Cyberbullying

Bullying, defined as aggression on a continual basis between peers where one has a power advantage over another, is common among children and adolescents. Cyberbullying involves using electronic communication for these ends:


• teach someone a lesson

• put others down

• play pranks

• share personal information publicly

• stalk someone

• commit other overt attacks upon a person

Teens who cyberbully may feel that cyberspace is an impersonal place to vent, and, therefore, consider it less harmful than face-to-face bullying. However, cyberbullying can be very destructive. Examples include middle school teens starting a poll with their classmates, casting online votes for the ugliest girl in the school or unsolicited videos or photos taken in a locker room are posted on YouTube or forwarded by media messaging. In addition, threats or hateful words travel easily through cyberspace in e-mails or cell phone messages (voice or text) from an unrecognized phone number. Ironically, most cyberbullying takes place within a teen's immediate social circle and those most likely to be victimized are highly active in social networking sites, blogs, and chat rooms

About 25% of teens report being victims of cyberbullying, and over a third (35%) of teens reported feeling unaffected by it. Yet, the vast majority of victims reported feelings of:

• frustration,

• anger,

• sadness, and

• social anxiety

In addition, as is the case with online sexual solicitation, preteens are more likely to suffer psychologically from cyberbullying than older teens.

To down load the publication For Teen Safety in Cyberspace, written by Kate Fogarty, assistant professor, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida go to: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FY/FY84800.pdf