Cyber-Bullying
The world is at our fingertips today – literally! Our children love their cyber-life and the Internet is their favorite playground. In terms of relationships, technology plays a key role and is at the center of the majority of youth communications. Who would have thought 20 years ago that the cell phone would become our childrens’ most frequent mode of communication and in turn, the most common mode of bullying? This is especially disconcerting because this dynamic is starting younger and younger, with nearly three quarters (73.2%) of children with cell phones receiving them between 8 and 13 years of age.
According to i-SAFE’s Nationwide Survey, with our children and technology:
- 81% spend at least 1 hr / week online (11.5% spend more than 8 hrs / week)
- 35% feel it is easier to talk with people online than in person
- 89% of students are familiar with chat rooms (38% enter chat rooms at least once a week)
While the Internet is a dynamic, promising tool that allows users to cross boundaries once thought impossible and access a wealth of knowledge, there are many pitfalls and blind spots on the Internet that easily facilitates illegal or dangerous behavior. Unfortunately, it is society’s most vulnerable, our kids and teens, that are increasingly at risk – in part, due to the parent/child technology gap.
What is The Parent/Child Technology Gap?
The danger is as high for our youth who ASSUME they are safe due to their over familiarity or lack of caution with the Internet as for the adults who truly lack comfort and are overly fearful of the Internet so have not learned HOW to use it effectively.
This gap helps to open the door for cyber-bullying. Cyber-bullying is no less severe than traditional playground bullying and in many instances it is more psychologically harmful because there is no escape. Cyber-bullies are able to invade every facet of their victim’s existence, 24/7. The concept of our homes and even our bedrooms being a safe haven no longer exists for many children.
Cyber-bullying is also much more common than traditional face to face bullying. In an i-SAFE survey of 1,500 middle school students, it was reported that while online:
- 53% said hurtful or angry things to another person.
- 58% had someone say hurtful or angry things to them.
- 42% were bullied.
What is Cyber-bullying?
Cyber-Bullying is the use of electronic information and communication devices such as e-mail, instant messaging, text messages, mobile phones, pagers and defamatory websites to bully or otherwise harass an individual or group through personal attacks or other means, and it may constitute a computer crime.
Cyberbullying is willful and repeated harm inflicted through the medium of electronic text.
With the Broward County Public School District’s Anti-Bullying Policy, cyber-bullying must include the basic three elements of face to face bullying. The actions must be:
R – Repeated (more than once)
I – Imbalance of Power (characterized by or involve)
P - Purposeful (there is an intent to do harm)
Office of Prevention is here to ensure that technology users are aware of the problem and can define it, understand how dangerous cyber-bullying is, and know how to effectively prevent and respond to it – whether as adults or young people. Please contact our office for further information or to schedule and attend a workshop on this topic.
See also our related webpages on:
- Anti-Bullying Classroom Activites
- Anti-Bullying Resources and Links
- Bullying Prevention & Positive School Culture
- Internet Safety
- Reality Avenue’s “Cyberlife: What’s REALLY Happening Online?”
- Violence Prevention Resources
Resources & References
Please Note: A program or website being mentioned here does not imply endorsement by the School Board of Broward County and does not necessarily reflect its views. Please contact the program developers directly for the most current information.
BEEP – for School District employees, the Discovery Health resource has innumerable videos, classroom exercises and lesson plans
Best Practices of Youth Violence Prevention. This document describes the effectiveness of specific violence prevention practices in four key areas: parents and families; home visiting; social and conflict resolution skills; and mentoring. It includes practical suggestions from professionals and advocates who have successfully started these programs in their communities.
Bullying prevention activities from the National Crime Prevention Council
Bullying Resources- the website created by the Canadian educator who first used the term cyberbullying.
The Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System
Concerned Children’s Advertisers
Crisis Preparedness and Response webpage: Crisis preparedness is the responsibility of every school, community, and state. Preparedness involves planning how to respond when an emergency or disaster occurs and working to marshal the resources needed to respond efficiently and effectively. Schools and education agencies cannot prevent natural disasters or even many man-made crises, such as terrorist events. However, should an event or threat occur or be suspected, every staff member should know how to respond based on protocols, or community-based plans, established in advance in collaboration with public health and first responder agencies. The webpage includes resources sub-divided by preparedness, response, and recovery.
Florida Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse. As part of the MEPIC’s services, a toll-free telephone line (1-888-356-4774) is available twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week. Additional services provided by the MEPIC include a directory of resources available for additional assistance in locating a child; emergency flyers requested by law enforcement agencies containing descriptors of missing children believed to be in immediate danger; training for law enforcement agencies and public/private organizations regarding the operations of the MEPIC; and a child safety guide which includes a list of precautions which outlines programs to insure our children’s safety.
iKeepSafe.org Teaches basic rules of Internet safety to children and parents, reaching them online and in school
The International Bullying Prevention Association
i-SAFE, Internet Safety Awareness and Education
NetSmartz 411 Parents’ and guardians’ premier, online resource for answering questions about Internet safety, computers, and the Web
Olweus Bullying Prevention Program
SafeFlorida.net, a Florida website dedicated to fighting CyberCrime and supporting CyberSafety.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
WebWiseKids.org Teaches children and their caregivers strategies for safe Internet use, including methods of detecting and deterring online predators
xblock.isafe.org The place created by iSafe for students to hang out, learn about cyber safety and share their online experiences with others