Jenna Brown

11/5/12 Case studies from journal-use pg #s in in text citations if given on pdf It isnt bad to have few direct quotes- use them when they cant be said any other way, impactful. Dont worry if I dont have many Preffered way to conclude essay?-try leaving cb open, showing how common/how often it ccurs and tht it is on the rise.ask where we might be headed? Ask questions, tie back to beginning Look over common errors document, compare against If you introduce source in text, still have a parenthetical citation at the end of source, but only page number necessary if from journal/book. A few pages later use authors name to remind reader where info comes from Title- ok as long as no more than 2 consecutive words repeated form other source

Children Behind the Screens: The Cyberbullying Trend in todays Generation

Our reality is a fast paced, digital society where adolescents are the internet natives and everyone else is an immigrant (DIGITAL NATION). As new technology arises, our methods of communication and social interaction have evolved. With these new forms of communication, a window has opened for harassment. In the past five years alone, there has been a dramatic rise in the use of technology and communication media to intimidate, manipulate, and humiliate others (Spears et al. 189). This behavior in the adolescents and teens has been given the name cyberbullying by the media. According to STOP Cyberbullying, a volunteer organization dedicated to promoting online safety, cyberbullying is when a child is harassed, embarrassed, or targeted by another child through the internet or other digital technology (Aftab). The difference between cyberbullying and traditional bullying lies in the context of the action; it can be virtual or in a physical reality. However, being in a virtual world does not make the torment any less real for the victims. Cyberbullying can actually have a greater effect than traditional bullying, because

the tormented have no way to escape. It can happen anytime, can be seen by millions (pictures or posts in public domains), and allows the tormentor to remain hidden behind the screen (Spears et al. 189). Bullies are able to act upon victims because of power imbalances. In traditional bullying relationships, the bully power can be social, psychological, or physical in nature (Monks and Smith 801). According to TEENS KINDNESS the majority of exchanges that qualify as cyberbullying do not take place in full public view, as the majority of teens take various steps to manage their privacy online (Lenhart et al.). Hateful private messages, Instant messages, or texts from unknown parties seem to be the trend. When an adolescent is targeted, no realm is completely safe. If they have a phone, if they have a Facebook or MySpace account, or if they frequent chat rooms, they open themselves up to possible harm and hateful messages. Interaction requires exposure to other people, and not always ones with good intent. When a child is harassed online, they do not know where to turn. Cyberbullying makes victims feel vulnerable and alone, trapped (Spears et al.192). This was the case for one Missouri teen Megan Meier. The Megan Meier foundation, a nonprofit organization set up to memorialize Megan and raise awareness for cyberbullying, describes Megan was 13-year-old girl who loved swimming, rap music, and boys. She had struggled for years with her weight, and had been seeing a therapist for depression. Things were looking up for her though at the start of eighth grade. She had lost 20 pounds, was on the school volleyball team, and was looking forward to getting her braces off. In the fall of 2006, she added another positive; a relationship online with a cute boy she knew as 16-year-old Josh Evans. The two clicked quickly after befriending each other on MySpace, and then began a steady correspondence. Having a boys attention for the first time seemed to give

her a refreshing, rosy outlook on life. Megan would hurry home from school just so she could talk to him (Poken). On October 15th, after more than a month of communication, Megan received a message from Josh that read, I don't know if I want to be friends with you any longer because I hear you're not nice to your friends. Electronic bulletins began to be posted about Megan, commenting on her looks and claiming she was promiscuous. Megan was crushed, unable to understand why her relationship had unraveled or why she was being targeted in such a way. She was inconsolable when her parents got home from work, crying uncontrollably at the mean comments. When her father tried to reach out, she brushed past him and ran upstairs to her bedroom. Twenty minutes later, Megans mother got a terrible chill (Poken) Her body was discovered in a bedroom closet on October 16th. The pain and frustration proved too much, and sadly, Megan saw no alternative than to take her own life. Six weeks after her death, Megans parents discovered that Josh was a fake. The mother of one of Megans old friends (whom Megan had had a falling out with) created Joshs profile so she could learn more about Megan, and manipulate her feelings in a vengeful manner (Poken). Megan was the victim of a horrible scheme, and her previous history of depression meant she was left her less equipped to handle the frustration and torment. Her story gained media attention because of shock value, but the reality is that she is not the only one who has experienced this type of abuse. Nearly half of all teenagers report being a victim of at least one cyber-attack. (ABC Good Morning America). Common sense seems to dictate that cyberbullying cannot produce physical harm, and is therefore not a big deal. Cyberbullying harms a child psychologically. So while cyberbullying cannot be labeled a cause of death, it still provides a shove into emotional tumult that has an undeniable impact on young teens like

Megan. Her father illustrated this idea by saying that Megans choice was ultimately her own, "But it was like someone handed her a loaded gun,"(Poken). Bullying provides emotional ammunition for adolescents. Like Megan, it can be difficult for well-meaning kids to distinguish between friends and bullies. (ABC Good Morning America). This is in part due to a degree of anonymity that accompanies any online interaction. People are not always who they claim to be. Anonymity allows kids to act out online in ways they might not venture to in person. This creates a world where someone whose identity is hidden, and who will likely never see repercussions for their actions can attack the victim. Bullies can assume the identity of friends, or can be incognito, with no identity at all. It is frightening for a victim to be harassed by someone who he or she does not know, but who knows him or her. The aggressor usually comes from inside a social group and is most likely someone the victim knows, but the victim is unaware of their online agenda. Therefore, the bully has perceived anonymity. (Mishna, Saini and Sullivan..) Cyberbullying has been labeled by BEHIND SCENES study as a form of covert bullying, because the actions are hidden. Cyberbullying operations happen behind the screens. (Spears et al.). Kids become bolder in their actions when the victim is not in front of them, and they cannot directly witness the consequences of what they do. Cyberbullies are spared repercussions because of how removed they are from victims. If a bully is not identified, then they can do whatever they please from their computer.

In traditional bullying location is key. Bullies are opportunistic, preying on less powerful children when they have minimal chance of being caught. The problem with the internet is that it provides infinite opportunities for kids with motive. When it comes to the cyberbullying, most Americans will readily agree that it is an issue. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of how much we should care. Whereas some are convinced that we have an epidemic on our hands, others maintain that the media has exaggerated the extent of the problem. Michelle Ybarra, a research director for the Center for Innovative Health Research in California says We assume its this overwhelming thing, that everybodys being bullied and that its inescapable -- thats not totally accurate, (Briggs ). Not every child has experiences with cyberbullying or even traditional bullying, but the reality is that there is a problem. One reason for Ybarras doubt of the pervasive reach of cyberbullying is her definition. Ybarras conclusions are flawed because she deliberately excludes one-time incidences from her definition of cyberbullying. Single instances, sometimes called cyber harassment, should be included with the definition of cyber bullying, in my opinion. Bullying of any kind is a wrong, no matter where it happens, because it impacts how a child feels (Kevorkian and DAntona 88).

Works Cited Aftab, Parry. STOP Cyberbullying. Wired Safety. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. Briggs, Billy. Cyberbullying not as rampant as thought, study suggests. Childrens Health 10 Aug. 2012. NBC News. Web. 5 Nov. 2012. Dooley, Julian J., Jacek Pyzalski, and Donna Cross. Cyberbullying Versus Face-to-Face Bullying: A Theoretical and Conceptual Review. Zeitschrift fr Psychologie/Journal of Psychology 217.4 (2009):182-188. EBSCOhost Discovery Service. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. Kevorkian, Meline and Robin DAntona. 101 Facts About Bullying: What Everyone Should Know. Plymouth, UK: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2008. Print. Lebrun, Marcel. Books, Blackboards, and Bullets: School Shootings and Violence in America. Plymouth, UK: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2009. Print. Lenhart, Amanda, Mary Madden, Aaron Smith, Kristen Purcell, Kathryn Zickuhr, and Lee Rainie. Teens, Kindness and Cruelty on Social Network Sites: How American teens navigate the new world of digital citizenship. Pew Research Center. 9 Nov. 2011. Pew Internet & American Life Project. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.

Mishna, Faye, Michael Saini, and Steven Solomon. Ongoing and Online: Children and youths perceptions of cyberbullying. Children and Youth Services Review 31.12 (2009):12221228. EBSCOhost Discovery Service. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. Monks, C.P., and P.K. Smith. Definitions of bullying: Age differences in understanding of the term, and the role of experience. British Journal of Developmental Psychology 24 (2006):801-821. Wiley Online Library. Web. 7 Nov. 2012. "Parents: Cyber Bullying Led to Teen's Suicide." ABC Good Morning America. ABC News, 19 2007. Web. 4 Nov 2012. ("ABC Good Morning America") Poken, Steve. Megan Meier's Story. Megan Meier Foundation. Charlottes Web Studios, L.L.C., 13 Nov. 2007. Web. 5 Nov. 2012. Spears, Barbara, et al. Behind the Scenes and Screens: Insights into the Human Dimension of Covert and Cyberbullying. Zeitschrift fr Psychologie/Journal of Psychology, 217.4 (2009):189-196. EBSCOhost Discovery Service. Web. 15 Oct. 2012 Sullivan, Bob. "Cyberbullying bad, but not that bad." Red Tape Chronicles. (2007) Web. 17 Oct. 2012.