Cyber Bullying

Rob Yusko

Edu 290

What Is Cyber Bullying?

Cyber bullying is when a person is bullied via text messages, instant messaging, chat rooms, blogs, or bullied through any other internet technology.

Cyber bullying involves situations where a person feels threatened, embarrassed, fearful of their safety, or any other type of harm because of online bullying.

Why Is It An Important Topic

Cyber bullying is a very important topic for the reason that it is relatively new form of bullying.

New technologies are helping people do better more efficient work, and it has redefined how people teach and learn. Unfortunately there is downsides to technology and online bullying is a major negative of technology.

Background Information

Cyber Bullying has a tendency to be worse than normal bullying. When people are hiding behind a computer they have a tendency to be a lot more mean and rude because they don’t actually have to harass someone in person. This gives the bully a sense of being anonymous, and since they are not face to face they can be very harmful in their bullying.

Bullies can also make a fake name or username in order to harass the victim without them knowing who it is.

Background Information

Problems can also arise from lack of supervision of kids when they are using the internet.

Because chat rooms, instant messaging, face book, or any other types of online technology is often unmonitored. This leads to a lot of the bullying that people hear about.

Bullies can avoid trouble because a lot of the time they are better at using the internet technologies then most adults and can hide their tracks.

Background Statistics

42% of kids have been bullied online.

5% of kids have had a threat against them while online.

21% of kids have received threatening e-mails or other types of online messages.

58% of kids admit someone has bullied them online.

Source ABC News

Impact On Future Students

Cyber bullying could have a pretty major effect on some students if the problem is not addressed at the current moment.

This is a new form of bullying and it must be known that it will not be tolerated in the classroom or outside of the classrooms.

Impacts On Future Students

Cyber Bullying can have a number of effects if it is successful.

Students could become depressed and suicidal.

They could have a very low self esteem.

They could avoid friends or family.

They could face defamation because of untrue postings or rumors.

Legislation

Recently new legislation has been passed in 7 states making digital bullying a crime. These new laws make it illegal to threaten, harass, or make people uncomfortable online.

The reason this legislation was necessary was because up until these laws passed there was nothing on the books making these crimes punishable by law. We are moving into a new digital age and our laws need to follow along.

Problem Solving

Cyber Bullying because it is online can be avoided in many ways.

People being bullied can avoid chat rooms, blogs,or any other place they are being bullied.

People being bullied can change their number or change any username they may have.

Since the technology provides proof, the information could be saved and taken to the school, police, or parents.

Conclusion

All in all cyber bullying is a relatively new problem that needs to be stopped before it gets started.

Legislation is being passed in order to make harsher punishments for those who commit the crimes.

Most problems can be avoided with a could relationship between parents, students, and teachers. If a good line of communication is set up, then a lot of the time the problem can be prevented or stopped.

References

Computers By Kevin Solloman pg.1

Sad Kid by TXD p.2

Law books on shelf by Umjanedoan p.9

Thumbs up by Joeltelling

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=2425023