The Pros And Cons Of Cyber Bullying

Ninety-three percent of children between the ages of twelve and seventeen living in the United States of America use the Internet. Of the ninety-three percent, thirty-eight percent of these children are in high school, and hide online activities from their parents (Roleff, 2012). Most kids choose to use social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. These popular sites allow users to share photos and videos, as well as public and private messages. While social media on the Internet is a great way to connect with friends and loved ones, it can also lead to negative feedback, and even cyber bullying. Cyber bullying can be defined as using technology such as cell phones, email, text messaging, instant messaging, or social networking sites. Cyber bullying is most often done by children, but more specifically by teenagers (Roleff, 2012).
A specific case of cyber bullying in 2003 led to the suicide of, Ryan Patrick Halligan. Ryan was a student at Albert D. Lawton Middle School in Essex Junction, Vermont. Ryan’s classmates and peers began to tease him and pick on him. Even some of Ryan’s friends started to bully him. He could not get away from the emotional abuse because the bullying also began to happen online. Ryan was often signed in to AOL Instant Messenger, better known as AIM. At this point Ryan could not escape the criticism of his peers, because even when he was alone in his room, with a click of a button the negative comments and threats flooded his computer screen. Though his parents where aware that Ryan was being bullied at school, they had no idea he was being cyber bullied. This is an example of something that can be happening to a child without a parent even knowing that their child is being cyber bullied. ...

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...lp or talking about how they are feeling, and how they are being treated.
It is important for a friend or parent, to be there for a child who is getting cyber bullied. Children who get cyber bullied don’t know what to do with there self’s, some children think if they just hurt there self’s it is ok. But in these cases it is not, so if a friend or parent is around them to comfort them and give support it will make the child realize that they are not alone. If someone is getting cyber bullied they can go to interventions, these interventions talk about who is cyber bullying them and how to stop them. A child should go to these interventions to help them get all there feelings and anger out. A child should not feel like they are alone or not safe. Children also should go to there parents if they are getting cyber bullied, because if they do not it can lead to suicide.