Cyberbullying Ciera Flores

What is it? Cyberbullying is the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person. By definition, it occurs among young people. When an adult is involved, it may meet the definition of cyber-harassment or cyber-stalking, a crime that can have legal consequences and involve jail time.

Cyberbullying Terminology Flaming: Online fights using electronic messages with angry and vulgar language. Harassment: Repeatedly sending offensive, rude and insulting messages. Cyberstalking: Repeatedly sending message that include threats of harm or are highly intimidating; engaging in other online activities that make a person afraid for his or her safety. Denigration: “Dissing” someone online. Sending or posting cruel gossip or rumors about a person to damage his or her reputation or friendships. Exclusion: Intentionally excluding someone from an online group, like a “buddy list” or a game. Trolling: Intentionally posting provocative messages about sensitive subjects to create conflict, upset people, and bait them into “flaming” or fighting. Impersonation: Breaking into someone’s account, posing as that person and sending messages to make the person look bad, get that person in trouble or danger, or damage that person's reputation or friendships. Outing and trickery: Sharing someone’s secrets or embarrassing information online. Tricking someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing information, which is then shared online.

How is it different? “In the schoolyard and where traditional forms of bullying take place, at least you have a chance of trying to avoid the bully or steer clear of them in some way. But cyberbullying has the ability to reach into wherever anyone is connected to the wired world which in this day literally means anywhere as we have this connectivity in our hip pocket. For victims there is no longer a safe place to escape to. Cyberbullies have come into their homes and all other areas where technology reigns.” ---Bill Belsey, Cyberbullying researcher

How is it different? Cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Cyberbullying messages and images can be posted anonymously and distributed quickly to a very wide audience. It can be difficult and sometimes impossible to trace the source. Deleting inappropriate or harassing messages, texts, and pictures is extremely difficult after they have been posted or sent.

Why Cyberbully? Out of anger, revenge, or frustration For entertainment/boredom Technology gadgets are directly available For laughs To get a reaction from others By accident (sending e-mail to wrong person, or not thinking before doing something) To torment To help ego Defense To remind others of social standing To "right the wrongs" To "stand up for others“ ***It’s also interesting to note that according to the AP-MTV survey, only about half (51%) of young people say they have thought the idea that things they post online could come back to hurt them later. In other words – about half of the young people do not think before they post!

Effects of Cyberbullying Kids who are cyberbullied are more likely to: Use alcohol and drugs Skip school Experience in-person bullying Be unwilling to attend school Receive poor grades Have lower self-esteem Have more health problems

Cyberbully-The Movie Premiered July 17, 2011 on ABC Family. The network paired with Seventeen Magazine to make the film in the hopes that it would “delete digital drama.” Released on DVD on February 7, 2012.

Real-Life Stories http://www.puresight.com/Real-Life-Stories/real-life-stories.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOHXGNx-E7E

Jessica Logan 18-year old from Sycamore High School in Cincinnati Texted nude photo to boyfriend while on spring break When they broke up he shared that photo with others

Jessica Logan (cont.) “She was being attacked and tortured,” Logan’s mother said. “When she would come to school, she would always hear, ‘Oh, that’s the girl who sent the picture. She’s just a whore,’ ” Jesse’s friend, Lauren Taylor, told NBC News. Jessica's friends and mother report that she would skip school or hide in the bathroom at school in an attempt to avoid the her peers, who reportedly called her a "slut," "whore" and "skank." Jessica had been talking about going to the University of Cincinnati to study graphic design. Her mother thought she was over the worst of the bullying. Then one of Jesse’s acquaintances committed suicide. Jesse went to the funeral. When she came home, she hanged herself. “I just had a scan of the room, her closet doors were open,” Logan told NBC News. “And I walked over into her room and saw her hanging. The cell phone was in the middle of the floor.”

Cyberbullying Laws by State Ohio: Jessica Logan Act H.B. 116 (Jessica Logan Act) - effective November 4, 2012. “‘Electronic act’” means an act committed through the use of a cellular telephone, computer, pager, personal communication device, or other electronic communication device.” This bill expands the scope of Ohio's current anti-bullying law to prohibit harassment by electronic means. This includes harassment, intimidation, and bullying through computers, cell phones, or other electronic devices.

Statistics

Statistics Continued As of 2010: Around 50% of teens have already been victims of cyberbullying. Only 1 out of 10 victims of cyberbullying tells parents about the incident. Only 1 of 4 cyberbullying episodes is reported to the law enforcement. 1 out of 10 kids and teens had their embarrassing photos taken without their consent. Around 1 in 5 teens have already posted nude or sexually suggestive photos and sent them to others. More girls are becoming major participants in cyberbullying.

What schools CAN do Schools need to educate students, teachers and parents about Cyberbullying. Many schools are now getting students and their parents to sign an acceptable use policy. The policy details what is and what is not acceptable with the technology at the school. When signed, the document is a legal contract and it gives the school authority to take action and deal with abusive or bullying conduct if they choose.

What schools CAN do Schools can hold assemblies for students, staff and parents about: What Cyberbullying encompasses The effects of Cyberbullying Ways to prevent it. Ways to determine if your child is a cyberbully What to do about if it is happening (your child is the victim or the perpetuator)

What parents CAN do http://www.puresight.com/Features/cyberbullying-protection.html TALK to your child about cyberbullying! Explain that actions have consequences. Monitor what your child is doing, including how much time they are spending on their phone, computer, etc. Encourage your child to talk to you if they are or know of someone being cyberbullied. Reassure them that it is not their fault.

Resources for Everyone WeStopHate.org is a parenting tool to help parents better understand of how their teen communicates with peers -- technology, social media, etc -- to better monitor their behaviors for signs of stress without impeding on their personal space. MTV's A Thin Line campaign was developed to empower individuals to identify, respond to, and stop the spread of digital abuse in their life and amongst their peers. The campaign is built on the understanding that there's a "thin line" between what may begin as a harmless joke and something that could end up having a serious impact on themselves or someone else.

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