Cyber Bullying
by Marilyn Wandersee
November 07, 2008
READ THIS . . . or else!!
It is an unhappy truth that bullying continues to be a problem
in schools across the nation, and Lewis Central is not immune from
this problem. Bullying can take many forms. It is no longer only
one child picking on another on the bus or at recess. With the
advance of modern technology into our daily lives, bullying even
rears its ugly head into cyberspace.
PACER Center, an organization which champions children with
disabilities, has published an informative article outlining what
forms cyberspace bullying takes and how to protect children from
it. Parents need to be aware that there are sites where free Web
pages can be created – and used for the purpose of bullying another
child. According to the PACER article, “Embarrassing pictures,
private instant messaging (IM) exchanges, and hateful or
threatening messages can be posted on these sites.” Some bullies
take advantage of legitimate Web sites’ guest books to post hurtful
comments, or they even post blogs (short for “Web logs”) where they
encourage others to gang up on another child.
So, what is a parent to do? According to Julie Hertzog, PACER’s
bullying prevention project coordinator, there are some tips
parents may find helpful.
1. Raise the topic of cyber bullying with your children. By bringing up the subject with your children, you can make sure they know that you want them to be able to use the Internet – safely. Sometimes young people are afraid to let parents know they are being bullied fearing that their access to the Web or cell phones will be eliminated.
2. Set cyber safety rules. Remind your children that they never really know who is on the other end of cyber communication. Rather than the person they think it is, it may be a predator or a bully. Share some good guidelines: “Don’t do or say anything online that you wouldn’t do or say in person. Don’t reveal anything that you wouldn’t tell a stranger.” Other good advice – Never give out your e-mail password, a photo, or any personal data. A bully could use that information to harass you in many ways. Do not share too many personal details. Keeping an online journal or diary could also provide a bully with information to hurt or ridicule you. Finally, do not share your IM account password with anyone, even your best friend. You never know who your best friend may share it with. A cyber bully with your password can sign on, pretend to be you, and say or do things to embarrass or humiliate you.
3. Know what your children are doing online. Some parents worry about invading their child’s privacy, but isn’t safety more important? Keep your child’s computer in an open area such as the family room. Know how to access your child’s account on MySpace or Facebook. If you do discover your child is being subjected to cyber bullying, document it by printing the e-mails or Web pages and contacting your child’s school or the police.
We may long for the “Leave it to Beaver” days when life seemed pretty simple, but technology, while simplifying our lives in some ways, has also complicated them. Now parents must arm themselves with even more information and rise to a new level of awareness.
Work Cited
Kelly, Marcia. “Is Your Child Being Bullied In Cyberspace?”
PACER Center
Action Information Sheets. 2007. 26 Sept.
2008
http://www.PACERKidsAgainstBullying.org.
