Cyberbullying

Technology has advanced and expanded so much in the 21st century that you’d be hard put to find a place on Earth that didn’t have access to Internet or cell phone. Facebook, blogs, cell phones and forums are dominating the teenage social scene. They are places where thoughts, feelings, likes, dislikes and relationship statuses are exchanged daily. However, those same places are being used for a more sinister purpose, called cyberbullying. In 2006 the national organization, Fight Crime, conducted a survey about kids being cyber bullied. The results found that 1 in 3 teens and 1 in 6 preteens have been the victims of cyber bullying (New, Michelle, PhD.). Now in the year 2010, you can imagine how the number of kids has risen. Just because technology is quickly advancing, it shouldn’t mean that cyberbullying has to as well. Bullying used to mean that the stronger kids would gang up on the skinny nerd and take their lunch money or shove them in a locker, but because so many teenagers own a cell phone and have access to the Internet it has become easier to bully or be bullied. It has been estimated that 93% of kids aged form 12-17, use the Internet. Out of that 93%, 84% of them have some type of online profile (Ted Feinberg and Nicole). Cyberbullying online can include many things. Like, hacking into another’s profile and changing their information to something embarrassing and degrading, or posting false comments and spreading humiliating pictures. Cell phones are equally as popular as the use of the Internet. About 17 million teenagers are in possession of a cell phone. It is not only a luxury for most, but a necessity these days. About 57% of teenagers measure their social life and connect to their social world with a cell phone. The same percentage of kids agrees that if they had no cell phone their social life would be severely limited (Harris Interactive). Cell phones also can be used to send embarrassing pictures, texts and videos of other students with a push of a button. People might know what cyberbullying is, but they may not understand the urgency and seriousness of the situation. Not only can cyberbullying be spread to many people at once, but how quickly at a push of a button it can ruin someone’s life.
People may see Cyberbullying as just exaggerated teasing and name calling. However, what people may not see is the incredible amount of emotional and psychological damage that cyberbullying inflicts. The teenager years are one of the most uncertain stages in life. It’s a time when teenagers are constantly forming and reforming their image. They are most susceptible to the criticisms that come their way each day. Since technology is everywhere and has been integrated into our lives so much, it is hard for victims to escape the constant ridicule. When kids are cyberbullied it usually brings out two different responses. One response would be feelings of low self-esteem, anxiety depression, and loneliness. The second type of responses would be feelings of anger, hate and the need to