Stop Cyberbullying Now

The increase of technology such as internet and cell phones have made it easy for people to stay connected to one another. But it has also created a new form of bullying among children and adolescents. This type of bullying is known as Cyber-Bullying and can be defined as a means of indirect aggression  in which peers use electronics to taunt, insult, harass and/or intimidate a peer (Johnson, 2009).

There are a few reasons that Cyber-Bullying is on the rise.

• Anonymity - Cyberbullies can hide or disguise their identify.
• Masquerading;” Cyberbullies can assume someone else’s  identity.

In a study conducted by Mishna et al (2009), they found after speaking to students, that, “students often give out their passwords to their friends as a sign of friendship and that friends often use the password to gain access to the students profile and pretending to be that person to bully others.”

Cyberbullies can:

• Post comments up on others  social networking pages
• Create fake profiles.

This epidemic has become a 24 hour 7 day a week social disease

Cell phones worsen this problem:

Because most come with cameras, and people are able to take photos of others during vulnerable times, like in the locker rooms.

Malicious people are using these photos by sending them through a text messages or having the photos posted on websites. This is a public form of humiliation.

Consequences of Cyber-Bullying

• In January 2010, a 15 year old girl hung herself after being repeatedly bullied by her peers, she was taunted by both FaceBook and text messages.
• In 2006, a young girl killed herself after a MOTHER created a fake profile to harass a young girl.
• Both bullies and victims appear to have more problems in school.
• Both groups appear to suffer from low self esteem.
• Those who have been cyber bullied, have reported higher levels of anxiety, fear, sadness, trouble with concentrating (which then affects their school performance).
• Substance use, depression and delinquency are higher in those who have been victims of cyber bullying (Mishna et al, 2009).
• Those who are engaging in the bullying are found to be are not as socially and emotionally developed as their peers when they mature.
• They are also more at risk for drinking alcohol and getting into fights than those who do not engage in cyber bullying (Johnson, 2009).

In my next post I'll suggest some informational strategies that parents can do to stop cyberbullying now; or you can visit my website www.markdworkin.com for these strategies now.