Cyberbullying

What is cyberbullying?

Bullying exists even online.Cyberbullying is when someone

deliberately uses technology to hurt, belittle or abuse someone.

Cyberbullying can include◦Abusive texts, e-mails, Facebook posts, etc.◦Posting unkind messages or images◦Imitating others online◦Excluding others online◦Inappropriate image tagging

Cyberbullying is a current ethical problem going around the Internet. It hurts people.

It can even morph into a legal problem when lawsuits get involved.

Cyberbullying vs. Face-to-face bullying

Cyberbullying can be anonymous, so the bully isn’t always found out.

It can occur 24/7 and be difficult to escape.

It is invasive and you can be targeted while at home.

It can have a large audience – sent to groups or posted on a public forum.

It can be permanent.

In 2006, Megan Taylor Meier committed suicide by hanging herself three weeks before her fourteenth birthday. When her parents prompted an investigation, they found out that her suicide was attributed to cyberbullying through MySpace.◦A parent of one of Megan’s classmates, Lori Drew,

created a fake MySpace account and taunted Megan. She was later indicted and convicted of violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

15-year old Phoebe Prince killed herself after receiving nasty online messages and e-mails, which included people telling her to hang herself. Which she eventually did.

Following the tragic suicide of Staten Island 15-year old Amanda Cummings last week, a local lawmaker has introduced a bill that would create harsher penalties for cyberbullies.

How to respond

Don’t retaliate or respond.Block the bully and change your privacy

settings.Report it – click the report abuse buttonTalk to someone you trust

Bibliography

http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/teens/how%20do%20I%20deal%20with/cyberbullying.aspx

http://soc101group2.providence.wikispaces.net/Gender+Distinctions+in+Cyber+Bullying

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_of_Megan_Meier

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Parenting/girls-teen-suicide-calls-attention-cyberbullying/story?id=9685026#.T7DGFxxF_wM

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/09/amanda-cummings-suicide-prompts-cyberbullying-bill_n_1195204.html