INTRODUCTION

According to Belsey (2004) "cyberbullying involves the use of information and

communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an

individual or group that is intended to harm others" (Belsey, 2004). In 2006, the National

Crime Prevention Council worked with Harris Interactive Inc., to create a study on

cyberbullying. The study found that 43% of the 824 middle school and high school-aged

students surveyed in the United States had been cyberbullied in the past year (cited in

Moessner, 2007).

The Pew Internet and American Life Project on cyberbullying conducted a similar

study in 2006 which found that one out of three teens have experienced online

harassment (cited in Lenhart, 2007). Pew also found that the most prevalent form of

cyberbullying was making private information public; which included e-mails, text

messages, and pictures (cited in Lenhart, 2007). The findings ofthe Pew research also

indicated that girls are more likely to be part of cyberbullying than boys. Older girls,

between the ages of 15 and 17, are the most likely to be involved in some form of

cyberbullying, with 41 % of those surveyed indicating that they have been involved in

some type of cyberbuUying (cited in Lenhart, 2007).

Cyberbullying is different from traditional bullying due to the anonymity that the

Internet can provide. Cyberbullies do not have to own their actions due to the anonymity

and cyberbullying is often outside of the legal reach of schools and school boards since it

often happens outside of the school (Belsey, 2004). According to Willard (2006), there

are different forms of cyberbullying. These forms include flaming, harassment,

denigration, impersonation, outing, trickery, exclusion, cyberstalking, and cyberthreats.

As previously mentioned cyberbullies often believe they are anonymous to the victim and

therefore tend to say more hurtful things to the victims than they would if they were faceto-face

(Juvonen & Gross, 2008). However, Juvonen and Gross (2008), found that 73%

of the respondents to their study were "pretty sure" or "totally sure" of the identity of the

cyberbully.
 DEFINITION/BACKGROUND

Bullying Comes Home explains it as, any harassment that occurs via the Internet
(Hardcastle). Cyber-bulling messages can be communicated through text, e-mails, instant
messaging, web pages, blogs, chat rooms, or any other information communication
technologies. For example, Michigans assistant attorney general, who is a grown adult, has
been harassing the University of Michigans openly gay student body president. Andrew Shirvell,
assistant Michigan attorney general, created a blog in April of 2010 targeting Chris Armstrong,
University of Michigans student body president. On this blog he has posted many rude, untrue,
and unnecessary comments towards Chris Armstrong, along with distorted pictures. According
to the article, Assistant Michigan AG targets openly gay college student the author states,
Shirvell has published blog posts that accuse Armstrong of engaging in flagrant sexual
promiscuity with another male member of the student government; sexually seducing and
influencing a previously conservative male student so much so that the student, according to
Shirvell, morphed into a proponent of the radical homosexual agenda (Steward). Mr. Shirvell is
clearly a first-hand example of a cyber-bully and this article goes to show that its not just kids
bullying each other in school anymore; its much bigger than that. There have been at least
three teen suicides in September after experiencing homophobic cyber-bullying. There is a lot of
history and background on cyber bullying since it has been around for a very long time. Cyber
bullying takes place when people use technology in order to harm others. The terms
cyberbullying and cyberbully are attributed to Canadian educator Bill Belsey, founder and
president of the Bullying.org Canada Incorporated, and leader of anti-bullying efforts
(cyberbullying). This cyberbullying has been affecting people for a very long time and can hurt
people aging from young teens all the way to adults. Methods of cyberbullying can include:
threats; sexual harassment; spreading lies; impersonation in order to post materials to damage
a reputation, destroy relationships, or cause other trouble; making someone the subject of
ridicule or scorn in discussion forums, chat rooms or websites; the posting of compromising
photos taken without the victims knowledge or permission, or the editing of photos to
embarrass or impugn, such as pasting the victims face on a nude body; and developing a
persons confidence in order to trick him or her into divulging secrets or embarrassing
information. (cyberbullying). All of these methods are examples of what is currently taking place
in todays society.
 BODY

Parents can start by talking specifically about cyber-bullying and explain that is harmful and
unacceptable behavior. Talk regularly with your child about on-line activities he or she is
involved in, keep your home computer in easily viewable places, such as a family room or
kitchen, and consider installing a filtering or blocking system (Ross). Also, you can outline your
expectations for responsible online behavior and clearly explain the consequences for
inappropriate behavior (Ross). The most important thing that can be done to stop a cyber-bully
harassing you is to just not respond to the bully. Do not play into the bullys games. Ignore the
bully and tell a parent or teacher. While ignoring the bullying make sure to save all of the
evidence so that if police need to be involved you will have it ready. In the article, What is
Cyberbullying: Bullying Comes Home states, Repeated or excessive harassment via email,
forums or chat rooms is harassment and should involve the police. Threats of violence should
also be reported to the police. Try to save all messages as evidence (Hardcastle). Treat a
cyber-bully like you would any other bully and they will lose their power. Another important way
to prevent cyber-bullying attacks is if you see something going on dont just be a bystander and
let it happen, report it before anyone gets hurt. Cyber-bullying has been a problem for a very
long time. Due to the development of our technology today, cyber-bullying has become one of
the most difficult issues to resolve in our society. Since cyber-bullying issues are more likely to
happen at schools, social networking, and mobile phones; Teachers, principals, and parents are
responsible to monitor, prevent, and punish cyber-bullying. The expectations of most parents of
the school, is protection. Meanwhile, many staff feel unprepared and unwilling to be prosecutors
and judges because they do not want to be sued for something done which might seem right to
them but not to others, especially to parents who are responsible for the childs wellbeing
Students and teachers should always have conversations about relationships on a daily basis.
Although teachers cant preach kindness to students; but they can teach students how to be
nice and kind to one another.
 CONCLUSION

A literature review of research pertaining to cyberbullying was completed.

Findings indicate that cyberbullying is becoming more prevalent as students spend an

increasing amount of time using technology that keeps them connected to people at all

hours of the day. There are many different ways in which cyberbullies reach their

victims, including instant messaging over the Internet, social networking web sites, text

messaging and phone calls to cell phones. There are different forms of cyberbullying

including, but not limited to, harassment, impersonation, and cyberstalking. It has been

found that there are differences between not only the prevalence of cyberbullying

between males and females but also the ways in which males and females cyberbully.

Like bullying, cyberbullying is a serious problem which can cause the victim to feel

inadequate and overly self*conscious, along with the possibility of committing suicide

due to being cyberbullied. Two such cases are included in this paper. There are numerous

ways in which schools and parents can prevent cyberbullying and ways in which they can

intervene if it has occurred. with the expansion of the Internet and social networking
technologies cyber-bullying is becoming more common and more severe. The information
presented in this research paper should give people a better understanding of what a cyber-
bully is, how harmful they can really be, and how to prevent cyber-bullying from happening. This
paper can be used to help victims realize they are not alone and should not give into a bullys
dangerous behaviors