Cyberbullying is a fact and a reality. With the Internet, mobile phones, and chat rooms more teens and younger are victims. According to the CyberBullying Research Center cell phones used by 80 percent of all teens are the most popular way to bully someone. This often is done by sending mean, comments via email or text messages to the victim. Girls or boys can be cyberbullies. This problem affects all races and youth age groups. Learn about the needed cyberbullying information now!
Cyberbullying often involves sending emails to someone’s account that are mean, sexually degrading, or threatening in nature. It can be done using an alias name so the person cannot be identified. Sometimes it’s someone the child knows who takes pictures and posts them on social networks or sends them to others via mobile phone.
This occurred recently in two teen rape cases, Canadian teen Rehtaeh Parson and US teen Audrie Potts. After the girl had been raped by boys they took photos of the incident and circulated photos via cell phones and posted them online. Both teen girls committed suicide from these incidents. This is an extreme example of cyberbullying going way beyond the usual scope. Girls are more often victims than boys because they often spend more time online and use cell phones more often.
The most popular form of cyberbullying is spreading rumours and hurtful gossip. Another is ignoring another person in a chat room or online forum where you post. This is often hard on teens who want attention and to be liked. It causes anger and depression in both male and female victims. Even when youth tell adults often the situation does not improve.
More Cyberbullying Information
Cyberbullying can be posting a harmful message on social networks or in chat rooms. It can even go as far as breaking into someone’s account to steal passwords and send damaging messages. Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online or done it themselves. Over 25 percent of teens are bullied regularly using cell phones as the main tool. Many children do not tell parents when cyberbullying takes place. Some use cell phones to take damaging or sexually explicit pictures of friends without their permission and circulate them online and through mobile devices.
Some bullies can be anonymous by using fake screen names or temporary email addresses. They sometimes test using someone else’s phone. Often a child using the cell phone or Internet can receive emails or messages day or night. Cyberbullying creates anxiety and depression in youth. It can affect concentration and grades. Only 5 states have a cyber anti-bullying law. These are some hard bullying facts to consider.
There are ways to address the problem. Talk to your kids about cyberbullying and tell them it is not ok to participate in this kind of behaviour. Tell them to report the incident to an adult and not to hide it. If messages are sent via cell phone have the child save the message so you can talk to the parents or the police about the incident. Try blocking the person from the child’s email or cell phone number. Teach them never to share any information that they would not want to be made public.
Teach your children to use the Internet and cell phones wisely. Have one computer and only allow them to use it when you are home. Tell them never to share passwords and personal information with strangers. These are some tips to cut down on cyberbullying.