Notebook: Cyber Bullying (CBS News)

Cyber-Harassment: A study of a New Method For An Old Behavior

This article focuses on the nature and the extent of cyber bullying among adolescents. Cyberbullying occurs when technologies such as computers and mobile phones are used to harass or bully somebody. Cyber bullies use SMS, e-mail, chat-rooms and social gathering sites such as Face Book or My Space to spread their hateful message. I can recall being bullied in middle school. I was either called unfriendly names, intentionally tripped in the classroom, and worst of all spat at. All these forms of bullying was done face to face. In Beran and Li's article she notes that peer harassment or bullying was traditionally viewed as a face-to-face encounter between a bully and a victim mostly surrounded by an audience of peers. Sadly though it has not gone away instead it has evolved with the increase of network computers and mobile phones access among adolescents. Children as young as 7 years old have cell phones or access to one and children as young as 5 have access to school and home computers. Beran and Li's article mentions that children who are cyber bullied are the ones who are traditionally harassed face to face in the schools. I agree, there is a connection with both forms of harassment, face-to-face bullying can spills over into cyberbullying and cyberbullying can lead into face-to-face confrontation. Cyber bullies usually target people they know directly or indirectly.

Most students who cyber bully or have been cyberbullied don’t discuss it with their parents or teachers, most of the adults don’t know how to pick up on some of the signs. Beran and LI suggest students, teachers, administrators, and parents need to be educated on cyberbullying. This will diminish some of the misconceptions and attitudes about bullying in schools and cyberspace and give way to providing the support students need.

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Cyber bullying: An old problem in a new guise?

Some might agree with me that technology is the best thing that has happened to mankind. Technology provides numerous great benefits to everyone especially to young adults. It is a means of communicating, socializing, and staying connected with the latest fads, gossips, and everything in between. However, technology has been tainted from being used for good to being used for evil, Campbell informs us that email, texting, chat rooms, mobile phone cameras and web sites can and are being used by young people to bully peers. She goes on to say that it has become a global problem, the United States, Canada, Japan, Scandinavia, Untied Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand all have reported some form of harassment through the use of technology, such as cell phone and or a computer.

Unfortunately there is not much research on cyberbullying as their is on face to face bullying. I agree with Campbell there is a gap in research pertaining to cyberbullying. With new technology gidgets and gadgets introduced just about every other month mostly marketed towards our young adults one would think there would be ample research on this topic.

Campbell suggest that face to face bullying prevention strategies can be altered and applied to the prevention of cyberbullying. She suggest ensuring that people are aware of the problem acknowledging that there is a problem. I have heard parents, friends, and teachers make the following comments to actual victims, "don't take it serious" or "if they have not physically touched you I wouldn't worry about it." Being bullied face to face or through cyber space is a problem I believe everyone should be aware of especially those involved with children and young adults. The effects of being bullied using techonology is more detrimental than face to face bullying. The audience and spectators are enormous, everyone on the internet can view the incident and everyone can read or see a hard copy of the incident plastered on school walls and school newspaper. It can be a life altering experience, from depression to suicide, and even committing murder.

Campbell also suggest whole school policies, supervision, programs, and intervention in schools. I focused more on awareness because if everyone is aware of this epidemic problem the other preventative methods will effectively follow. It's great having tools but if you don't know how to use them or what's it for it serves no purpose.

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