Cyber-bullying
Cyber-bullying is a challenging issue that is increasing as the Internet and other forms of mobile communication technologies become more popular and commonplace among young people.
Cyber-bullying can be defined as: Sending or posting harmful or cruel text or images using the Internet or other digital communication devices. The various ways in which may occur include flaming, harassment, cyber-stalking, denigration, masquerading, outing and trickery, and exclusion. Cyber-bullying material may be posted on personal web sites, in blogs, and on third party web sites. Cyber-bullying messages may be transmitted through e-mail, discussion groups, chat, instant messaging, newsgroups and text or digital image messaging via mobile devices.
Technology used in cyber-bullying includes: Ø Instant Messaging Ø E-mail Ø Cell phones	Ø Text messaging Ø Defamatory personal web sites Ø Chat rooms
The cyber-bullying definition is from the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet use, and can be accessed at: www.cyberbully.org
Cyber-bullying Warning Signs
A child may be a target of a cyber-bully if he/she: • Unexpectedly stops using the computer; • Appears nervous or jumpy when an Instant Message or E-mail appears; • Appears uneasy about going to school or outside in general; • Appears to be angry, depressed, or frustrated after using the computer; • Avoids discussions about what they are doing on the computer; • Becomes abnormally withdrawn from usual friends and family members. A child may be cyber-bullying others if he/she: • Quickly switches screens or closes programs when you walk by; • Uses the computer at all hours of the night; • Gets unusually upset if he or she cannot use the computer; • Laughing excessively while using the computer; • Avoids discussions about what they are doing on the computer; • Is using multiple online accounts, or an account that is not their own.
The Realities of Cyber-bullying Cyber-bullying now often starts in the upper elementary grades, and then takes off with a vengeance in middle-school. It continues through high-school, although does abate somewhat in the last year or so of high-school. Both genders certainly engage in cyber-bullying, but girls report being more involved than boys do. The roles in cyber-bullying are the same as in other forms of bullying. There is the bully, the target, and the bystanders. While there can be plenty of bystanders in an instance of school bullying, the sheer volume of bystanders in cyber-bullying can be truly staggering. Vicious, hateful rumors intended to destroy a students' reputation and relationships now has the potential to spread the entire student school community within hours, often to the oblivion of parents and educators. As in the physical world, cyber-bullying is often based on social status and social climbing. An adolescents' cyber social status can be determined by the number of buddies in their lists - the more the better. Posting intimate and outrageous information is a popular strategy to attract the necessary attention to build the "buddy list". Kids who are not viewed by school officials as "bullies" are many times becoming involved in cyber-bullying because of the lack of adult involvement in this world. A very real difference in all of this is that online communications can change the balance of power, so kids who get targeted at school for bullying can easily transition into the online bully. Students that are not given an audience in school can create their own online Relationship cyber-bullying has become predominant among kids. Relationship based fights, as well as fights over failed relationships have become a very common form of cyber-bullying. Students are also engaging risky online sexual behavior, including posting provocative pictures and soliciting others for sex.
How predominant is all of this? Look at some of the numbers: > 42% of kids have been bullied on-line. One in four has had it happen more than once. > 35% of kids have been threatened on-line. Nearly one in five have had it happen more than once. > 21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages. > 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them on-line. More than 4 out of 10 say it has happened to more than once. > 53% of kids admit having said mean or hurtful things to another person on-line. More than one in three has done it more than once. > 58% have not told their parents or another adult about something mean or hurtful that happened to them on-line. Online Social Norms: Tell all: Because kids have a false sense of invisibility on the Internet, they have become quite comfortable revealing their personal secrets. Virtually everything and anything is fodder for online discussion and revelation. Free speech Not all students will do well in their civics class discussion about "rights", but most will readily inform you they have "freedom of speech" when it comes to what they say online. For many, whether or not that "free speech" causes harm is irrelevant. It's a game- Because there is a disassociation from the real world online, hateful, hurtful speech is sometimes viewed as not being "real", everyone is just "playing a game", or "messing around". Measure of trust- It has become a sign of "real friendship", particularly among girls, to share their password and screen name with "their closest friends", in spite of all the warnings and risks. Simultaneously, girls will also tell you that this measure of "real friendship" invariably b6cp/nes problematic when disagreements and fights occur. The known password becomes the tool with which harm is done. The Effects and Extremes of Cyber-bullyinq: • Research indicates that emotional and verbal bullying results in long-term harm to targets. Those involved in bullying research are expressing strong concerns that cyber-bullying poses the greatest harm and long-term effects of any other type of bullying. • Online bullying has proven to be particularly vicious, and because of the "I can't see you" factor", taken to new extremes. • Cyber-bullying invades the one place kids are supposed to be safe -home. • Cyber-bullying is limitless in scope - it can literally go through an entire school community in a matter of hours. • Cyber-bullying is sometimes anonymous, and involves anonymous helpers. Targets are unable to locate or confront their aggressors, exacerbating the feelings of helplessness. • The "shame" factor is greatly multiplied in cyber-bullying, and targets are often even more reluctant to let the adults in their lives know what is going on. Targets fear greater retribution for telling, and a loss or restriction of their online activities or cell phones. • "Good kids" do bad things online, due to the anonymity of it all. Kids can be devastated when they discover the online trickery and hatefulness of their "friends". • In an extreme effect, there have been documented cases of adolescents committing suicide with cyber-bullying clearly as a contributing factor. Some of these "bullycide" cases and links are found at www.ryanpatrickhalligan.com , about a 13-year-old Vermont boy, Ryan Halligan, and www.jaredstory.com . The last site has been created for Jared High, and has a dedication to other suicide victims where cyber-bullying was seen as a contributing factor. To view those, go to www.jaredstory.com . the click on "bullying" to the left of the screen, the scroll down to the bottom of the screen to "Stories of Bullycide".