Cyberbullying: Nowhere to Escape

Is cyberbullying an old problem with a new disguise? Bullying in the real world has been around for a seemingly endless amount of time. Due to the rise of technology in society today, bullying in the cyber world, also known as cyberbullying, has erupted. Cyberbullying can be defined as using technology, such as the Internet, social media, and text messages, to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person (Hirsch). According to 11 Facts About Cyberbullying, nearly eighty-three percent of teens believe bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person. This shows that cyberbullies use online networks to camouflage themselves from reality. Cyberbullying is emotionally abusive to the victim’s mental health because the scars imprinted from the cruel remarks sent through text messages and posted throughout social media are bound to forever impact one's life.

The beginning of the digital age began in 2002 opening its door to a new way of life and adding new problem to society. It not only affects one as an individual by wasting their valuable time lock on a digital monitor, but it has also disconnected society. Consequently, children and even adults have taken their own life from the pressures of this new habit that empower them. Being connected to the internet throughout a digital device, like a cell phone or a computer has lure individuals to a screen, rather than empathizing with other. Creating a lack of empathy and moral behavers. Bullying has evolved to cyberbullying and is the newest form of children showing power over another this is mostly done online through social media, texting and/or

Social media itself is a huge danger to society. It causes many suicides within the world because of the cyberbullying and spreading of rumors. “Recent studies have shown that one out of four teens have been the victims of cyberbullying and one out of six have admitted to having cyberbullied someone” (Trautner 1). The internet and social media is supposed to be used to communicate with friends and for searching information, “Kids use technology different than their parents do. Sometimes it is hard for adults to understand that this can even be a possibility” (Trautner 1). It is not supposed to be used to bully someone, especially not to the point where the victim would think about suicide. “One of the statistics that has been highlighted within this news coverage is the threefold increase in the suicide rate for girls ages 10 to 14. The rates for girls in this age group increased from 0.5 to 1.5 per 100,000 during this time period. The increases for boys in this age group were not as high, climbing from 1.9 per 100,000 during 1999 to 2.6 per 100,000 in 2014” (Olsen

Cyberbullying is a relatively new threat, and it is very similar to traditional bullying. Despite the fact that cyberbullying and traditional bullying both share the common goal of harassment, cyberbullying differs from traditional bullying in that it does not stop at the schoolyard, and can continue when the victim is far away from the aggressor. It is just as devastating as common bullying, and sometimes is even more damaging. Professors Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin note in their journal, “Cyberbullying Creates Dangerous Stress and Anxiety”, that cyberbullying affects anywhere between 10-40% of students (contingent on their age group) (par. 1). J.D. Kelly A. Albin, in her article “Bullies in a Wired World”, defines cyberbullying as “…the ‘willful and repeated harm inflicted through use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices’” (157). It is caused by the fact that children feel their actions are mitigated when they use social media, as it creates the illusion of indirectness, and its effects range anywhere from mild depression to suicide.

The age of technology has provided the world a much easier life. The ability to communicate with others around the world or with someone locally with just a few taps is astonishing. Although with a lot of advantages with technology there are also a lot of disadvantages. The use of the internet sometimes can cause more harm than good in some cases. Cyberbullying is todays common type of bullying. Traditional bullying resulted in the form of aggressive behavior with the specific purpose of harming another over time. The main reasoning of this was the rush of power play that the tormentor would take pleasure in (Hase et al. 2015). Usually social media is an enjoyable place to be for young teens and adults. However, it’s very hard to predict what someone may see on the internet and how it can affect them. With the advances of technology and different social media websites available, a mass load of peers can connect with each other for good or for worse. This is where the disadvantages of technology come into play. Young people especially love to partake in the online world, it also helps them “fit in” and become updated with other peers’ lives.

Technology is rapidly advancing at a dizzying rate which has seen many amazing feats but has also introduced and increased the act of Cyberbullying. Cyber bullying can be defined as targeting someone using any form of technology (this includes social media) to tease, stalk or humiliate someone online (Dictionary.com, 2016). Cyberbullying is so detrimental because it encourages the targeting of an individual; It is often done in secret with the bully hiding who they are by creating false profiles or names, or sending anonymous messages. It is difficult to remove as it is shared online so it can be recorded and saved in different places. Cyberbullying has such a negative impact that research shows that there is a correlation between the violent

There are many social problems in the US and throughout the world today. One of the most significant of those problems is bullying (Macfarlane & McPherson, 2004). More than 160,000 children avoid school each day because they are concerned about being bullied or because they have been bullied and are too afraid to go to school (Macfarlane & McPherson, 2004). Cyberbullying - the use of a computer or other electronic device to bully someone - is also on the increase. That can be harder to avoid, and children have even taken their own lives because of the harassment. Nearly three million students are bullied through the internet every year (Macfarlane & McPherson, 2004). The number of children who are bullied gets larger each year, as does the number of children who bully others. There are many reasons children are bullied, and just as many reasons that children bully other children, but the main concern is how to stop the problem and keep all children safe.

In the 21st century technology has led to a new form of bullying, cyber bullying (Dhariff & Hoff, 2007). Over the past 30 years bullying have incremented rapidly worldwide, affecting people of all ages. Whether it’s done via the internet or the traditional way, bullying has always being around, affecting more than 200 million children worldwide (Kandersteg Declaration Against Bullying in Children and Youth, 2007). According to a research study conducted by Juvonen & Gross (2008) and Patchin & Hinduja (2009), cyber bullying and bullying are often interdepended (Beran & Li, 2007; Willard, 2007b.). Recent studies on cyber bullying showed that in every 10 Australian kids who were bullied online, 84% of them were also bullied in school (No Bullying, 2014). Bullying is referred to the repeated verbal, social,

Social Networking has taken bullying to the extreme. Before advanced technology, children and teenagers were troubled by school bullies. Today, they are targeted by bullies via internet. Most people undergo some form of bullying in life. Growing up, I experienced the typical name calling and spiteful comments. I also dealt with minor cases of virtual bullies. These bullies are known as cyber bullies. I find this topic compelling because it’s a matter that has spiraled out of control.

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

Cyber bullying is a new phenomenon that even the most tech savvy wasn’t prepared for. It allows the aggressor to pick on their victim at all hours of the day. It’s not limited to the classroom anymore; it allows the bully to enter the victim’s safe zone: home. Emails, instant messaging, photo transmitting, and social media outlets are the fuel that feeds this behavior. In traditional bullying, at the end of the day you can escape the torment, but with cyber bullying, there is no escape.

In today’s time kids these days are using the internet more than ever. They view the web and even more so the technology it can bring to our handheld devices, laptops and tv as positive aspects of our daily lives. The internet and our smart phones systems are the two biggest source of communication which plays a major role in our daily life. On the side note, these technologies are also often used negatively by other people. Many children are the targets of bullying specially during grade school up to high school via social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or websites like YouTube which can lead to in a life-threatening situation. Sometimes children are not able to understand that what they are doing to their friends or classmates is a form of bullying. As a result, the image of safe or playful environment of the internet is now becoming a source of conflict, anxiety, fear, depression and low self-esteem of our kids today.

The internet and social media have come a long way in the past decade. “This is an exciting time to be a young person interested in media” (Jennifer Shewmaker, PhD) Technology has evolved into something that we as humans use every single day. Nowadays children are growing with electronic devices and internet surrounding them. With technology on their hands all day they get exposed too inappropriate content, devolving mental problems and, in some cases being victims of cyberbullying. And yes, there’s no doubt the internet is a useful tool that we use every day for homework and other uses. “But instant messaging, chat room, emails and social networking can also bring trouble – from cyberbullying to more serious internet dangers, including exposure to sexual predators (Katherine Kam, par.3) Too children, who’s brains aren’t well developed they fall to being victims of the to what the internet can cause too their young lives. Many adolescents don’t see the dangers of the internet, but us as adults should prevent introducing the internet too them as such a young age before it’s too late.

We use technology in almost every aspect of our daily lives; it is how we stay connected in this fast-paced world. Technology provides many benefits, but it has the potential to destroy many people. With technology use on the rise, bullying has taken a new, more destructive form. Cyberbullying, as defined by the Cyberbullying Research Center, is the willful and repeated harm inflicted through the medium of electronic text (qtd. in Chait). Cyberbullying is a serious problem and has serious consequences.

For such a long time, physical bullying has been the largest problem schools and parents had to face with their children, but now another form of bullying has arisen; cyber bullying. In society today, teens are drawn cell phones, laptops, and other technological advancements. Social media is a way for many teens and adolescents to interact with one another and share countless happenings of their personal lives. Cyber bullying occurs when individuals use the internet to send or comment cruel and unnecessary messages to another. In its various forms cyber bullying includes, indirect and direct harassment, posting inappropriate pictures, impersonating another being, or just being plain cruel. Although anyone can become a victim of cyber bullying, improper use of the internet can further induce harassment, due to the adolescents desire to use modern day technologies. The harassers could be classmates, online “friends’’, or anonymous users. One barrier that is difficult to overcome is determining who is responsible for the attacks online, because many bullies hide behind fake usernames or profiles to protect their real identity, which is commonly known as “hiding behind a screen”. (Bonanno 2013). The motives for a cyber-bully are never clear, some might say