Cyberbullying Among Teenagers

According to a study by Common Sense Media, teenagers in the U.S. are using media an average of 9 hours a day. There is no mystery behind why teens enjoy the internet; it is a wonderful place, with the world's largest libraries, arcades, and stores. Anyone can do anything on the internet; but, with great power, comes great responsibility–something many teens lack. Parents should be protecting their children by monitoring internet usage, in case of internet predators, inappropriate websites, and to prevent cyberbullying.

On the internet, crime is everywhere. Sometimes, it’s something as relatively harmless as an email telling you that you have just received “free money” after you give your credit-card information. On the other hand, “internet-predators” are everywhere and find children outside of the internet in real life. This is especially dangerous for teens, who are more trusting than adults, especially from ages 8-14, as a London Science Museum study concludes. According to an ABC news article, one in five children, ages 10-17, have “received unwanted sexual solicitations

Social pressure is a big deal in teen lives, and too much of it causes stress and depression. Bullying increases social pressure, but a lot of the time, it is easy to get an adult and stand up to it. Online, bullying goes much farther. Attackers feel safe behind their screen and do things that they wouldn’t do face to face. There have been many very serious cases of cyberbullying, many leading to suicide, including Ryan Halligan in 2003, who hanged himself because his “friends” were harassing him online. Parents need to be held responsible for making sure their kids are chatting with trustworthy people online and not bullying