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Cyberbullying effects on teens today
Proposals for cyberbullying
Cyberbullying effects on teens today
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Cyberbullying
Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act, HR 6123 defines cyberbullying as “using electronic means to support severe, repeated and hostile behavior.” Today youth spend more time texting, emailing, and on social media than interacting in person. It has become the way youth reach out to each other. They are communicating using electronic devices to email, text messages, and social media to hurt, embarrass, harass or intimidate other youth. This has become a way of life for perpetrators bullying and cyberbullying. As we move into the future this is only going to get worse and present more concern. If cyberbullying isn’t dealt with through the justice system it will continue to spread out of control.
In an effort to truly get control of cyberbullying it should become part of the United States criminal code. HR 6123 was introduced to impose criminal penalties on perpetrators of cyberbullying. Some of the findings stated in the bill are (1) “Youth who create internet content and use social networking site are likely to be targets of cyberbullying.” (2) “Electronic communications provide anonymity to the perpetrator and
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However, it should always be considered a criminal matter when lives are being lost whether by suicide or emotional distress because of this “grave matter”. Bullying and cyberbullying should be illegal just as it is illegal to threaten someone by slander or libel. Cyberbullying should be a criminal offense such as a misdemeanor or felony. Penalties should be in place according to the severity of the bullying. There should be fines, probation, and even prison or jail time. We must consider that cyberbullying is happening to the young children as well as the youth. Youth and children are dying because of this crime. Yes, crime it is the same as if someone actually murdered these young people and
“Cyberbullying is a willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices,” stated by the Ophelia Project. Individuals should be prosecuted for statements made on social media. One reason individuals should be prosecuted is because of physical consequences to the victim. Another reason is because of mental effects that cyberbullying can have on the victim. Even though some people believe that free speech allows them to say what they want to but individuals should be prosecuted because the first amendment does have a limit on what you can say.
Cyberbullying has become more of a problem over the past years. With technology being in such high demand and there being endless options. Students can use and abuse technology in a negative light. Since technology isn’t going anywhere cyberbullying will only worsen. The First Amendment rights along with the school’s handbook, student handbook and states policies and procedure are meant to protect students from such harm. A students’ rights and privacy must be protected with such things implemented and actions are taken cyberbullying can become
According to the Psychologist, Eden Foster, from the radio interview, “The Dangers of Cyberbullying" cyberbullying can cause physical harm and with a law prosecuting the tormentors, they would be held accountable for the harm they caused.
By having cyberbullying grow, people are starting to make new laws and make it a federal crime. It’s a lot harder to get rid of cyberbullying, because there are so many social media sites where it can be found. With just a mean effortless tweet, comment, or message it can be a toll on somebody’s life. Statistics show that “20% of youth ages 11-18 have been victims of cyberbullying.” Most teens do cyberbullying, because they think it’s funny, or they just think that person deserves it, but what teens don’t get is what consequences lie
Since Teen suicide is the second leading cause of teenage death in the United States, there is a need for legislation that promotes awareness and education about Cyber-Bullying. Due to the growth of technology in the American society, the younger generations of adolescents are adapting to the excessive use of computers, cell phones, and social-networking sites. According to a study done by Amanda Lenhart, 87% of adolescents who are between the ages of 12 and 17 are using the internet on a daily basis (Trolley, Shields, and Hanel, “Demystifying and Deescalating Cyber Bullying in the Schools”).With these numbers increasing across the nation, the numbers of adolescents being harassed through technology means is growing as well. The relationship between cyber bullying and teenage suicide has been named “cyber bullycide”. Studies show that 1/3 of teenagers who have used the internet have stated that they have received threatening or offensive messages either through text, e-mail, IM, and other technology related programs. In 2007 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially labeled “electronic aggression” being cyber bullying as an “emerging public health problem” (Billitteri 387).
The bullying and harassment that occurs between these students should not only be up to the parents to deal with, but also up to the school districts. Afterall, parents expect that the students are partially under the school’s protection and responsibility. When the bullying continues outside of school, and personal information is exposed for others to see on social media, it is still up to the district to set the consequences for its students. Because most cases of cyberbullying start at schools, it is nearly impossible for students to avoid the bullies’ torment throughout the day. As for the consequences, a school district’s Code of Conduct must also consider the former record of these bullies and anyone else who is involved. The severity of each student’s punishment shall be partially determined by his or her history of previous misbehavior or faulty actions. In a digital pile on for example, a student may only post a small comment in agreement with a previous post but will still receive the minimal of a written referral and a phone call home, letting the parents know why such measures had to be taken. If the reported bully continues to bother the victim, whether it is in person or through social media services, the consequences will be more harsh for each known violation until expulsion is the only answer. The current Code of Conduct does
In some cases, criminalization is preferred, while other bullies are slapped on the wrist and grounded for a month. What can be agreed upon is the need for a definitive policy. Cyberbullying, as a burgeoning field of abuse directed specifically at teens, requires direct, speedy, and, perhaps even harsh, measures to curtail the stream of mistreatment flowing freely online. In order to develop such measures, cyberbullying must be recognizable. The government website dedicated to the prevention of bullying in general offers this definition: cyberbullying is “bullying that takes place using electronic technology” (“What is Cyberbullying.”)....
As we are living in the age of technology, we are seeing our youth being victimized by a new phenomenon of bullying, called cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is defined as the use of information and communication technologies such as email, cell phones and pager text messages, instant messaging, defamatory personal Web sites, and defamatory online personal polling Web sites, to support deliberate repeated and hostile behavior by an individual or group, which is intended to harm others. Cyberbullying can also employ media such as PDAs, blogs, and social networks (Beckstrom, 2008). This form of bullying is progressive because it can happen instantly due to the technology involved, whereas traditional bullying tends to take longer to evolve and happens
I would rather be a little nobody, then to be a evil somebody.” ― Abraham Lincoln’s Cyberbullying is a act that is repeated multiple times. People are trying to stop cyberbullying like the Megan Meier Cyberbullying prevention act. Although cyberbullying may seem insignificant in the big picture, in a survey conducted in 2006, nearly 1 in 3 teens admitted to being victims of cyberbullying.
This sort of phenomenon makes major headlines regularly in recent times and effects a clear majority of today’s youth. State and local lawmakers have taken steps to prevent this type of bullying by making illegal under several criminal law codes. Michele Hamm, a researcher in pediatrics explained, “There were consistent associations between exposure to cyberbullying and increased likelihood of depression.” Cyberbullying became widespread among students with the rapid growth in use of cellular devices and the Internet. With this kind of technology bullies have the ability to send harmful messages to their recipients at any given time. This type of bullying is the hardest to control because it involves students but often happens off school grounds. However, because the evidence is material, students and parents could bring this evidence to the school and local police departments if a situation were to happen. Parents should be mindful of their child’s use of the internet and electronic messaging, cyberbullying usually takes place in a medium in which adults are seldom present (Mason, 2008). Also, instead of sending direct messages to other students, bullies use platforms such as social media and anonymous blogs to post harmful things for others to see. Educators must understand the significance of social media use to their students, especially
The initial reason why anyone who cyberbullies should be criminally accused is due to their harmful behavior that can result in people getting seriously hurt both mentally and physically. If the bully is convicted, cyberbullying can be stopped! As directly stated in the Radio Interview of source one “Cyberbullying can also lead to kids getting physically injured.” This statement further emphasizes why the outcome of this act should be punishable by law. Due to the fact that individuals face violent behavior, it could mean suicide for the victim. In no shape or form should this be tolerated since lives are taken due to the
Because cyberbullying is a relatively new phenomenon, there is some degree of variance in its definition. In its early inception, cyberbullying was thought to be limited to the internet. However, the rapid creation of new technology tolls has expanded the boundaries to include cell phones, instant messaging, chat rooms, and email (Campfield, 2006). Campfield (2006) conducted a study of middle school students to determine the incidence rates of cyberbullying. She found that nearly 70% of students were involved in cyberbullying in some capacity, as a bully or victim. In a similar study, Li (2007) found that 39% of students have been involved in cyberbullying, while 52% were aware of a peer being harassed through electronic m...
Cyber bullying is a huge problem in the USA, so why not stop it now by making it a criminal offense? Cyberbullying should be a criminal offense because whether it’s bullying or cyberbullying, it still damages a person emotionally and physically. It should also be a criminal offense because kids, teens and even adults take their lives or lead a miserable one because of the harsh words of another person or group. Laws concerning cyberbullying tend to be vague, but with criminal offense, the government can crack down what exactly should be considered bullying and what will be punished, making things easier to regulate, and even ending cyberbullying once and for all. Cyberbullying is still a type of bullying that harms people, kills and scars their lives, and too strong for puny laws, but it can come to an end with criminal offense.
Mickie Wong-Lo and Lyndal M. Bullock, in their encouraging attempt to intervene in incidents of cyberbullying, have recommended many ways to deal with it. In their article entitled “Digital Aggression: Cyberworld Meets School Bullies”, they asserted that children do not acquaint their parents with their activities on the Internet and as a result parents do not know how to address similar situations (67). According to Kowalski, parents ought to follow “reporting techniques, which includes knowing when to ignore, block, or react, being mindful of the language being used and respond appropriately;” (qtd. in Wong-Lo and Bullock 68). In other words, the authors rightly emphasize that systematic supervision and knowledge can be valuable measures because parents will monitor children’s use of Internet and will be able to provide appropriate guidelines just in case a danger arises (Wong-Lo and Bullock 68). Moreover, as Keith and Martin argue, “[…] incorporating popular youth technology would be to teach youth how to use a social networking site to promote themselves in a positive manner that would appeal ...
With technology progressing, students are moving past face to face hectoring, and are verbally bullying other through social media. Cyberbullying can sometimes become more harmful than verbal, physical, and emotional bullying due to victims, not feeling like they have an escape route because they are threatened repeatedly through text messages, e-mails, social media, etc. The worst part about cyberbullying is that the things posted can be anonymous; therefore, there is no blame for who posts what. A victim can suspect that someone is to blame for the actions done, but there is no proof to solve a possible ongoing issue. Cyberbullying and bullying are actually considered a crime when someone: physically assaults another person, gender or racism is talked about, violent or deadly threats are made, sexually texting, inappropriate photos, stalking,