the word bully you usually think; picking on someone all the time in school, threating, or taking a kids lunch money. My daughter was a victim for 3 years 1st -3rd grade (yes that young). She hate going to school and would cry every time I left her. I thought that she just didn’t like school or she was going through separation anxiety. I found out because she had confided in her mentor, and her mentor told me what my daughter was going through for 3 entire years. Today it has gone beyond that. The Internet as well as cell, phones are being used to destroy people’s lives.”
“I have heard so many people say that if you are a bully, you have been bullied. In today’s time this isn’t so true. Children are now doing it for fun, just because others are doing it. Creating lies or even using the truth to embarrass others, not knowing these silly acts of fun can cause someone to go as far as murdering someone or someone committing suicide.”
*Below an 11 year old committed suicide.
*Below an 11 year old committed suicide.
White House conference tackles bullying
By Shawna Shepherd, CNN
Listen to this 80% bully on line because they think it’s funny !!!!!!!!!
"Is technology being abused?"
Cyber bullying continues to be blamed for many young people being depressed and is having a huge impact on our society. I'm not sure if there is an easy solution but to make sure we are all available to help and counsel our young people through whatever they are facing. This report from The Herald Sun below is very sad, as another teenager takes their life...
Cyber bullying—Anti-social behavior online
Technology gives today’s kids more ways to connect, socialize and communicate than ever before, that is the good news. The bad news is that some kids are abusing the technology. One way they abuse it is by cyber bullying. Essentially the new high tech version of the schoolyard bully. Cyber bullying is cruel anti-social behavior perpetrated either online or via cell phones, often anonymously, mostly by tweens and teens, and sometimes by troubled adults
Technology gives today’s kids more ways to connect, socialize and communicate than ever before, that is the good news. The bad news is that some kids are abusing the technology. One way they abuse it is by cyber bullying. Essentially the new high tech version of the schoolyard bully. Cyber bullying is cruel anti-social behavior perpetrated either online or via cell phones, often anonymously, mostly by tweens and teens, and sometimes by troubled adults
The Edutopia Poll
It's the Internet age, and bullying, like so much else, has gone online. Peer-to-peer cruelty is, unfortunately, nothing new. But do the Web and social networking take it to another level? The ability to post anonymously online may encourage would-be bullies, and the public nature of the Internet means taunts can be broadcast far beyond school walls. Harassment can even follow a victim who changes schools or moves away. At the same time, the Web opens doors for isolated students to seek out friendships and outlets that transcend their school communities. We want to know if you think the Internet is worsening the problem of kids' picking on each other.
Does the Internet exacerbate bullying?
Yes. The Internet exposes kids to public humiliation while allowing bullies to hide behind screen names. 85% (387 votes)
No. Cyberbullying is not any worse than other forms of bullying. 15% (70 votes)
Shepherd, S. (n.d.). White House conference tackles bullying - CNN.com. CNN.com - Breaking News,
U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Retrieved March 29, 2011,
< http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/03/10/obama.bullying/index.html?hpt=Sbin
Cyber Bullying: Protect Kids from Cyber Bullying & Online Harassment | Norton. (n.d.). Spyware Blockers
Cyber Bullying: Protect Kids from Cyber Bullying & Online Harassment | Norton. (n.d.). Spyware Blockers
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