I believe cyber bullying to be a great issue that has gotten
and deserves to get public recognition.
The internet is a useful tool that was designed to benefit and enhance
the lives of individuals. With it, as
with everything, comes positive aspects as well as negative ones. However, the internet cannot be to blame for
this particular social issue of cyber bullying. As I have previously mentioned several times the
internet is only a platform in which allows individuals to cyber bully, it is
the means to an end, as is commonly said.
The main issue of cyber bullying is one which is socially derived; it
begins with individuals, their relationships with one another, their behaviour
and actions. Cyber bullying has received
great media attention, as it should, because of the unfortunate events that
have followed its occurrence. Although
many technological changes have been made on the internet to protect
individuals from cyber bullying I believe more needs to be done to put an end
to it for good. So far I believe
individuals have only tried to hide the issue using technology to block or
delete it from existence; however they haven’t really dealt with the root of
the problem. I believe the most
effective means to terminate cyber bullying are informational sites and
increased awareness. Efforts have been
made in this direction, however in my opinion not enough. We must let individuals see the effects of
cyber bullying with the attempt to change how individuals interact with one
another and to encourage more positive decision making. It is up to individuals to make the change,
the internet is not to blame and the day that everyone realizes this will be
the day that cyber bullying is no longer a social issue to be discussed. We have the choice to say no to cyber
bullying and to encourage others to do the same. In the end, regardless of if one is punished
for their actions, it is not worth it.
Harming another individual not only hurts them but also hurts you. As a victim of bullying in my childhood I
feel strongly about this topic and would like to see this social issue resolved
in my lifetime.
STOP cyberbullying
Friday, 13 March 2015
Internet makes bullying easier
As mentioned in my previous blog, technology is only a
platform for cyber bullying and not the reason for it, however it is also
important to remember that the process of bullying differs from face-to-face and online. From my perspective, cyber bullying is made
easier with technology and the internet.
http://edt2.educ.msu.edu/DWong/EdTech/Turkle-CyberspaceIdentity.pdf This article discuses cyberspace and identity
in attempt to explain the anonymity that can be and is used online. In cyberspace an individual can be who they
want themselves to be or who they want others to think they are. One has the power to create their own textual
description of themselves in which, in most cases, is believed by others to be
true. With this ability to create a “fake”
profile or remain completely anonymous, comes the issue of confronting and
dealing with cyber bullies. Cyber
bullying is in this sense easy, as the perpetrators are not punished (because
they are unknown) and left to continue targeting others. However, again it is important to realize
that the anonymity of the internet is not the reason to blame for cyber
bullying. Although it makes it easier
for cyber bullies to hide behind their computer screen, remaining unnamed and
with no repercussions for their actions, cyberspace (and with it the ability to
hide and/or change one’s identity) was not created for this purpose. The ability to create one’s own identity
comes with technology and the internet.
This ability allows individuals to explore their diverse self, release
emotions, connect with others who have similar experiences and/or feelings,
while at the same time remaining anonymous and avoiding any unnecessary
attention or just to keep certain aspects of their lives private. The anonymity can be a positive outlet for
individuals who have trouble discussing things with individuals in real life, in
fear of being judged or ironically bullied.
We have socially constructed anonymity as being a negative that comes
along with a technologically savvy society.
The issue again lies in human choices and social relationships, and the
internet and cyberspace are only the outlets that we use to make these choices
and establish these relationships.
Why does bullying occur?
One may ask them self why does bullying occur in the first
place? Bullying is the result of a struggle for power and an outlet for ones
emotions. Some individuals believe that
putting others down will somehow make them feel better about themselves or at
least let others suffer with them.
Bullying in childhood may be seen as funny and may be encouraged by
others in an indirect way. Bullying is a social issue, which is the result of
an issue within society and the relationship between individuals. In modern day society, we live life through
technology and our main form of interaction with others is with devices and on the
internet. The introduction of social
networking sites has changed the way we interact with others and altered our
means of communication. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00393.x/full
This article defines social networking sites as web-based services that allow
individuals to construct profiles in a system in which they can connect with
other users. With social networking sites
comes the ability to establish false identities and target others, both
privately and publicly. However it is
important to note that this is not why these sites were developed! This is where the issue presents itself. We sit here and blame the internet and social
networking sites for allowing individuals to have the means to cyber bully yet
the motive lies in the social world.
Individual decisions are what cause bullying, not the internet or social
networking sites. Social networking
sites are designed to create a means of communication and interaction between
individuals around the world; they are positive creations in which we turn into
places to be feared. Although the issue
of privacy does arise when discussing social networking sites, in the sense
that we should be careful of things we post online, because as we know everything
online remains online and can be accessed by just about anyone, they are not
essentially bad places. The reasons
behind bullying, as previously mentioned, have nothing to do with technology. The only thing that has changed is the
platform of bullying, to put this concept in perspective take for example
stealing. When we think of stealing we most
often assume it is a product of some sort from any store or shop, however
stealing can also be downloading music illegally. Although some individuals have different
perceptions towards these separate situations, they are virtually the same
thing, stealing is stealing. As cyber
bullying is still bullying, it has not somehow changed with the introduction of
the internet, its roots still lie within social interaction.
A social issue - not a problem with technology
I believe bullying in itself is a social issue and not a problem to be blamed on technology.
The increase of technology and the influx of mobile devices and the internet
have however provided a new platform for bullying. The following link is to an article that highlights
reasons why cyber bullying and bullying in general have been and continue to be
issues of social origin and not ones that have come about with the introduction
of technology: http://ipa.org.au/portal/uploads/submission_V6.pdf. The article discuses many excellent points
around the topic of cyber bullying and how it is a social issue that has received
a lot of discussion in recent years. It acknowledges
different perceptions and opinions in regards to cyber bullying and attempts to
define its components in an objective manner.
One main point being, although both traditional bullying (face-to-face)
and cyber bullying are similar, in that they intend to cause harm, embarrassment
or humiliation to another individual, the process differs greatly. As stated in the article, some people would
say cyber bullying is “more pervasive and insidious” in the sense that an
individual cannot escape it; technology is everywhere and can be accessed by
anyone. I agree with this statement,
although some could argue face-to-face bullying may have more impact on an
individual, because it is a real life experience, cyber bullying unleashes the
power of the internet and technology. I
believe cyber bullying is more threatening in the sense that there could be a
potentially larger audience, no means of escaping it, and the possibility of
recurrent incidences lasting a great deal of time. The article also discusses ways to deal with
and/or put an end to cyber bullying. The
first thing we think of when dealing with an issue we believe is wrong or unjust
is to create laws that prohibit it, however in the case of cyber bullying, laws
against it become contradicting to other laws or acts, such as freedom of
speech, or they become easy to break, as the internet allows us to hide our
identities fairly well. A better means
of combating cyber bullying is the implementation of tools on social networking
sites in which protect individuals against others who may be targeting
them. Facebook and Twitter for example, allow
individuals to delete, block and or report others for things they say or
pictures that they post. These tools
help to avoid the cases of cyber bullying or at least remove them before they can
occur again. It is evident that bullying is still prevalent regardless of the endless
attempt to combat it; it is difficult to control something that is so out of
our hands, as technology has really become, but that does not mean we should
give up! Bullying is a social issue, therefore
if we fix the issue from its origin in society we won’t give the internet the
ability to help progress it.
Saturday, 7 March 2015
Cyber bullying as a social issue - Taking a stand
A social issue is defined by Wikipedia as an issue in which
influences many individuals and is opposed by society: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_issue
Cyber bullying has become a great social issue within the
recent years and attempts to retaliate against it have used the same means in
which it imposes itself; the internet and social media! What better way to fight against cyber bullying
then to take a media stand, spread awareness globally and help prevent future
cases. Many individuals, including celebrities,
family of previous victims, officials and activists have taken a stand against
cyber bullying by increasing awareness, writing articles and books, publishing
in magazines, sharing their stories, and enforcing privacy and anti-bullying
laws. Social media platforms including Facebook
and Twitter accounts have been created in attempts to spread awareness and
share stories to prevent cyber bullying.
Some of these social media accounts include: https://twitter.com/AntiBullyingPro,
https://twitter.com/ETCBtweet, https://www.facebook.com/helpstopcyberbullying123
These sites act to get the community involved in anti-bullying
practices and raise awareness globally.
This video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfT2qqrqzgo
posted by the ETCB twitter account does a excellent job at explaining cyber
bullying as a whole; the reasons for it, the effects of it and how to help
prevent it. It is individuals like
these, who created these social networking accounts and spend time making
videos, who are trying to make a positive difference in the world. It is true that technology and the Internet
are designed to enhance our lives and to increase our connections with other’s
worldwide, it is ultimately up to us and how we use them. If we choose the positive route and think
before we hit send we will change the fate of cyber bullying and help those who
have fallen victims to cyber bullies. An
article in PEOPLE magazine was recently published about a baseball player’s
daughter who was a victim of cyber bullying, he took a stand and defended his
daughter and it became public attention: http://www.people.com/article/curt-schilling-daughter-dangers-social-media-cyberbullying?xid=socialflow_twitter_peoplemag
In regards to putting an end to cyber bullying technology
sure does beat word of mouth; once something is published online it goes viral
and comes to the attention of many. In
the same way cyber bullies use the internet to spread negative hate individuals
retaliate by spreading love using the same medium. Cyber space can and should be a positive
atmosphere!
Cases of cyber bullying
The top six unfortunate cyber bullying cases in which led to
suicide of the victim are reported here:
It is truly a shame to read these stories and imagine what
these individuals went through on a daily basis that led them to such a low
point in their lives where they couldn't stand to be alive. It is horrible to think of how the family and
friends of these individuals felt, some not finding out until after their loved
ones death why they were so depressed and felt no escape but to take their own
lives. However, it is amazing to see
these families help others by raising awareness and helping establish laws in
which protect individuals from being victims of cyber bullying and help prevent
it all together. The harsh reality is
that these are only a small proportion of the cyber bullying cases that have occurred
worldwide since the influx of cyber space and vast usage of the internet as a
means of communication and broadcasting.
It is evident that cyber bullying is a social issue not to be taken
lightly and that society should be highly concerned when certain individual’s
actions and poor choices lead to the ill-health or in the worst case scenarios,
as exemplified in the above link, death by suicide. The Amanda Todd case, being the most recent
on this list (2012), went viral as she posted a Youtube video about her story
of cyber bullying shortly before she committed suicide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOHXGNx-E7E
. It is hard to watch her video knowing
how much pain she was in and knowing that not long after she took her own life,
she couldn’t get away from the bullying, it just would not stop. This is where cyber bullying really differs
from bullying in the past, it really never goes away. The internet is a powerful place and once
something is posted online, regardless of whether someone deletes it, it is
never really gone. The concept in which
best describes this characteristic of the internet is surveillance; information
posted online is stored indefinitely and can be access and shared globally.
Facts about cyber bullying
Some facts about cyber bullying are listed here: https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-cyber-bullying
At a quick glance it is evident just how prevalent cyber
bullying has become. Digital devices
have created a medium to take the childhood acts of bullying to the next
level. The statistics show just how many
individuals this new form of bullying has affected. Almost half of all children have been bullied
online and almost all teens have seen cyber bullying take place (broadcasted
online – ex. on social media sites) but did not report it. The acts themselves are damaging, but what
makes it worse is that they are often times permanent and online for everyone else
to see or only visible to the victim who is too afraid to let someone know, in
either circumstance the harm cannot be undone.
Cyber bullying is often long term, as cyber bullies will continue targeting
victims as long as there are no repercussions for their actions.
The long-term effects on the victim differs from individual to
individual, however in most cases results in feelings of sadness,
worthlessness, depression and anxiety. The
social issue arises here, as individuals begin to cause harm (indirectly, but
intentionally) to others, often times compromising their health and well-being. Victims of cyber bullying may become
depressed, emotionally exhausted, miss or drop out of school, use drugs or alcohol, lose friends, cause self-harm and/or become suicidal. Cyber bullying is a serious issue and has
resulted in deaths in the past, as the statistic in the link states that bully
victims are 2 to 9 times more likely to
commit suicide. It is very important to
note that emotional well-being is a large aspect of an individual’s happiness
and willingness to live; an individual can only take so much. It is important that society acknowledges
this issue and although difficult to stop once initiated, cyber bullying will
hopefully be prevented in the first place, with increased awareness and better
decision making on the part of individuals.
Cyber space does not have to be a place we fear, if we SAY NO to cyber
bullying, by reporting things we see that we know are harmful or by refraining
from participating in such acts, we can enjoy digital technologies and online forms of socialization.
What is cyber bullying anyways?
Cyber bullying can be defined as an act of harming,
threatening, harassing, and/or humiliating another individual or group of
individuals intentionally through technological means, including, but not
limited to, text messages, social networking sites, emails and blogs. We live in a world that has become heavily
reliant on technology for various uses, a main one being a form of
socialization and a platform for broadcasting.
With technology and digital devices comes anonymity, as individuals can
create different profiles, accounts and addresses and hide their identity or
pretend to be someone they are not. With
this ability to hide one’s identity comes the perfect opportunity for bullies
to target victims, while avoiding the consequences of their actions. Bullying in the past, which involved
face-to-face interaction, was also an issue, but could most times be dealt with
easily, as victims could identify the bully and the bully was punished for their
wrong doing. In a world of anonymity
comes the challenge of punishing those who target others, as in most cases they
are not identified. When individuals are
not punished for their wrong doings, they will continue doing the same things
over and over, creating an ongoing issue.
In the past, bullying was able to be monitored by others as it usually occurred
in a public place, such as a schoolyard, with teachers or other students around
to witness it. In today’s society cyber
bullying can be confidential and may only involve the bully and victim, this poses
a problem as the victim may be afraid to come forward with the incidence(s) and
tell others what is going on, this leaves individuals at risk of being targeted
again. Cyber bullying is an example of
an issue or negative that comes along with the technological society; with
constant access to digital technologies and the Internet comes the ability to
fall a victim to someone else using something designed to benefit the lives of
individuals in attempt to ruin their lives.
Cyber bullying has become a growing concern and is a great social issue
in our society. Many individuals have
developed strategies in attempt to put an end to cyber bullying and raise
awareness of its implications on the lives of innocent individuals. Read more about what cyber bullying is at: http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it/index.html
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