http://wcbstv.com/topstories/cyber.bullying.suicide.2.1318511.html
I never actually looked at cyber-bullying as a serious issue. The internet is the easiest possible medium to convey a message to someone, without actually being face-to-face, so it makes sense for cyber-bullying to be prevalent among children. I guess kids tend to think that since it’s over the internet, there won’t really be any repercussions for their actions, since there’s no actual human contact involved. I’ve never really witnessed any harsh cyber-bullying firsthand, so it always seemed like a fairly insignificant issue to me.
Cyber-bullying wasn’t an insignificant issue for an English youth, Matthew Jones. Matthew was a student who lived his life being bullied, and even on the internet he was vulnerable. Bullies continually egged him on and urged him to commit suicide. Matthew eventually reached his breaking point, and listened to them. He left a suicide note for his parents which read, “…I got the sh** bullied out of me…Life simply isn’t for me. I have found that I have no fight left. So this is me saying goodbye”.
Matthew was a troubled youth, and not all cyber-bullying will result in a suicide, but it opened my eyes to the consequences of it. In a world where nearly all kids have screennames on AIM or MSN, and pages on social networking sites like Facebook or Myspace, it’s pretty easy for cyber-bullying to occur. The internet is such an easy tool to manipulate others because there is a lack of face-to-face contact. A New Jersey student, Ryan Halligan, also took his own life after he experienced severe cyber-bullying. Apparently online, a girl had acted as if she liked him, setting him up to be humiliated. His father now travels to schools, preaching about the horrors of cyber-bullying and the necessity for legislation to prevent any more child suicides.
A study was done in England where 89% of parents thought that cyber-bullying was just as serious as regular bullying. Then why has nothing been done about it? Programs should be established in schools to educate kids on how to avoid being cyber-bullied, and maybe convince some kids who have bullied others over the internet to stop. I know, personally, that if I said something harmful to someone over the internet and found out that there have been suicides over similar situations, it would make me re-think what I was doing. Some legislation has been in the works in Massachusetts, but it’s nothing very groundbreaking. I hope to see some legislation that makes more significant changes to this matter.
http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=99139
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8359780.stm
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/598017/Cyber-bullies-killed-our-son-Matthew-Jones-inspires-click-bullying-into-touch-campaign.html
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I actually saw a video on Ryan Halligan's story in another class I am taking. The video was heartbreaking because not only did the father speak, but friends of his did as well. Online conversations Ryan had had with his bullies were read along with conversations Ryan had with a friend of his. This friend felt depressed and tired of living, much like Ryan did, and they supported each other and conversed. However, this was not the positive support that troubled youth need. They confided in each other plans of suicide. In one conversation Ryan told his friend that he was ready to do it (commit suicide) and his friend responded with something along the lines of "it's about time." They went on websites geared toward those who are considering suicide. Ryan learned how to tie the perfect knot in which to hang oneself with. Part of the danger with cyber bullying is the anonymous and detached aspect. Without, seeing a person or coming in direct contact with them the bullying may not seem as personal, however I am sure only the bullyer feels this way. Obviously, as seen by the examples of Ryan and Matthew, those that are bullied do take what is said over the internet personally. Although there are many great aspects about supportive websites, there are also sites, like those visited by Ryan, that support the wrong kinds of thoughts and behaviors. After his son's death, Ryan's father went through his computer to find some clues. When he discovered the conversations Ryan was having with his confidant about suicide and these informative websites, he got in touch with the boys parents. He called their house and the supposed father of the boy answered. Whether it was actually the father of the boy who answered the phone or not (it could have been the boy pretending to be his father when he realized what the phone call was about) is unsure, when Ryan's dad disclosed what the boys had been discussing, the other boy's father said he would have his wife call back. Ryan's father never received a call. Now (if we are to believe it was the boy's father on the phone), either these parents do not care about the well being of their son and have no desire to investigate his possible suicide attempts, or parents simply do not take seriously what their children do on the internet. Perhaps it is the idea that there is just so much information out there and people are simply curious that allowed these parents to disconnect from the possibility that their son might consider suicide.
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ReplyDeleteCyber bullying is a serious and widespread issue. Adolecents spend a lot of time online. Much of this time is spent IMing or on social networking sites. It did not take much time for them to figure out this was a great new way to bully peers. I have never experienced cyber-bullying but I have had several friends who were bullied online in middle school.
ReplyDeleteSeveral reasons bullying escalates to such an extent on the Internet is because it can be anonymous, it is indirect contact, it is often not closely monitored, and it can be spread easily. It is very easy to create an IM account or page on a social networking site under pseudonym. Believing no one can find out who they are adolescents think they cannot get in trouble if they bully this way. So, some kids who would not bully normally feel less responsibility and more okay with it since they are pretending to be someone else. Indirect contact causes people to disconnect from the reality of situations and they feel less inhibited to say things. This is true in IMs, blog posts, wall messages, emails, texts, etc. Not seeing the harmful effects of saying or doing cruel things in person leads to not thinking it is a big deal and do not think about the consequences. Many adolescents are given free reign on the Internet with little or no parental monitoring. It is suggested that parents closely watch what their kids do online but often this does not happen. So, usually adults cannot circumvent such bullying as they can if it were physical or verbal bullying that occurs in schools. Plus, parents were not subjected to this type of bullying as a child because they did not have the technology so they do not fully understand the harm in it. Also, something sent, done, or posted on the internet can be spammed out instantly. Having one person know something embarrassing makes one feel bad, but if it is spread maliciously over the Internet the effect intensifies.
Sadly, cyber bullying has harmful consequences and has lead t depression and suicide in several cases. Contrary to what the original poster of the article stated there have been many things done to try and reduce cyber bullying over the past few years. There is no magic answer to stop cyber bullying and just because a child is told about previous situations where a child being cyber bullied lead to suicide does not mean they will stop doing it. They often think that it won’t happen to them since they are not being that mean or they just don’t care- for example physical bullying is still around regardless of howmany times children have been told it is bad and told examples of the consequences of physical bulling. Steps that have been taken to reduce cyber bullying include a public service announcement to reduce and raise awareness of cyber bulling, cyber bully prevention courses for educators and in Seattle public schools there is middle school cyber bullying curriculum in schools, changing school policies, and installing monitoring systems on computers.
Middle School Cyberbullying Curriculum: http://www.seattleschools.org/area/prevention/cbms.html
ReplyDeletePublic Service Announcements:
http://www.ncpc.org/cyberbullying
Yolanda Richard
ReplyDeleteTAL 101
Professor Diem
This opinion piece argues that cyber bullying is a huge issue targeting today’s youth. It presupposes that this form of bullying can lead to suicide and that cyber bullying is just as harmful as face to face bullying. Upon doing my own research on this issue I found that this is truly an issue in today’s youth. Our society is becoming increasingly technological .Today’s youth have access to the internet at home, school, and public areas like a community library. According to cyberbullying.org, Cyber bullying “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.” This can come in the form of a text message writing, ‘I hate you. Everyone else hates you. I hope you die.” These words seem very harsh; however, messages like these are hurled between children everyday over MySpace, facebook, Hi five, instant messaging, etc. Children are being threatened and tormented on a daily base.
In my opinion, cyber bullying is much more harmful than face-to-face bullying. Face-to-Face bullying assumes that the bully can be identified. When a child is able to point out the bully and show physical proof of the bullying then it is much easier to stop the perpetrator. However, cyber bullies have the ability to disguise themselves under usernames. They also have the ability to hack into the victim’s account and write mean things on their page or to their loved ones. In circumstances like these, the victim lives in fear that an unknown peer has intentions to harm them or thinks negatively of them. Also, cyber bullying can come in the form of online survey’s portraying negative characteristics about the victim. For example, it may write “Who are the ugliest students in school” with an “agree” or “disagree” box at the end. The victims of such harsh treatment will find it challenging to think of him or her self in a positive light, maintain their self esteem, and be at peace in both their academic and private lives. Such harassment can inhibit the child from concentrating in class and thinking of their school as a safe- place where he or she can learn without fear.
As a student growing up in New Jersey, news of the Ryan Halligan case was taken incredibly seriously in my school system. In middle school, our entire eighth grade class was given an assembly that led to great controversy among parents and teachers; however, every student in attendance could agree that it was an unforgettable moment in our schooling that made the issue of cyber bullying frighteningly real.
ReplyDeleteMikey Fowler is a motivational speaker who is recruited to speak to students and teachers across the country about the potential tortures that come with being "different" in a school setting. He only used a few small props and a stage, but Mikey took on several roles in the two hour long assembly - from as stereotypical as the common middle school nerd and bookworm, to as unique as a high school football captain who is doubting his sexual identity, fearing that admitting his problem will only lead to emotional abuse from his homophobic teammates. Although Mikey was just an actor, it was remarkable how well he was able to permeate the minds of so many students that, until that moment, I had no idea were even in existence. It was an eye opening experience that I have been proud to carry with me from then on. The internet has only aggravated the issues that Mikey brought into the light.
It is no coincidence that student suicide has become such a relevant issue during the age of the internet. It comes as no surprise that students are much more comfortable typing something on a keyboard than they are speaking in a face-to-face setting. As a result, they have the ability to be effortlessly harsh and ruthless, and truly damage the self-concept of their peers without even realizing it. It is horrifying how many students fear waking up in the morning and going to school, because of all the ridicule they are forced to face. Every student needs a Mikey Fowler in his or her life to understand what is going on in the minds of their classmates. It has the potential to really turn a generation around.