It’s no coincidence that a 16-year-old teenage girl, who thought she was meeting with her teenage pen pal, met with a 43-year old man and came up missing the next morning. It’s also no coincidence that a 13-year-old homosexual boy, who was constantly harassed with cruel messages online, hung himself last night. CNN reports that teenagers in the US spend approximately nine hours on social media a day. That’s over 250 total hours of average social media usage a month! Meanwhile, within the countless hours that the typical teenager spends online, it only takes one second for trouble to transpire. The large amount of time that teenagers spend online paired with the millions of users on major networks leave the door for social media abuse wide open. …show more content…
In general, social critics and specialists have discussed this abuse in two ways: online bullying and online exploiting. A prominent pediatrician and health journalist, Gwenn O’Keefe, acknowledges, “…cyberbullying is quite common, can occur to any young person online, and can cause profound psychosocial outcomes including depression, anxiety, severe isolation, and, tragically, suicide” (2). The significance of O’Keefe’s statement is that in our society, there are individuals who are not aware that their actions online can lead to detrimental consequences, which has allowed social media to become much easier for someone to oppressing others. Another journalist, June Chisholm, even believes that cyberbullying is thought to be worse than face-to-face bullying as she states, “…cyberbullying is a distinct, separate category of bullying behavior because of the unique psychological processes involved in cyberbullying and being cyberbullied” (n.p.). In making this statement, Chisholm positions that cyberbullying has an entirely different set of psychological effects on the victim. These effects are often caused by anonymity considering that a victim can be cyberbullied by a stranger or even someone close to them, and they will never be able to tell who the perpetrator is. Because they hide behind a computer, bullies may feel empowered to say and do more harsh things to their target than they would …show more content…
A bully is defined as someone who uses his or her superiority to harm or intimidate an emotionally weaker individual. Bullies on the playground and bullies on the Internet are much alike aside from the fact that Internet bullies can easily hide behind a computer with a fake avatar. The anonymity is a primary cause of this crime since the decreased chance for the person to be caught triggers their willpower to torment their victim. Internet bullies, also known as cyberbullies, usually do not think twice about what they do to their victims because as easy as it is to construct a phony identity for their obscurity, it is even easier to send a malicious message, start a rumor, or even upload an embarrassing photo online. But how can we stop it? How can we prevent or reduce cyberbullying? A meta-analysis has demonstrated how an anti-bullying prevention program has been proven beneficial in reducing bullying. In this article, four prestigious authors explain, “Assuming that mechanisms for traditional bullying and cyberbullying are similar, it is plausible to predict that general anti-bullying programs are short- and long-term effective regarding the prevention of cyberbullying and cyber-victimization” (Gradinger, n.p.). Although it is not a promising strategy, it is a first step solution to cyberbullying. However, including a multi-pronged approach along with
Michael M. Honda states that “everyone in America likely has a bullying story, whether as a victim, bully, or as a witness.” Cyberbullying has become a major epidemic in the modern day world because everyone has access to the internet in some way. By taking an in depth look at cyberbullying, one can see just how urgent it is to stop it, because not only can it strike anywhere at any time, cyberbullying can also lead to suicide and cause serious mental health issues.
Annotated Bibliography "Bullying, Cyberbullying & Suicide Statistics." Megan Meier Foundation. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. <
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.
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.
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
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.
Whilst cyber bullying is not physical it’s emotional and psychological effects are devastating for the victim and can often lead to suicide and depression (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010). Social Networking sites act as a platform where bullies can say things they might not usually say to someone in person, anonymity and less physical proximity act as a wall between the bully and the victim, none the less, the words or rumors’ that are shared are still just as hurtful. Bullies often feel more confident online and they can contact their victims anytime, anywhere, day or night, not just in the school yard (Smith et al., 2008).” (Procon. (24 O). Retrieved from http://socialnetworking.procon.org/)
In 2016, over 25% of adolescents and teens have been cyberbullied and what is even worse is that most of those victims do not get the justice that they rightly deserve. These victims should be compensated for the anxiety and sorrow that the bullies have struck them with. In the following sources, The Dangers of Cyberbullying a radio interview conducted by Brett Warnke and featuring psychologist Eden Foster, Sacrificing the First Amendment to Catch “Cyberbullies” written by Kirk Sigmon, and What is Cyberbullying? from the Ophelia Project, will give evidence for why cyber bullies should be prosecuted.
The authors, along with other experts, continue to study cyber bullying in an attempt to
Take a moment to think about how important technology is in our world today. Our generation depends solely on the internet, using it for social media, entertainment, and study purposes. What is behind the internet that we do not realize? Bullying comes in many different forms whether getting targeted on the playground, at work, or even on the internet. Bullying is a violent and harmful act. This violence has been around for as long as schools have been around, but bullying has increased elsewhere. The act of cyberbullying, which is bullying that takes place on any form of technology, is expanding abundantly, with “more than one out of every ten young people saying they have experienced cyberbullying” (“Social Media Bullying Has Become a Serious Problem.”). While certain precautions can be taken to in attempts to bypass this violence, the thought of avoiding cyberbullies is unattainable. When accessing any form of technology, online bullying cannot be averted due to the growth of technology, social expectations, and anonymity.
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
In the simplified, fast-paced technological age we live in, ways to communicate are advancing on a seemingly daily basis, making so many things in our lives easier. But, as with anything, there are negative effects. With the ever evolving ways to communicate with those in your life, or even strangers halfway around the world, come those who seem to make it their life's mission to bring harm to others through a technological platform. The current state of cyber bullying is the worst it had ever been, because of not only the growth in what people are harassed for online, but because it often extends outside of the electronic world. Inasmuch, cyber bullying has grown so much larger than its ever been, and will probably continue to do so. In the same manner, what the victims are subjected to has been changing in the worst kind of way over these years of electronic advancement. Above all, is the safety and well-being of the victims though, as it is no secret the detriment bullying has on someone. Therefore, there need to be more ways for consumers and users to protect themselves from this new form of harassment.
Before technology took over our society, bullying was limited to physical and verbal harm. Today, technology has allowed bullies to attack someone at anytime and say as much as they wish. This allows for the victim to read and re-read his or her threats over and over again. When the threats become too harsh, the victim feels unsafe in public areas, such as school, and the victim misses out on school work and activities. Although there are more serious problems that should be addressed at school, school officials should fight cyberbullying because dealing with cyberbullying issues teaches students to become better and stronger people in the future, the disturbing comments that are made online affect the students’ mental and emotional health, and when addressing this issue, both the bully and the victim could be helped.
Bullying has been an issue in traditional school environments since the beginning of public schooling. Though a child may be tormented at school, they still had home as a safe place, where it would stop. That safe place is no longer feasible in modern ages as schoolyard bullying has taken on a new ugly face as cyberbullying. “Cyberbullying combines aspects of traditional verbal bullying and social bullying. However, instead of relying on face-to-face interactions with others, it relies on the use of computers and cell phones, which give widespread access to forms of communication that include texting, emailing, and accessing social media sites such as Twitter or Facebook”. (“Cyberbullying Can Lead”) Cyberbullying has increased drastically in recent years with the popularization of social media. Social media gives the user the opportunity to create an anonymous or fake account. These fake accounts allow the user to bully the victim incognito, making it much more difficult to peruse action to stop the bullying. Because of this no-faced bully, teens are less likely to inform their parents or guardians, or are too afraid to speak up because they are given
With the increase of children having their own cell phones, tablets, and other internet-accessible technology, so increases the rates of cyberbullying. In the foreword of Cyberbullying: Bullying of the Digital Age., a letter written by the father of a teen who committed suicide after months of being cyberbullied shows how unpredictable and heart-wrenching the effects of cyberbullying can be. In an excerpt from the letter. John Halligan, father of bullied teen Ryan Halligan, says “October 7, 2003 will always be the day that divides my life. Before that day, my son Ryan was alive. A sweet, gentle, and lanky 13-year old fumbling his way through early adolescence and trying to establish his place in the often confusing and difficult social world of middle school. After that day, my son would be gone forever. A death by suicide. Some would call it bullycide or even cyberbullycide. I just call it a huge hole in my heart that will never heal.” The main article expresses pathos for victims of cyberbullying- who are not just the targeted victim but the family left behind struggling to cope with the loss and their attempts to change the way the cyberbullying is dealt with.