Cyberbullying: Prevention and Avoidance

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“Over the course of three months, Prince was verbally abused — publicly and in Facebook posts. She was threatened with physical abuse and received hostile text messages. On the last day of her life, Jan. 14, 2010, some of her tormentors drove by in a car, called her an Irish slut, and suggested that she go kill herself. She did.” (Huus). Phoebe Prince was an ordinary High School teenager who wanted nothing more than to fit in and live a normal teenage life, but because of harassment and embarrassment her life was cut short. Instead of focusing on how to prevent this type of bullying, people are focusing on how to punish the bully and deal with the incident after it happens. The internet is a fairly new thing, and it is not going away anytime soon; therefore, students need to be educated on cyberbullying and somehow shown how it can impact their life or someone else’s. Also students should be monitored when using computers and other technology that allows them access to the internet, and students need to take responsibility while facing the consequences for their actions online.

Students should be educated about cyberbullying by people who impact their lives or play a large role in their society; for example, fireman, police officers, school officers, and parents. Many kids and even teenagers can be easily influenced by people who are seen as a role model or a “figure of authority”, so if those are the adults educating our kids about it then it could more easily be prevented and controlled. Kate Fogarty writes, “Have the local law enforcement agencies talk to kids about their rights, how to prevent cyberbullying, and how to control it. If children have more options of people to talk to about bullying, they will be more likel...

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Murphy, Wendy J. "Federal Law Requires Schools to Protect Children from Cyberbullying." Cyberbullying. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. Rpt. from "Suing School Would Shine Light on 'Suicide by Bullying,'." Patriot Ledger 13 Feb. 2010. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.

Parikh, Rahul. "The Dangers for Teens Online Are Exaggerated." Policing the Internet. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. Rpt. from "Our Overblown Paranoia About the Internet and Teens." Salon. 2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 6 May 2014.

Simmons, Rachel. "Cyberbullying Is a Growing Problem." Policing the Internet. Ed. Peggy Daniels. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. At Issue. Rpt. from "Cliques, Clicks, Bullies and Blogs." Washington Post 28 Sept. 2003: B01. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 4 Apr. 2014.

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