sticks and stones may break my bones...the dark side of social media

source : www.et.byu.edu

 

Cyber Bully : the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. 

Definition British and World Dictionary

What was once out in the open is now behind closed doors, as we advance in our societies with new technologies and new ways of staying at arms length away from everyone around us – we are becoming more accessible to one another. Even though the door is closed, communication and accessibility carries on weather we like it or not.

Cyber bullying and traditional bullying essentially have the same intention and outcome.. 

Although, one is face to face and the other is behind a screen.                           The key word here is anonymity. Cyber bullying allows the bully to feel safe while ultimately their victim is led to feel the opposite.

It’s also often that children being cyber bullied are not telling anyone let alone their parents and one of the main reasons for this is the fear of having their technology taken away from them or not being able to do anything to stop the bullying. Mishna 2009. 

But is there an actual difference between traditional and cyber bullying apart from the way it is executed?

Studies have actually shown that yes there is and the outcomes of cyber bullying v’s traditional bullying are particularly more intense and negative for the victims.

According to Bonanno 2013, cyber bullying makes it easier for the bully yet more challenging for the victim, anonymity as opposed to traditional face to face makes the bully less aware of their impact on the victim.

The fact also that it is happening in homes, which is supposedly in the victim’s safety, there is nowhere to hide and the potential audience is infinite. 

read - what does it mean to be a cyber bully..

Can it be stopped or changed ?  

New laws, policing, more educating, zero tolerance.. There are many schemes out there educating children, schools and parents & good nature and morals can be taught but when there is an absence of this people should be held accountable for their actions through laws.

Can the laws of defamation and intentional infliction be used against cyber bullies.. ? 

This interesting article discusses the case of a 14-year-old girl in Atlanta, America suing her classmates for defamation on Facebook.

More information on Australia’s rights on cyberbullying here..

Thank you for your patience to those who have read through my blogs it’s been a blast !

Signing off Daniela  : )

References and Further Reading:

• Bonanno, R, & Hymel, S 2013, 'Cyber Bullying and Internalizing Difficulties: Above and beyond the Impact of Traditional Forms of Bullying', Journal Of Youth And Adolescence, 42, 5, pp. 685-697, ERIC, EBSCOhost, viewed 4 February 2014.
• Cyber Smart,http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/
• Gerstenfeld, P, Grant, D, & Chau-Pu, C 2003, 'Hate Online: A Content Analysis of Extremist Internet Sites', Analyses Of Social Issues & Public Policy, 3, 1, pp. 29-44, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 1 February 2014
• Mishna,F,Saini, M,Solomon, S, 2009, Ongoing and Online: Children and youths perceptions of cyber bullying, Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier.com.