Cyber-bullying: A Common Trend
By: Anita Matthew
In an age where the lives of many revolve around where free WiFi is available, social networking is one of the fastest ways to keep in touch with friends and family all over the world. With a simple 'like' a status, you are, in a sense, communicating with people you do not see or talk to on a day-to-day basis. No one can deny that outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace have changed the way information is spread across the world. Unfortunately, however, the social media has some harmful effects too. One of them is cyber-bullying.
Cyber-bullying is the term used to describe a kind of harassment toward others through cyberspace or through text messages. According to the i-Safe Foundation, which is a cyber-bullying awareness website, the most common method of cyber-bullying is done through forwarding personal messages, pictures, or videos to others. However, it could also be done through threatening emails, or by sending along gossip, mean texts, chats or instant messaging sessions, or by making a website designed to mock others.
Cyber-bullying has become more common recently due to the increased use of social media. In the United States alone, there were about 142.1 million people using social media as of the December 2009. The Nielsen Company also states that each person spends an average of six hours a day using these social media sites in the United States. Unlike the bullying done in schools, cyber-bullying is a lot more anonymous. Cyber-bullies are therefore allowed to hide from others and have a lesser chance of getting caught. "This results in a new kind of freedom where they feel open to say and do anything, thinking that there are no consequences," said Jeff Godis, an employee of the i-Safe Foundation.
A survey conducted by the same foundation says that 47 percent of high school teenagers say mean or hurtful things on the Internet and 55 percent of the teenagers say that others on the Internet say mean and harmful things on the Internet about them. According to Stopcyberbullying.org, another cyber-bullying awareness website, cyber-bullies are usually motivated by anger and frustration. Other times, they do it just because they are bored and want a reaction.
Because users can create their own identity on the Internet by picking and choosing what information what information to display, users are more confident online than in reality. They also do not get any immediate feedback, so they would not know if they hurt another person's feelings. This causes cyber-bullies to think that they have no consequences for their actions, says Godis.
Out of the 50 states only nine states have anti-cyber-bullying laws. However, most states are proposing bills to combat cyber-bullying such as New York. With all the dangerous outcomes of cyber-bullying, why is it so difficult to create laws against cyber-bullying? Godis believes that the reason cyber-bullying laws are so difficult to create is because of the First Amendment; harassment due to cyber-bullying is hard to criminalize because the First Amendment. "Taking into account protections for free speech, legislatures need to define what constitutes actual harassment, and what the criminal act is," Mr. Godis says. "We are all aware of media accounts of an alleged cyber-bully fueled suicide. However, the courts will be asked to decide if the bully actually caused the tragedy."
The harassment from cyber-bullying has cause victims to change schools, seek counseling—and sometimes even commit suicide. The tragic story of Tyler Clementi, the 18-year old student at Rutgers University in New Jersey, caught the nation's attention recently and put the spotlight on cyber-bullying. In September 2010, his roommate Dharun Ravi and neighbor Molly Wei streamed a live video involving Clemnti's private actions over the internet without Clemnti's permission. Because of this, Clementi jumped off the George Washington Bridge to his death.
"Experts say that cyber-bullying can be much more devastating than physical harassment," said Godis. "Teenagers rarely take a moment to ask themselves if what they're about to send is appropriate, or how it will be received by others" Since cyber-bullying is done online, messages and images can be spread all over the world, he said.
So what should a victim of cyber-bullying do? "Bullies want power and control over their victims, so it's important to not react when you get the harassing message. So, if it happens once, log off," Godis said. If the harassment keeps going on, victims should send a clear message telling them not to communicate to them. If the harassment still keeps going on, the victim should tell their parents and if the school is related, let the school know. Contact the harasser's Internet service provider and request that the cyber-bully's account to be closed. If the harassment is through the victim's phone, they should contact their phone provider and trace the number. If the harassment continues after this, it is considered cyber stalking and the victim should call their local police department, says the i-Safe Foundation.
This is why the best way to combat cyber-bullying is through education according to Mr.Godis. A study conducted by White House Conference on Bullying Prevention showed that only 26 percent of primary school teachers surveyed taught students how to handle cyber- bullying. The more students are educated about cyber-bullying, the better the students can deal with cyber-bullying, Godis said.
