Many teens throughout the world have a social-networking page that they personalize to fit their personality. It’s where they go to express themselves via blog posts, status updates or video posts. Some of the most popular websites and apps that teenagers use are Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, YouTube and Pintrest.
Teenagers try to “fit in” on the cyber world. They usually do so because they feel like nobody in “real life” can relate to them. So, they seek out other teens their age that can relate to them and befriend them.
A lot of times people don’t even realize that cyber bullying is happening. For instance, a teenager might be getting bullied online every day and his/her parents can be totally oblivious to it. Some teens don’t want to tell their parents because they don’t want to be harassed even more for telling on the bullies.
Teens today have taken shelter behind a computer screen to cyber bully. People may not realize it, but cyber bullying really is a big deal in today’s society and is also one of the most common forms of bullying.
“People shouldn’t bully, but I can’t stop it,” says freshman Bryce Altman.
Urban Dictionary’s definition of cyber bullying is a term for bullying across the internet via IM, E-Mail, Facebook or other social network.
There are a couple of different ways to bully online. Bullying includes spreading gossip, excluding individuals, impersonating people, harassing, cyber stalking, flaming, outing/trickery, and cyber threats.
Gossiping online is posting and sending cruel gossip to ruin a person’s reputation and relationships with family, friends and acquaintances.
Exclusion is specifically leaving someone out of an online group.
Impersonation is breaking into someone’s email or another online account and sending messages that will cause embarrassment to a person’s reputation or ruin relationships with others.
Harassment is repeatedly posting or sending offensive, rude and insulting messages.
Cyber stalking is posting or sending unwanted or intimidating messages, which may include threats.
Flaming is where online fights occur that are scornful and offensive messages are posted on websites, forums or blogs.
Outing and trickery is tricking someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing information and then sharing it online.
Cyber threats are making threatening remarks on the Internet and displaying suicidal tendencies.
Thirty-two percent of teens say they have been targets of annoying or potentially menacing online activities. 88% admit to posting cruel things about someone online. 55% ignore the bullying that goes on.
Believe it or not, cyber bullying can get individuals in trouble at school and with the law. The Illinois State Law on cyber bullying states that if explicit threats are made online against a school, an employee, a student or school-personnel, then the website that the threat was made on can be accessed. The bully can be suspended up to ten days or may be expelled no longer than two calendar years.
Cyber bullying is not a joke. If you have to think twice about what you post, then chances are you shouldn’t post it at all. More and more people are being incriminated each and every day for the activities they partake in online. This week is Cyber Bullying Awareness Week; now more than ever, be aware about what you post online.
Double check what you say online. Nobody wants to have to deal with the long-lasting effects of online choices.