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Part 2: Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying

What is Cyberbullying? What the Experts Say Cyberbullying vs Face-to-face Bullying True Stories Why do Kids Cyberbully? Signs of a Cyberbully Signs of a Victim of Cyberbullying Who is Liable? What Can Be Done If You Suspect a Student is Being Cyberbullied Cyberbullying Education What the Experts Say Rules to Pass On to Students School-Home Connection Internet Safety Education Ideas Cyber Safety Websites and Games Resources References

What is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is when a child is threatened, teased, picked on, or embarrassed by another child using technology like email, texting on cell phones, or the Internet.

Examples :

• Pretending to be someone else on the Internet to trick them into giving out their private information

• Spreading lies about others on the Internet or in text messages

• Sending or forwarding mean text messages

• Putting pictures of people on the Internet without their permission …especially embarrassing pictures

What the Experts Say

“Face-to-face bullying makes school miserable and frightening for a harassed child; and when bullying goes online, it can become nearly inescapable. The bully, meanwhile, remains anonymous, feeding their own ego without having to face the victim or the consequences of their actions.”

Michelle Ybarra, MPH, Ph.D., President, Internet Solutions for Kids, Inc.

“…if you're being bullied on a face-to-face basis, you may experience that on a school bus, or you may experience it on a playground. With cyber bullying, that can go on continuously, and there's no break, necessarily, from that treatment. And so it has a very intense impact on the victim.”

Ted Feinberg, Assistant Executive Director, National Association of School Psychologists

Statistics

A study by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids (2006) investigated how often children (6-11 year-olds) and teens (12-17-year-olds) had been cyberbullied during the previous year. One-third of teens and one-sixth of the children reported that someone said threatening or embarrassing things about them online.

http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/adults/cyber-bullying.aspx

Most cyberbullying is done away from school (Dehue et al., 2008; Smith et al., 2008), although more cyberbullying may occur during school than many adults realize. 

Statistics

45% of preteens and 30% of teens who had been cyberbullied received the messages while at school.

44% of preteens and 70% of teens who had been cyberbullied received the messages at home.

34% of preteens and 25% of teens who had been cyberbullied received the messages while at a friend's house.

Statistics

http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/adults/cyber-bullying.aspx

Many children and teens who are cyberbullied fail to report it to parents or adults at school (Agatston et al., 2007; Dehue et al., 2008; Smith et al., 2008). According to a telephone survey of preteens and teens (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2006):

51% of preteens but only 35% of teens who had been cyberbullied had told their parents about their experience.27% of preteens and only 9% of teens who had been cyberbullied had told a teacher.44% of preteens and 72% of teens who had been cyberbullied had told a friend.31% of preteens and 35% of teens who had been cyberbullied had told a sibling.16% or preteens and teens who had been cyberbullied had told no one.

Cyberbullying vs. Face-to-face Bullying

• Involves technology• Anonymous• Many people vs. one• Difficult to get away

• Physical• Typically one on one• Could possibly walk

away from bully

• Harassing• Embarrassing• Hurtful• Name-calling• Emotionally damaging

Cyberbullying Face-to-face Bullying

True Stories

An eighth grade girl from Florida gave her MySpace password to a friend, who changed her account e- mail address and password so she could not access her own profile. Then the friend posted sexually explicit captions for the photos on the girl’s profile. Humiliated and fearful of more abuse as she walked across the school stage, the eighth grader refused to participate in her school graduation ceremony.

An 11-year-old girl threatened a classmate in the lunch room. She then threatened the classmate's life on a social networking site. The parents called the school wanting something to be done.

True Stories

A group of nineteen students, many of whom were honor students, targeted their school principal in a chat group on Facebook. Under the heading "McMahon, The Grinch of School Spirit" the postings included sexually explicit remarks directed at him, and pictures of Osama bin Laden and Adolf Hitler.

A freshman at a public high school became the target of a Facebook group devoted to why other students hate him.

Why Do Kids Cyberbully?

They may be the victim of face-to-face bullying.

Cyberbullying can be anonymous. Cyberbullying gives a sense of

power, control, and domination. Many kids don’t understand that

cyberbullying is hurtful. Some kids think that what they are

doing is funny and perfectly acceptable.

“In the minds of young people today cyberspace is a real life place to go - to

have fun, to find things out, to meet their friends. But

they don't quite seem to understand the real

consequences cyberspace can bring

into their lives.”

David Finkelhor, Ph.D., Director, Crimes Against Children Research

Center, Professor of Sociology, University of New Hampshire

Signs of a Cyberbully

May use numerous online accounts or accounts that are not theirs

May excessively laugh when using the computer or electronic device

May avoid discussion or conversations regarding online activities

May exit out of whatever he or she is doing when a person walks by

May become upset if computer access or other electronic device is denied

Signs of a Victim of Cyberbullying

May become reclusive or anti-social and may be losing friends

May show a decline in grades May frequently complain of stomach aches and

headaches May suddenly not want to go to school any more or not

want to be involved in school or family activities May suddenly seem depressed, distracted, sad, upset,

or angry when they are normally very well-adjusted May suddenly be reluctant to use or not want to use the

computer anymore

Signs of a Victim of Cyberbullying

May avoid discussion about what they are doing on the computer, or other electronic device

May become isolated or withdrawn, angry, sad or depressed after using the computer or other electronic device

May appear to be anxious, nervous, or jumpy when an IM or email appears

May be having trouble sleeping or have other sleep disturbances

May show an unusual interest in self-harm or suicide May discuss revenge

Who is Liable?

Currently in Georgia, although there are laws against bullying, there are no specific laws regarding cyberbullying.

Therefore, unless the cyberbullying takes place on school grounds, involves school equipment, or is causing a significant disruption in the school day, and that this type of behavior is addressed in school policy as unacceptable and punishable, schools do not have any legal recourse.

In fact, when schools have tried to impose punishment on a student that has used a home computer to spread rumors or other hurtful things about another student and that punished student takes legal action against the school, even if the student’s behavior affects the school, the schools have lost the legal battle.*

That does not mean, however, that schools should not get involved.

What Can Be Done

It is suggested that in cases of cyberbullying the students involved and their parents be invited to talk through the situation with the principal or other administrator and school counselor.

If the cyberbullying continues, the parent of the victim can report the instances to the authorities.

But the best defense is a good offense, i.e. educating students about cyberbullying and its effects.

If You Suspect a Student is Being Cyberbullied

Observe the student Talk with the student Talk with friends of the student Report suspicion to school counselor or other

administration Call parents Conference with students involved and their

parents Educate all students about cyberbullying

Cyberbullying Education

As stated in the CCSS Employee AUP, all CCSS staff have the responsibility to educate students on cyberbullying, why it is wrong, and what to do if it happens to them.

It is important that students hear about cyberbullying from more than one person for an impact to be made.

What the Experts Say

“…ultimately children will get the correct message, that is that both parents and school are united in making sure that the internet is used responsibly and appropriately, and that hurtful behaviors will be dealt with in a definitive and prompt manner."

Ted Feinberg, Ed.D. Assistant Executive Director National Association of School Psychologists

“The best thing we can do is teach the kids how to protect themselves online and make sure that they have the skills on knowing where to go and what to do. And send home as many materials as you can so that parents can know what can happen. …the more information you can send home with your kids, the better off your children will be online, home and at school."

Parry Aftab, Esq. Internet privacy lawyer and Executive Director

WiredSafety.org

Rules to Pass On to Students

Don't respond to rude or harassing communications - whether received via email, IM, social networking web sites or anywhere else on the Internet. Immediately tell a parent, guardian or teacher. And if the problem persists, the responsible adult should consider contacting local law enforcement.

Talk to a trusted adult if anything encountered online makes you feel scared, uncomfortable or confused.

Don't communicate rudely or with mean language. Treat other people with respect, recognizing that your behavior affects others.

School-Home Connection

Encourage parents to discuss online safety with their children, including teens, and to keep the computer in an open area of the house.

Tell parents to be aware of other computers their children are using, and post online safety rules on or near the monitor.

Ask parents to consider having their children sign and commit to an online safety pledge and to always be at the side of young children whenever they go online.

Internet Safety Education Ideas

Use teachable moments Cyber Safety month to promote not only being safe on line, but

behaving appropriately online Have students make pictures/posters or even PowerPoints about

Internet safety and cyberbullying Create videos about Internet safety and cyberbullying using

students; have the students come up with the ideas for the video and film it. Videos could then be made available to classes and parents (with permission).

Give Cyber Safety tips on ESN Put a Cyber Safety tip or helpful website in your weekly newsletter Guidance lessons about cyberbullying Start an Edublog about cyberbullying or join Edmodo

Cyber Safety Websites and Games

ACMA Cybersmart's YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/acmacybersmart A Comprehensive Directory of Online Safety Resources

http://www.connectsafely.org/Directories/internet-safety-resources.html

Cyber Treehouse http://www.cybertreehouse.com/CyberSense and Nonsense: The Second Adventure of the Three CyberPigs

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/special_initiatives/games/cybersense_nonsense/flash/start.html

Teacher's Guide to CyberSense and Nonsense

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/games/cybersense_nonsense/upload/cybersense_nonsense-2.pdf

Firewall http://www.tvokids.com/games/firewallHector's World http://www.hectorsworld.com/island/index.html#HOMEPAGEInternet Safety http://www.mcgruff.org/Games/is.phpInternet Safety with Professor Garfield

http://www.infinitelearninglab.org/

List of links to Cybersafety Games

http://sites.google.com/site/cybersafetygames/

NetSmartz Videos http://www.netsmartzkids.org/videos/index.htmPrivacy Playground: The First Adventure of the Three CyberPigs

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/special_initiatives/games/privacy_playground/flash/start.html

Teacher's Guide to Privacy Playground

http://www.education-medias.ca/english/special_initiatives/games/privacy_playground/upload/privacy_playground_guide.pdf

Safety Land game http://www.att.com/Common/images/safety/game.htmlShrink the Cyberbully http://www.mcgruff.org/Games/cyberbully.phpSMOKESCREEN http://www.smokescreengame.com/

Resources

CyberSMART!: http://www.cybersmart.org/

Edmodo: http://www.edmodo.com/

Edublogs: http://edublogs.org/

State Cyberbullying Laws: http://cyberbullying.us/Bullying_and_Cyberbullying_Laws.pdf

References

*Parry Aftab, Esq. Internet privacy lawyer and Executive Director WiredSafety.org

Ted Feinberg, Ed.D. Assistant Executive Director National Association of School Psychologists

David Finkelhor, Ph.D., Director, Crimes Against Children Research Center, Professor of Sociology, University of New Hampshire

Michelle Ybarra, MPH, Ph.D., President, Internet Solutions for Kids, Inc.

References

Cyberbullying-the Warning Signs: http://www.suite101.com/content/cyber-bullyingthe-warning-signs-a22848

State Cyberbullying Laws: http://cyberbullying.us/Bullying_and_Cyberbullying_Laws.pdf