Introduction
Cyber bully is the use of digital technologies to repeatedly harm or harass other people in a deliberate manner.According to U.S. Legal Definitions, "cyber-bullying could be limited to posting rumours or gossips about a person in the internet bringing about hatred in other’s minds; or it may go to the extent of personally identifying victims and publishing materials severely defaming and humiliating them."
Analysis
Who: Teenagers (18 years old and below)
What: Cyber bully is a form of teen violence that can do lasting harm to young people by using internet or digital technologies
Where: Social media, cell phones, Internet
When: Any time when one can access to the internetWhy:
- Motivated by anger, revenge or frustration
- Entertainment purposes
- Bored, nothing to do
- Do it for laughs
- Get reaction
- More appealing because can be done anonymously
How:
- Sending mean messages or threats to a person’s email account or cell phone
- Spreading rumors online or through texts
- Posting hurtful or threatening messages on social networking sites or web pages
- Stealing a person’s account information and hack into their account and send damaging messages
- Pretending to be someone else online to hurt another person
- Taking unflattering pictures of a person and spreading them through cell phones or the Internet
- Sexting, or circulating sexually suggestive pictures or messages about a person
Case Studies
1)
Alexis used to be fat and all her friends and classmates made fun of her thus she had suicidal thoughts but she just couldn't die like that so she decided to change her appearance so that no one will ever made fun of her again. However as time goes by, all the mean comments started to appear again at her social media, Alexis thought that its okay as she had her "friends" and her brother but her "friends" were the one who started the cyber bully and her brother did not care about her as well. Alexis thinks that no one care about her, and with the increasing amount of hate comments, Alexis started to hate herself.One day, Alexis's friends make fun of her photo and paste it everywhere along the corridor which leads Alexis to kill herself as she couldn't take it any more.
2) Audrie Pott
In early September 2012, Audrie Pott went to party with about 10 other teenagers who were allegedly drunk, and that three or more of these teenagers sexually assaulted Audrie Pott. Audrie Pott told her mum that she drank too much vodka and passed out in an upstairs bedroom and three or more teenagers sexually assaulted her and during the assault, photographs were taken and distributed via social network and SMS. Audrie Pott then posted on her facebook page; "They took pictures of me. My life is ruined. This is the worst day ever."
In the following weeks, Pott reported being bullied by those who saw the photographs online and eight days later after the incident, Audrie Pott killed herself by hanging.
You can find out more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_of_Audrie_Pott
Viewpoint
1) I feel that Alexis should have more confidence in herself so that she can stand up against the bullies and bullies will no longer bully her as bully often target people who are weaker than them and she should also be able to differentiate whether the friends around her are true friends.
Although this is a just a short film filmed by a group of students, but this video shows how cyber bully really happen in reality in school, how the victim feels when they feel that no one care for them and how it leads them to have suicidal thoughts and eventually commit suicide. I think cases like this can be greatly reduced if victim can find someone to talk to for example counsellor to help them.
2) Regarding this news, I feel that it can raise awareness for a few things.
Firstly, underage drinking. Audrie Pott attended an unsupervised party and were sexually assaulted. Many teenagers did not understand the risks involved especially girls. When one is intoxicated, they cannot protect themselves whenever things happen which gives guys a chance to take advantage of them easily. Do not do things that will make you regret just for a moment of happiness.
Secondly, cyber bully in this case. The teenagers that sexually assaulted Pott took photos of her and distributed via social network and SMS that caused Pott being cyber bully by people who saw the photos. Many went to leave mean comments at her social media and Audrie Pott could not take it any more thus committed suicide. Many people do not know that words can kill, think before writing any hate/mean comment to others.
Gallery
Videos on Cyber Bully
Conclusion
Technology is great and offers fantastic opportunities for children. However, the technology can be misused, and this can be very painful for the victims who are facing cyber bully issues.
With more and more cyber bullying cases, I think that it is important to educate more and more people about the effects of cyber bully so as to prevent such cases to happen. Parents should also care and concern more about their children, at the same time educate them about what they should do if they faces cyber bully to help them fight against cyber bully.
In conclusion, parents, law enforcement and educators all need to take caution with watching over children in order to prevent cyberbullying. If everybody comes together then cyberbullying can be greatly reduced.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_of_Audrie_Potthttp://blogs.swa-jkt.com/swa/11320/files/2012/09/Say-no-to-cyber-Bullying6.jpeg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwu_7IqWh8Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkG00Czb4ho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOHXGNx-E7E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwSHucyfjAE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberbullying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvWrCagU3Ow
