Being an adolescent in today's society, along with all the technological advances which have been made, brings along new concerns. Cyber bullying, by definition, "involves the use of information and communication technologies to support, deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others." With the technological advances of today's world it is easier to confront a person you dislike over a computer screen rather than face-to-face. With this being said, the most hateful things can be said without confrontation between the persons involved. The question is however, is this a cause for concern?
Soccer star Alexis Pilkington 17, committed suicide after she had been taunted on several social networking sites. After her death a tribute page was made for her, yet the taunting still continued. Megan Meier, 13, was found hung in her closet after her adult neighbor posed as a "hot" guy on the site Myspace and pretended to like her then suddenly started calling her a "slut." The neighbor even went so far as to say that life would be better without Megan on this earth.
According to recent cyber bullying statistics, 42 percent of kids have been bullied while online. One in four of them have had it happen to them more than once. To date, only five states have cyber bullying laws. Should more laws be put into place to keep these preventable deaths from happening? Yes. Without these laws,cyber bullying attacks will keep getting worse in my opinion. Will the laws be effective is the underlying question however.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/03/29/earlyshow/main6343077.shtml
http://www.isafe.org/channels/sub.php?ch=op&sub_id=media_cyber_bullying
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-494809/Girl-13-commits-suicide-cyber-bullied-neighbour-posing-teenage-boy.html
http://www.cyberbullying.us/Bullying_and_Cyberbullying_Laws_20100701.pdf
Annsleigh Thornton
ReplyDeleteRebuddle:
At the age of 19 and a graduate of Westlake High School I have experienced cyber bullying first hand. During my senior year I was well-known for my achievements and the group of young women I associated with. My friends and I were very involved, participating in organizations, athletics, and acadmeics-based societies. We enjoyed our popularity as we received praise from teachers as well as the student body. However, despite our positive appeal, there were those who that ridiculed and disliked us. They tried their best to corrupt my friends while directly affecting me. I was singled out through facebook as they publicised personal information, particularly the funds in which I had to attend Spelman College.
Through statuses, wall posts, and messages I was antagonized throughout the second half of my high school career. The young lady who insited on insulting me would use verbal threats to break me, hoping that I would lose confidence and emotional stability. Our situation elevated, reaching the point in which an altercation occurred. The school was sent into uproar.
Allowing the problem to reach such heights was a mistake upon my part. From this experience I have learned that cyber bullying itself is not the problem. The issue often stems from the victim and the attacker's household. Discrepansies such as this are heightened when specific values not rooted in a child. Parents and/or gaurdians should be able to diagnose and solve the situation.
Confidence is instilled within teens at a young age. This form of self acknowledgment comes from the leading adults around them. Yes particualr laws should be enforced to control cyber bullying, but it is also the duty of adults to promote self-worth and esteem.
Parents must teach their children that those who attack them in any form or fashoin have problems within themselves. Because of my encounter I am ready to prepare my kids for the bullying they may face. As technology steadily advances I will evolve as well, acknowledging possible threats and increasing the self-worth of my children.
With a recent altercation that i witnessed on an unnamed social networking site two days ago, I know for a fact that not only is cyber bullying very prevelent, but it is not confined to middle and high school students like i believed it to be. This incident that I witnessed two days ago was between two males who are seniors in college. As the situation escilated, one male stopped writing back, but the other male kept it going up to 24 hours later. I believe that the people that hide behind these sites are cowards because when the time came to handle the situation face to face, all of a sudden no one had anything to say. Being is cyber space, it gives you the freedom to be Bold and say whatever you please. It gives you false secirity. I do not have a resolution to this problem, but I know someting must be done.
ReplyDeleteLauren Anderson
It is my personal belief that cyber bullying is indeed very real and just like bullies in real life the effects are very present and long lasting!
ReplyDeleteThe effects of cyber bullying has absolutely nothing to do with confidence being instilled as Ansleigh previously stated. No one wants to be ostracized or deemed a pariah, whether they believe they are America's Next Top Model or they believe that they are the uglies thing to ever grace the planet.
Khyajuanna Cooksey