Cyberbullying Using Information Technology - Essay Example

Instructor

ENG 106

11 September 2017

Cyberbullying

By definition, cyberbullying refers to the utilization of information technology to carry out hostile, advertent and repeated behaviour that is meant to inflict harm on others (Aune 1). Cyberbullying takes place through various channels which include email, text messages, blogging websites and social media. Notably, social media is the most common channel used by cyber bullies primarily because of the huge audiences a cyber bully can potentially attract. Cyberbullying may assume various forms some of which include outright intimidation and harassment, stalking, vilification, defamation, peer rejection, in addition to ostracism. Hinduja and Patchin, posit that cyberbullying is linked to a host of detrimental outcomes for the victim. The outcomes may include depression, sadness, anger, as well as frustration among others. In the modern context, cyberbullying is quite rampant and high school students constitute the largest proportion of cyberbullying victims. Both the primary and the secondary sources demonstrate that undesirable outcomes such as suicide on the part of the victim and sinister motives aimed at causing harm to victims are prominent characteristics of cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying results in a host of undesirable outcomes particularly on the part of the victim. Though cyberbullying can have devastating outcomes such as suicide, the act is often overlooked in today’s society. Indeed, Kestrel McNeill, who suffered massive cyberbullying in her final year of high school states that her school ‘failed to appreciate the seriousness of cyberbullying’ (Noseworthy 1). Ellis, narrates that as a victim of cyberbullying in her freshman year, the vice had a profound impact on her. Initially, she endeavored to neither let the cyberbullying directed at her get into her nor affect her emotionally. Nonetheless, this proved difficult since the attacks directed at her on social media focused on personal issues such as her body, athletics, degree major, as well as her former high school among other issues (Ellis 1). According to her, the above issues were things that she loved deeply and things that she was proud of and as such, the constant degradation from cyberbullies was hard to ignore (Ellis 1). Hinduja and Patchin, note that some of the negative effects associated with cyberbullying may include depression, anger, disappointment and frustration (2). In addition, victims of cyberbullying have in the past reported losing their self-confidence, a feeling of sickness and worthlessness, fright, discouragement, as well as embarrassment (Hinduja and Patchin 2). The above detrimental effects associated with cyberbullying are consistent with those cited by Ellis in her individual reflections. Ellis, posits that frustration, as a consequence of cyberbullying, ensues when cyberbullying makes a victim feel hopeless and powerless as they attempt to figure out how to cope with the situation (1).

The devastating effects of cyberbullying have additional impacts on the key aspects of the victim’s life. Frustration resulting from cyberbullying, for instance, can have a profound impact on the victim’s academic performance. In the case of Ellis, frustration made her feel conflicted and unsure of her feelings towards herself despite her excellent performance in both athletics and academia. While Ellis was well aware that the assertions of cyberbullies were largely untrue, she found it difficult to ignore the negative comments. As a consequence, she became increasingly frustrated and angry at the perpetrators of the uncouth act. Feelings of discouragement may also constitute key ramifications of cyberbullying. In fact, in the case of Ellis consistent attacks on her personal life resulted in acute feelings of discouragement such that it became increasingly difficult to ignore the tide of events. In addition, the feeling of discouragement made her question her value and increasingly wary about the nature of future attacks (Ellis 1). Evidently, initial impacts of cyberbullying on the victim have concomitant effects on other aspects of the victims’ lives.

The aforementioned repercussions of cyberbullying on the victim are consistent with numerous other accounts of cyberbullying as narrated by victims. Kestrel McNeill, a victim of cyberbullying in her final year of high school, reported having feelings of depression and anxiety (Noseworthy 1). In addition, she become increasingly frustrated as her peers ostracized her to the point that she simply wanted disappear (Noseworthy 1). At the tender age of 18, the recalls that she increasingly believed that it was easier to elope rather than have to cope with constant mockery initiated by cyberbullies (Noseworthy 1). The above mentioned effects of cyberbullying align with Hinduja and Patchin’s assertions regarding the ramifications of cyberbullying on the victim (2). Hinduja and Patchin, contend that in the absence of interventions, the initial impacts of cyberbullying can inadvertently result in unintentional and much more serious impacts on the victims such as suicidal thoughts, severe depression and ultimately suicide. Kestrel McNeill narrates that constant torment and harassment from peers on social networking platforms had a serious impact on her emotional state to the point that she contemplated suicide (Noseworthy 1). Her situation was further exacerbated by the lack of intervention from school authorities at her former school (Noseworthy 1). Nevertheless, she asserts that key interventions played a pivotal role in enabling her to reconsider her intentions of suicide. While Ellis does not report having suicidal thoughts over the course of cyberbullying experienced, early interventions may have helped avert such a severe consequence. Ellis asserts that she consulted her pals and family for advice, as well as support and resolving the matter became a collaborative effort (1). Reassurances from close family members and peers that she was strong, successful and valuable allowed Ellis to regain self-confidence and cope with the frustration and anger that emanated from protracted victimization online. It is thus evident that cyberbullying can have severe consequences on victims.

Perpetrators of cyberbullying have different motivations and driving forces that make them feel the need to carry out the vice. Past research demonstrates that females are more likely to carry out cyber bullying since the underlying motives of cyberbullying favor them. Aune posits that females have a higher predisposition to participate in cyberbullying as compared to their male counterparts primarily because of the very nature of cyberbullying (12). The fact that cyberbullying creates avenues for anonymity is a major motivation for cyberbullying on the part females since females are more averse to physical confrontations (Aune 12). In addition, females are more inclined to psychological bullying such as spreading gossip about someone else, as opposed to face-to-face confrontation (Aune 12). Anonymity as a key motivation of cyberbullying is evident in the case of Ellis, as well as that of Kestrel McNeill. Ellis states that social media, as well as college culture, create an environment that enables the perpetrators to thrive and carry out their activities consistently (1). More specifically, Ellis says, ‘college culture and social media make it easy for cyberbullies to thrive’ (1). This statement is consistent with Aune’s assertion that cyberbullying is particularly rampant in community colleges (22). A key part of college culture that fuels cyberbullying is the presence of college confession applications, as well as pages that allow for anonymous posting. In fact, Ellis states that during her initial years in college, she did not have the slightest idea of her bully’s identity. Nonetheless, Ellis notes that the fact that the perpetrator is unknown to the victim does not serve to abate the online attacks (Ellis 1). Additionally, anonymity gives perpetrators a feeling of invincibility since nobody can catch up to them and this drives them to adopt a ‘don’t care’ attitude regarding their online posts (Ellis 1). In the case of Kestrel McNeill, it also pretty apparent that anonymity, particularly on social media, played a key role in motivating the cyberbullying. As such, it was difficult for school authorities to clamp down on the anonymous perpetrators. It is thus abundantly clear that anonymity is a clear driving for individuals who carry out cyber bullying.

Another key motivation for cyberbullying particularly among high school and college students is the physical distance between the perpetrator and the victim. This distance also encourages victims of physical bullying and abuse to retaliate against the physical bullies. Hinduja and Patchin contend that technology makes it easier to bully others since cyberbullying occurs at distant locations and the perpetrator is not around to face the wrath of the victim (3). In fact, perpetrators may not be cognizant of the harm they inflict on the victim since they do not have the opportunity to see the reaction of the victim (Hinduja and Patchin 3). The cyberbullying instances narrated by Ellis and Kestrel McNeill demonstrate that the physical distance between the cyberbullies and the victims was a key motivating factor for the perpetrators. Ellis, states that she had never met the person who had bullied her for over two years in college. This physical distance between them thus set the stage for roughly ‘two years of relentless online harassment’ (Ellie 1). In the case of Kestrel McNeill, a significant part of cyberbullying transpired through social media (Noseworthy 1). Perpetrators took advantage of the physical distance between them and Kestrel to post negative social media comments. It is thus pretty apparent that the physical distance between the victim and perpetrators of cyberbullying serves a key motivation for carrying out cyberbullying.

The thrill derived from bullying other people online is a significant motivation for cyber bullies. Moreover, most perpetrators of cyberbullying perceive the vice to be a form of entertainment. Ellis argues that in particular contexts, cyberbullying is utilized as entertainment (1). Nonetheless, she posits that from her own experience, cyberbullying is not a matter that should be taken lightly. As much as the offensive language used by cyber bullies and their online audiences may be entertaining to them, the potential impacts on the emotional state of victims is serious. However, the perpetrators of cyberbullying derive pleasure from watching of the emotional state of their victims deteriorate with little regard for the possible occurrence of severe consequences such as suicide. In the case of Kestrel McNeill, is pretty clear that the perpetrators of cyberbullying derived pleasure from tormenting, harassing and taunting her. This is particularly so since the bullies made home ‘drive-bys’ on a frequent basis and consistently upended her character on social media (Noseworthy 1). Another key motivation for cyberbullying in the case of both Ellis and Kestrel McNeill was the presence the massive online audiences. Hinduja and Patchin contend that the cyberspace, particularly online social media enjoys massive audiences who primarily include teenagers and young people (3). It is thus evident that entertainment, in addition to the humongous size of online audiences constitutes key motivating factors for cyberbullying.

To conclude, it is clear that both the primary and the secondary sources demonstrate that undesirable outcomes and sinister motives are prominent characteristics of cyberbullying. Notable undesirable outcomes include depression, discouragement, frustration, anger, in addition to the loss of self-confidence and self-esteem. The sources also demonstrate key motivations for cyberbullying some of which include the anonymity granted by online tools, physical distance, entertainment value, as well as the massive online audiences for such stuff.