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Critical Consequences Of Cyberbullying

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Society is Due for an Update Today, society has access to multitudes of information thanks to the internet. With this freedom, we disguise ourselves in online personas, and prey on internet visitors. The internet is far more dangerous territory than it may appear. Society suffers from the pain technology brings through cyberbullying, defamation, and even the threat of your very life. What exactly is cyberbullying? Cyberbullying is the act of harassing someone online, usually anonymously, that takes place over digital devices, examples being social media, or via text or instant message. Not all cyberbullying is intended, however. Sue Scheff, a writer for the Huffington Post, wrote this when asked how she would define accidental cyberbullying, “Oftentimes, kids described trying to be nice or positive to one friend or cause via various social networking sites, and unintentionally hurting someone’s feelings, or leaving someone out in the process (“Accidental Bullying and Cyberbullying” 2013).” I see examples every day of people typing one thing and meaning another. Cyberbullying, though sometimes accidental, can have critical consequences. 20% of cyberbullied kids consider suicide, and 1 in 10 attempt it (“Cyberbullying Rampant on the Internet”). Online defamation can damage and even destroy lives and reputations. Defamation is a published, untrue statement that is harmful to someone’s reputation. John Seigenthaler, a former journalist for the Nashville

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