Assignment 5-1: Cyber Bullying

Kitty Hollingshead Mancil
HUMN 341
Assignment 5-1: Cyber Bullying
Weekly Written Assignment

Bullying is a subject that has gotten a lot of attention in recent years. Something that used to be almost accepted as a “kids will be kids” is now being taken much more seriously. Since the explosion of the internet, “cyber bullying” is also a growing concern.

The formula is often the same: A young person has an account on a social site such as MySpace.com and others leave rude and harassing messages. While there is some similarity to what happens in real life, online harassment has a different element in that the harasser can remain anonymous. Take for example, the recent case of Megan Meier. At the age of thirteen, she hung herself after mean messages from what she thought was a cute older boy. As it turns out, the boy was a fictitious character made up by the mother of a former friend and her employee, so that they could see what Megan was saying about the former friend. (Leonard)

This phenomenon seems to be gaining momentum. “The number of children ages 10 to 17 that say they were abused by "cyber bullies" climbed 50 percent, from six percent in 2000 to nine percent in 2005, according to a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” (Chapman) With more and more people having access to electronic communications, this is bound to happen.

With this in mind, it makes it even more important for parents to keep an active eye on what their children are doing online. While social networking can certainly be a positive influence in the lives of these children, it can also be a dangerous place without proper supervision. Also important is teaching your children what is acceptable behavior, irregardless of where they are. Bullying is something that children should be taught is unacceptable, no matter where bullying takes place. Behind the computer screens, there are real people and the words you type can have a real impact on someone’s life.

Chapman, G. Online bullying a growing part of US teen internet life. Retrieved December 6, 2007 from
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071202/lf_afp/lifestyleusitinternetyouthschool_071202231541

Leonard, C. Mo. family shunned over suicide, hoax. Retrieved December 6, 2007 from http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071206/ap_on_re_us/internet_suicide;_ylt=Aoih.hVlYW1iyTgxYo703bNvzwcF