Cyber Bullying Issue - Thesis Example

Cyber Bullying Cyber bullying can be described as usage of the technological devices such as the mobile phones and the Internet by an individual or a group of people in threatening, upsetting, teasing, and humiliating others. These are all forms of harassment that usually result from cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is termed as cyber bullying when the perpetrator or the victim is a minor. When adults are involved in the case, it is then referred to as cyber harassment. Cyber bullying cases have become very common and the effects have gotten much worse. The main differences between cyber bullying and the traditional form of bullying and the main reasons behind the idea that it is worse than traditional bullying include low levels of supervision, reduced space and time limits, the potential of being anonymous, and reduced levels of direct feedback (Bonanno and Shelley 686). Psychological and emotional effects of cyber bullying are similar to those of real life or face to face bullying but the magnitude is much stronger. According to statistical data, approximately 43% of kids have been bullied on the Internet at least once in their lives. The most common medium for cyber bullying is the cell phone because it is the most used and the most easily available medium as at least 80% of teens have and use phones regularly (11 Facts About Cyber Bullying). However, although cyber bullying may seem to have no effect on the victims because it does not involve physical contact, in reality, it can hurt as much as physical bullying because it can drive people to depression and even suicide as it affects peoples feelings negatively. Cyber bullying can take many forms that may include spreading rumors and gossip online, posting threatening messages on the Internet mostly on social media websites and emails, and taking uncomplimentary photos of someone and spreading them on the Internet. Cyber bullying is much worse than physical bullying because an instance such as posting of one’s provocative photos on the Internet can be on the view of any one and stay online forever. According to statistical data, 81% of teens feel that online bullying is easier because they can get away with it easily than it would be while bullying in person. In addition, an approximated 90% teens have seen bullying but ignored it (11 Facts about Cyber Bullying). There are specific characteristic of the individuals who would fall victims of cyber bullying that include individuals who may be seen as different from others in ways such as being overweight, wearing glasses, and being new to the school. These individuals are also said to be weak and unable to defend themselves and have low self-esteem (Risk Factors). Additionally, those who do not get along with their peers may also be subjected towards bullying. Those likely to bully others also have distinct characteristics that include having social power, are usually aggressive, think badly of their peers, and view violence in a positive way. Although most of these characteristics apply in the physical bullying, they might also apply in cyber bullying. Cyber bullying may range from a simple sending of a text message to sophisticated use of technology. It may also incorporate posting of falsified information intended to hurt someone directly or even to prompt others to hate the victim making their lives very difficult which may lead to anxiety or even depression (Xiao and Yee 35). Cyber bullying may also disclose private and personal information such as real home address and real names in websites or even include creation of fake accounts and publishing information that may ridicule, discredit, or even defame someone. When it extends to social media, statistical data maintains that teens spend more time in social media than in any other activity besides when sleeping. Social media has been the largest source of bullying since statistics sustain that at least one million teens were subjected towards cyber bullying in 2013 mainly in Facebook. In significant instances, the victims of social media bullying have a trait that others consider abnormal such as being gay. Individuals in this category may be subjected towards cyber bullying by individuals whose sexual preference is considered normal. Such bullying usually prompts the involved individual to committing suicide because they feel that they have committed a despicable crime by having such sexuality preference. Cyber bullying is not limited to a geographical location due to the numerous capabilities presented by the Internet and other communication gadgets. These gadgets are not to blame for the negative usage; instead, the modern society whose morals have degraded is to blame for occurrence of issues related to cyber bullying. The modern mode of parentage is also to blame because some children are exposed to inappropriate or violent prone environments when growing up affecting their psychology. This mostly makes them violent and they show this by bullying other people. In addition, the parents are very busy working in offices and have very little or no time for guiding their children on how they should treat other people. Poor parenting affects people even in their adulthood. There are many effects of cyber bullying, which are negative in nature. Although cyber bullying does not incorporate physical harassments, it has very similar effects on the victim’s psychological well-being and could lead to many problems that could cause others. Research indicates that cyber bullying can have very serious consequences on the side of the victim. However, the effects of cyber bullying are exhibited differently by different individuals. This is because different people react differently towards cyber bullying or stress exposure. Teens who have been exposed to cyber bullying have an increased risk of being depressed and might also suffer from anxiety. The most common symptoms include increased feelings of loneliness and sadness. This can be spotted when the victims begin avoiding their friends as well as activities that they were frequently used to engage in previously (Cyberbullying Effects - Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding). In addition, there are changes both in eating patterns as well as in sleeping. This is because the victims spend vast amounts of time contemplating and reflecting on the type of bullying that they had been exposed to. This mostly leads to stress and in extreme situations might lead to depression. In addition, an individual may also develop many health issues. This is because their mental well-being has been exposed to negative emotions. In other instances, a victim of cyber bullying struggles with different activities such as school and even personally. These individuals may be prone to reduced educational performance mostly because they miss, skip classes, and even drop out of school. At the extreme levels and involving individuals with very low self-esteem, cyber bullying has been confirmed to lead to suicidal thoughts and even actual suicide among teenagers (Litwiller and Amy 676). Although suicide is mostly caused by physical bullying, continuous cyber bullying on a victim who has a very low self-esteem can also lead to suicide. If the individuals do not commit suicide, they can retaliate with deadly force. There have been several shooting cases in the U.S where students who had been subjected to bullying opened fire on other students with fatal results. Moreover, victims of cyber bullying may become disoriented to the point that they result to using drugs and alcohol. This endangers their lives and leads to additional problems that may include being arrested by the police and even engaging in bad activities when under the influence of alcohol such as fights or irresponsible sexual behaviors. Such activities may result in additional problems that could have been prevented if cyber bullying was eliminated. Teens may also become dissatisfied with whom they are and feel disinterested in life (Gordon). Since most teens keep issues concerning cyber bullying to themselves, they end up being depressed which is dangerous to their grades and their overall health. Teens may conceal cyber bullying activities against them so that they can avoid embarrassments or losing friends. This implies that if bullying is left unattended, it could cause additional problems such as suicides. The modern parentage is so poor because the parents are busy where they fail to notice any problems or changes that their children may be showing that suggest cyber bullying. To eliminate the effects of cyber bullying, significant changes ought to be done. First, the modern parentage must change. Although the parents are busy looking for finances to support their families and their social styles, they should save time to spend with their families. This would not only be good for the teens’ health but also their problems. Engaging in family activities may distract the teens from contemplating on issues concerning bullying. This may prevent the emergence of suicidal thoughts even if they do not report bullying to their parents. This implies that the family should be a social place where the kids are encouraged to communicate all issues that may be affecting them. Since it would not be easy for a parent to note when their child is being bullied, taking close attention to why the child’s grades are lowering may be a good starting point. If the parent notices any signs of bullying, they should pressure the child to tell the truth after which the parent should talk to the kid to ensure that they do not feel lonely and that they acquire better ways of dealing with bullying cases (OConnor 22). This would go a long way in preventing depression and suicide. If the child raises issue concerning bullying, the parent should take them seriously to resolve the case such as enrolling the child to a different school or involving the authorities in the resolution of the case. On the other hand, considering the bullies, the parents should ensure that their kids learn to respect other people and not make fun of them due to a problem that they may have. This should ensure that a kid feels remorse if they do something wrong to their friends. Second, if a school reports a kid as a bully, the parents should first attempt to find out the truth concerning the matter instead of suing the school on the grounds that it is terrorizing their children. This only makes the situation worse because the bullies feel empowered to commit more bullying while the school becomes powerless against the bullies. This usually leads to suicide related cases. Other measure that may apply include blocking the bully on the social media websites, limiting access to technological devices for teens if the parent suspects their child of being a bully or the victim, and parental investigation of their children’s online activities. Schools can be very effective in deterring bullying through ideas such as educating their students on cyber related issues. In addition, the schools can collaborate with the parents in ending cyber bullying. There are awareness campaigns such as the Cybercmile Foundation that was created to deal with all forms of cyber bullying. Raising awareness is an important way of dealing with cyber bullying since all parties would be well aware of the existence of cyber bullying and ways of dealing with it from the personal level. The U.S government has also been active in combating cyber bullying by passing laws that prohibit and criminalize it. The legislation is geared towards penalizing the bullies. In conclusion, cyber bullying incorporates different activities directed towards the victim. Different people would react differently following exposure to cyber bullying. Cyber bullying may be accomplished through methods that range from sending of text messages to posting provoking information about a person on the Internet with the intent of hurting their psychological well-being. In spite of the idea that cyber bullying may appear to have no effect on the victims simply because it is not physical, it can hurt an individual deeply to the point of committing suicide because it affects the functioning of the victim’s psychology. This calls for attention and collaborated effort to eliminate its effects by the schools, the parents, and the government. Works Cited "11 Facts about Cyber Bullying." DoSomething.org. n.d. Web. 01 May 2014. . Bonanno, Rina A., and Shelley Hymel. "Cyber Bullying and Internalizing Difficulties: Above and Beyond the Impact of Traditional Forms of Bullying." Journal of Youth and Adolescence 42.5 (2013): 685-97. Print. "Cyberbullying Effects - Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding." Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding. n.d. Web. 02 May 2014. . Gordon, Sherri. "What Are the Effects of Cyberbullying?" About.com Bullying. 2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. . Litwiller, Brett J., and Amy M. Brausch. "Cyber Bullying and Physical Bullying in Adolescent Suicide: The Role of Violent Behavior and Substance use." Journal of Youth and Adolescence 42.5 (2013): 675-84. Print. OConnor, Sharon. "Cyber Bullying: The Incurable Online Virus?" Irish Medical Times 46.45 (2012): 22. Print. "Risk Factors." Stop Bullying.gov. n.d. Web. 02 May 2014. . Xiao, Bo Sophia, and Yee Man Wong. "Cyber-Bullying among University Students: An Empirical Investigation from the Social Cognitive Perspective." International Journal of Business and Information 8.1 (2013): 34-69. Print. Read More