Cyber Bullying Issues

1. Cyber Bullying Issues Jessica Conner

2. What is cyber bullying? • The National Crime Prevention Council's definition of cyber-bullying is “when the Internet, cell phones or other devices are used to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person.” • Cyber-bullying can be as simple as continuing to send e-mail to someone who has said they want no further contact with the sender, but it may also include threats, sexual remarks, pejorative labels, ganging up on victims by making them the subject of ridicule in forums, and posting false statements as fact aimed at humiliation.

3. Two Types of Cyber Bullying 1. Direct attacks (messages sent to an individual directly.) 2. Cyber bullying by proxy (using others to help cyber bully the victim, either with or without the accomplice's knowledge.)

4. Why do children cyber bully? • They are often motivated by anger, revenge or frustration. • Many do it for laughs or to get a reaction. • Children are often bored or power hungry.

5. Video illustrating the dangers of cyber bullying: Follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNumIY9D7uY

6. Handling Cyber Bullying in Schools • In her 2004 Educator’s Guide to Cyberbullying, Nancy Willard recommends schools develop a comprehensive approach to address cyber bullying that includes: • engaging in participatory planning that involves current school-based programs (such as safe schools initiatives) and non-school participants-- police, parents and community groups and social agencies. • conducting a needs assessment • ensuring that an effective anti-bullying program is in place • reviewing existing policies and procedures (update bullying policy to include harassment perpetrated with mobile and Internet technology, and computer Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) to specifically prohibit using the Internet for bullying.) • conducting professional development • providing parent education (organize parent education nights and workshops) • providing student education (integrate anti-bullying and cyberbullying education into existing curriculum, so it is not another ‘add on’) • evaluating the program to determine its effectiveness

7. As a Teacher… • Learn everything you can about the internet and what your students are doing online. • Encourage students to let you know if they have received messages or talked to anyone they do not know online. • Create an online contract with students about proper use of the internet while at school.

8. When should a school contact law enforcement officials? • According to Dr. Kimberly Mason, Ph.D., NCC Cleveland State University, extremely harmful online speech can violate criminal laws. The following behaviors can lead to arrest and prosecution: • Threats of violence to people or their property. • Coercion—trying to force someone to do something he or she doesn’t want to do. • Obscene or harassing telephone calls, text messages or e-mails. • Harassment or stalking. Hate or bias crimes. • Sexually explicit images of teens (child pornography). • Sexual exploitation. • Taking a photo of someone in a place where privacy is expected, such as a locker room.

9. Cyber Bullying Quiz Have children take this anonymous quiz to discover if they have ever been cyber bullied: http://www.wiredkids.org/ktt_universal/games/javascript/cyberbullying_quiz_1/index.html

10. Statistics • Cyberbullying has increased in recent years. In nationally representative surveys of 10-17 year-olds, twice as many children and youth indicated that they had been victims and perpetrators of online harassment in 2005 compared with 1999/2000 (Wolak, Mitchell, & Finkelhor, 2006). • 19% of regular Internet users between the ages of 10 and 17 reported being involved in online aggression; 15% had been aggressors, and 7% had been targets (3% were both aggressors and targets) (Ybarra & Mitchell, 2004).

11. Resources • http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/adults/cyber-bullying.aspx • http://www.cafeaspira.com/cyberpredators.html#4 • http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/educators/index.html