Sunday 9 February 2014

Over to the dark side.... Cyberbullying - no laughing matter.


  
For my final blog post, I am taking a serious tone. Cyberbullying is something which terrifies, angers and saddens me. The saying "sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me" has never rung less true. 

Cyberbullying" is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones (stopcyberbullying.org)

Had I grown up a few years later, I would have been a target.   I got bullied at an all girls school -  girls are twice as likely to be bullied (dosomething.org).

My room was my safe haven, as it should be. I only discovered MSN (messaging) when I was in year twelve,  and I didn't own a mobile phone until then. Now, over 80% of teens own a mobile, and it is the most common medium for cyber bullying (dosomething.org).

What if you cannot escape this -  what if it torments you, morning, noon and night?  
·  abusive texts and emails
·  hurtful messages, images or videos
·  imitating others online to set them up
·  excluding others online
·  nasty online gossip and chat  (cybersmart, 2014)
Cyberbullying allows the bully to be anonymous.  81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person (dosomething.org)

Looking back, Rheingolds theory on collaboration and social media (much like the end of the video, below) , now seems misplaced; "it could produce a more thoughtful society: countless small acts like publishing a Web page or sharing a link could add up to a public good that enriches everybody.'' (Rheingold, 2012)

      There are so many theories as to what makes a cyberbully that even experts often misunderstand cyberbullying.(Wiredsafety.org)
      1. victims of real word bullying, and go online and bully others to feel powerful. 
      2. bullies offline, extending their sphere of influence and power to the online world. 
      3. Other cyber bullies just want to show that they can do certain things online to show off. 
      Bullying victims are 2 to 9 times more likely to consider committing suicide (dosomething.org).
      I believe the internet has desensitised young people to human suffering and bullying because it is in front of our faces every day, every minute, every second, online.(kidsafefoundation,org) It is essential that adults acknowledge, understand and accept the Internet and communication technology as a viable and real means of relating for young people, to provide guidance and protection (Mishna F, Saini  M & Solomon S, 2009)

      Olivia Penpraze committed suicide in 2012 after years of bullying. Reaching out via social media, her parents had no idea. (see below videos)

      Parents need to  keep up with social media technologies to better understand their kids, and what they are going through.






 So many campaigns, advice, and websites - yet still no answer...



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