CYBER SAFETY & PREVENTION Jacquelyn M. Trejo Southmore Intermediate

CYBERBULLYING J. Trejo

CYBER BULLYING IS… is willful and repeated harm inflicted through the medium of electronic text. In other words, cyber bullying occurs when cell phones and/or the Internet are used to spread information or send photos with the intent to hurt or embarrass someone. Sending mean messages or threats to a person's account or cell phone Spreading rumors online or through texts Posting hurtful or threatening messages on social networking sites or web pages Stealing a person's account information to break into their account and send damaging messages Pretending to be someone else online to hurt another person Taking unflattering pictures of a person and spreading them through cell phones or the Internet Sexting, or circulating sexually suggestive pictures or messages about a person

FACTS… 1 in 3 teenagers with Internet access have reported being bullied online. Over 50% of teens will NOT inform a parent or trusted adult of their abuse 58% of 4th through 8th graders reported having mean or cruel things said to them online. 1 in 10 adolescents or teens have had embarrassing or damaging pictures taken of themselves without their permission, often using cell phone cameras About 1 in 5 teens have posted or sent sexually suggestive or nude pictures of themselves to others 68% of teens agree that cyber bullying is a serious problem. 81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person

FORMS OF CYBERBULLYING Flaming - Online fights using electronic messages with angry vulgar language Impersonation - Pretending to be someone else and sending or posting material to get that person in trouble or to damage that person’s reputation or friendships. Outing - Sharing someone’s secrets or embarrassing information or images online. Trickery - Talking to someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing information, then sharing it online. Exclusion - Intentionally and cruelly excluding someone from an online group. Cyberstalking - Repeated, intense harassment that includes threats or creates significant fear.

VICTIMS OF CYBER BULLYING The following children are real victims what happens when cyber bullying goes to far…

MEGAN MEIER The boyfriend soon turned on her and told her the world would be better off without her. A boy befriended Megan on the social networking site MySpace Only, the boy wasn’t a boy. It was the mother of one of Megan’s classmates. Megan took her own life in 2006.Megan took her own life in 2006.

RYAN PATRICK HALLIGAN A sweet, gentle thirteen year old Was bullied for his academic weakness and was advise to just ignore the kids. Asked to be transferred schools.

“I told my two older children that they had to use the password I gave them for any accounts they signed up. I promised I would not read personal messages or spy on them but, “God forbid you don’t follow the first few rules and you just disappear one day, I will want instant access to all of your activities on-line.” Never in a million years did I imagine this rule would someday end up becoming the key to unlocking the mystery of why my son took his own life” – Ryan’s Father A bullied pretended to befriend him only to retrieve private, embarrassing events and share them with the school. He was called gay. A popular girl befriended him online and made him believed he she really like him. Once he approached her at school, she laughed at him in front of her friends and said she was only playing. She reposted their online chats for her friends to see.

PHOEBE PRINCE left Ireland for America at the age of 15 She endured threats, name calling, and exclusion – both in person, and after school by text messages and on Facebook. Day…after day…after day. She took her own life. After her death, her tormentors wrote “accomplished” on her Facebook wall.

KACIE RENE WOODY Meet a 16 year old boy from California. Started chatting with him online. She lived in Holland, Arkansas On December 4, 2002, Kacie was kidnapped from her home by the boy she had been chatting online with. Only, it wasn’t a boy, it was a 42 year old man who had found out her address and where she went to school by the information she had online.

CONSEQUENCES

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE VICTIMS OF CYBERBULLYING OR INTERNET SOLICITATION? Depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. These issues may persist into adulthood. Health complaints Decreased academic achievement—GPA and standardized test scores—and school participation. They are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school. Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, school, and mental health issues. Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience:

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE BULLIES? Kids who bully others can also engage in violent and other risky behaviors into adulthood. Kids who bully are more likely to: Abuse alcohol and other drugs in adolescence and as adults Get into fights, vandalize property, and drop out of school Engage in early sexual activity Have criminal convictions and traffic citations as adults Be abusive toward their romantic partners, spouses, or children as adults School consequences Felony Criminal charges may be filed

TRADITIONAL BULLYING VS. CYBERBULLYING Bullying can be stopped at school. Adults can handle the situation instantly. Bullies can be removed from the situation. There is no escape from cyberbullies. It happens 24/7. Cyberbullying material can be distributed worldwide and you can’t get it back. Cyberbullies can be anonymous.

HOW CAN YOU BE SAFE ONLINE? Avoid exchanging s or text with people you don’t know. Always keep your profiles private and never ever reveal your whereabouts through the day. Don’t ever mention your address, school or place of work. If ever you feel someone is impersonating you online, tell and adult immediately. Parents – Keep the lines of communication open with your children Monitor, Monitor, Monitor your child’s online activity. Set time limits for your child’s online activity.

NEW UPDATES AND LAWS State Cyberstalking and Cyberharassment Laws Online revenge

ARE WE DOING ENOUGH? Filtering software is not significantly related to a decreased chance of Internet harassment Some adults believe that by simply purchasing and installing such software, they have "done their part" in safeguarding their child's participation online. This is naive and unwise. It is really important to actively participate in your child's online experiences, establish rules, and informally monitor their activities.