Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Identification,
Prevention,
& Response
October 2014
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Cyberbullying by the numbers in the city, in the world!) can be involved the victim-
ization, or at least find out about the incident with a
Estimates of the number of youth who experience few keystrokes or touchscreen impressions. It
cyberbullying vary widely (ranging from 10-40% or seems, then, that the pool of potential victims, of-
more), depending on the age of the group studied fenders, and witnesses/bystanders is limitless.
and how cyberbullying is formally defined. In our
research, we inform students that cyberbullying is Third, it is often easier to be cruel using technology
when someone repeatedly makes fun of another because cyberbullying can be done from a physical-
person online or repeatedly picks on another per- ly distant location, and the bully doesnt have to see
son through email or text message or when some- the immediate response by the target. In fact, some
one posts something online about another person teens simply might not recognize the serious harm
that they dont like. Using this definition, about 25 they are causing because they are sheltered from
percent of the over 10,000 randomly-selected 11-18 the victims response. Finally, while parents and
year-olds we have surveyed over the last seven teachers are doing a better job supervising youth at
years have said that they have been cyberbullied at school and at home, many adults dont have the
some point in their lifetimes. About 17 percent ad- technological know-how (or time!) to keep track of
mitted to cyberbullying others during their lifetime. what teens are up to online. As a result, a victims
In our most recent study of middle-school youth experiences may be missed and a bullys actions
from January of 2014, 12 percent said they had may be left unchecked. Even if bullies are identified,
been cyberbullied while 4 percent said they had many adults find themselves unprepared to ade-
cyberbullied others within the previous 30 days. quately respond.
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tools have become such a tremendous part of their though this problem has been around for well over
lives, it is not surprising that some youth have de- a decade, some people still dont see the harm as-
cided to use the technology to be malicious or sociated with it. Some attempt to dismiss or disre-
menacing towards others. The fact that teens are gard cyberbullying because there are more serious
connected to technology 24/7 means they are sus- forms of aggression to worry about. While it is true
ceptible to victimization (and able to act on mean that there are many issues facing adolescents, par-
intentions toward others) around the clock. As al- ents, teachers, and law enforcement today, we first
luded to, is also easier to be hateful using typed need to accept that cyberbullying is one such prob-
words rather than spoken words face-to-face. And lem that will only get more serious if ignored.
because some adults have been slow to respond to
The other challenge relates to who is willing to step
cyberbullying, many cyberbullies feel that there are
up and take responsibility for responding to inap-
little to no consequences for their actions. Many
propriate use of technology. Parents often say that
even feel that there is little chance of detection and
they dont have the technical skills to keep up with
identification, let alone sanction.
their kids online behavior, and that schools should
Cyberbullying crosses all geographical boundaries. be covering it in detail during class time and
The Internet has really opened up the whole world through other programming. Educators are often
to users who access it on a broad array of devices, doing their part through policies, curricula, training,
and for the most part this has been a good thing (a and assemblies, but sometimes dont know when
really good thing!). Nevertheless, because of the and how to intervene in online behaviors that occur
issues previously discussed, some kids feel free to away from school but still involve their students.
post or send whatever they want while online with- Finally, law enforcement is hesitant to get involved
out considering how that content can inflict pain unless there is clear evidence of a crime or a signifi-
and sometimes cause severe psychological and cant threat to someones physical safety. As a result,
emotional wounds. cyberbullying incidents either slip through the
cracks, are dealt with too formally, are dealt with
too informally, or are otherwise mismanaged. At
Obstacles in the fight to stop cyberbullying that point, the problem behaviors often continue
and escalate because they arent adequately or ap-
There are two primary challenges today that make propriately addressed. Based on these challenges,
it difficult to prevent cyberbullying. First, even we collectively need to create an environment
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The last time I was cyberbullied was when my friend, or at least
used to be, sent horrible things about me to all of my friends on
this app called Kik. This person is from my school. This made me
feel angry and wanted to get revenge but I knew it was a bad
thing. I did not tell anyone.
where kids feel comfortable talking with adults sue or remove the offending material (many times,
about this problem and feel confident that mean- the victim simply wants the content or account de-
ingful steps will be taken to resolve the situation. leted so they can move on with their life). The po-
We also need to get everyone involved - kids, par- lice should also be approached when physical
ents, educators, counselors, youth leaders, law en- threats are involved or a crime has possibly been
forcement, social media companies, and the com- committed (extortion, stalking, blackmail, sexual
munity at large. It will take a concerted and com- exploitation of minors, etc.).
prehensive effort from all stakeholders to make a
Overall, parents must educate their kids about ap-
meaningful difference in reducing cyberbullying.
propriate online behaviors just as they convey ap-
propriate offline behaviors. They should also moni-
tor their childs activities while online especially
The role of parents early in their exploration of cyberspace. This can be
done informally (through active participation in
The best tack parents can take when their child is
your childs Internet experience, which we recom-
cyberbullied is to make sure they feel (and are) safe
mend most of all) and formally (through software).
and secure, and to convey unconditional support.
Spying on kids and unnecessarily invading their pri-
Parents must demonstrate to their children through
vacy should only be done as a last resort when
words and actions that they both desire the same
there is a significant cause for concern. Honest and
end result: that the cyberbullying stop and that life
open monitoring is a part of a healthy parent-child
does not become even more difficult. This can be
relationship. Spying conveys distrust and may en-
accomplished by working together to arrive at a
courage children to go further underground.
mutually-agreeable course of action, as sometimes
it is appropriate (and important) to solicit the childs In time, parents will need to give their children
perspective as to what might be done to improve more freedom, privacy, and responsibility. They will
the situation. It is so critical not to be dismissive of not be able to monitor their childs activities 24/7,
their perspective, but to validate their voice and nor should they need to do so. As a result, it is cru-
perspective. Victims of cyberbullying (and the by- cial that parents cultivate and maintain an open,
standers who observe it) must know for sure that candid line of communication with your children, so
the adults who they tell will intervene rationally and that they are ready and willing to come to you
logically, and not make the situation worse. whenever they experience something unpleasant or
distressing when interacting via text, or Facebook,
If it is deemed necessary, parents should explain the
or a gaming network. Reinforce positive morals and
importance of scheduling a meeting with school
values that are taught in the home about how oth-
administrators (or a teacher they trust) to discuss
ers should be treated with respect and dignity.
the matter. Parents may also be able to contact the
Point out models to emulate in society, and use vi-
father or mother of the offender, and/or work with
ral mistakes made by other youth and adults as
the Internet Service Provider, Cell Phone Service
teachable moments.
Provider, or Content Provider to investigate the is-
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Parents may also utilize an age-appropriate realized the hurtful nature of his or her behavior,
Technology Use Contract to foster a crystal-clear consequences should be firmly applied (and esca-
understanding about what is and is not appropriate lated if the behavior continues). Moving forward, it
with respect to the use of various devices and is essential that parents pay even greater attention
online communication tools. To remind the child of to the technology use of their child to make sure
this pledged commitment, we recommend that this that they have internalized the lesson and are con-
contract be posted in a highly visible place at home. tinually acting in responsible ways. Not only should
When there are violations, immediate logical conse- they not be doing the wrong thing, they should be
quences must be given that are proportionate to doing the right thing online!
the misbehavior. Kids need to learn that inappropri-
ate online actions will not be tolerated. Get them to
understand that technology use and access is a What should schools do to prevent cyber-
privilege, and not a rightand with those privileges bullying?
comes certain responsibilities that must be respect-
ed. The most important preventive step that schools
can take is to educate the school community about
If a parent discovers that their child is cyberbullying responsible Internet use. Students need to know
others, they should first communicate how that be- that all forms of bullying are wrong and that those
havior inflicts harm and causes pain in the real who engage in harassing or threatening behaviors
world as well as in cyberspace. We must remember will be subject to discipline. It is therefore essential
that kids are not sociopathsthey are just kids who to discuss issues related to appropriate online com-
sometimes lack empathy and make mistakes. That munications in various areas of the general curricu-
said, there are ramifications for every choice they lum. To be sure, these messages should be rein-
made. Depending on the level of seriousness of the forced in classes that regularly utilize technology.
incident, and whether it seems that the child has Signage also should be posted around campus to
remind students of the rules of acceptable use. In
I like the way they [my school] general, it is crucial to establish and maintain an
environment of respect and integrity where viola-
handled it because they treated tions result in informal or formal sanction.
me with respect and did not laugh Furthermore, school district personnel should re-
view their harassment and bullying policies to en-
at the situation. sure that it allows for the discipline of students who
They took it seriously. engage in cyberbullying. If their policy covers it,
cyberbullying incidents that occur at school - or
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that originate off campus but ultimately result in a
substantial disruption of the learning environment -
are well within a schools legal authority to inter-
vene. The school then needs to make it clear to stu-
dents, parents, and all staff that these behaviors are
unacceptable and will be subject to discipline. In
some cases, simply discussing the incident with the
offenders parents will result in the behavior stop-
ping.
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Cyberbullying and school climate What can youth do?
The benefits of a positive school climate have been First and foremost, youth should develop a relation-
identified through much research over the last thir- ship with an adult they trust (a parent, teacher, or
ty years. It contributes to more consistent attend- someone else) so they can talk about any experi-
ance, higher student achievement, and other desir- ences they have online (or off) that make them up-
able student outcomes. Though limited, the re- set or uncomfortable. If possible, teens should ig-
search done on school climate and traditional bully- nore minor teasing or name calling, and not re-
ing also underscores its importance in preventing spond to the bully as that might simply make the
peer conflict. One of our recent studies found that problem continue. They should also use the ac-
students who experienced cyberbullying (both count and privacy settings within each device, app,
those who were victims and those who admitted to or network to control who can contact and interact
cyberbullying others) perceived a poorer climate at with them, and who can read their online content.
their school than those who had not experienced This can significantly reduce their victimization risk.
cyberbullying. Youth were asked whether they
Its also useful to keep all evidence of cyberbullying
enjoy going to school, feel safe at school, feel
to show an adult who can help with the situation. If
that teachers at their school really try to help them
targets of cyberbullying are able to keep a log or a
succeed, and feel that teachers at their school
journal of the dates and times and instances of the
care about them. Those who admitted to cyberbul-
online harassment, that can also help prove what
lying others or who were the target of cyberbullying
was going on and who started itwhich greatly
were less likely to agree with those statements.
helps during an investigation. This information can
Overall, it is critical for educators to develop and also be forwarded to the respective site or company
promote a safe and respectful school climateone that serves as the venue or medium for the cyber-
marked by shared and palpable feelings of con- bullying. Youth should take the time to report any
nectedness, belongingness, peer respect, morale, harassment, threats, impersonation, or other prob-
safety, and even school spirit. A positive on-campus lems they see or experience, and remember that
environment will go a long way in reducing the fre- their identity will be protected to the maximum ex-
quency of many problematic behaviors at school, tent of the law when doing so (for more infor-
including bullying and harassment. In this setting, mation, see www.cyberbullying.us/report).
teachers must demonstrate emotional support, a
In addition, youth should go online with their par-
warm and caring atmosphere, a strong focus on
ents show them what sites and apps they use, and
academics and learning, and a fostering of healthy
share with them why they are great. Chat with them
self-esteem. As mentioned, it is crucial that the
about what safety precautions they use while tex-
school seeks to create and promote an atmosphere
where certain conduct not toleratedby students ting or tweeting, and give their parents (and other
adults they trust) a chance to come through for
and staff alike. In schools with healthy climates, stu-
them if a problem arises. Finally, they should pause
dents know what is appropriate and what is not.
before they postand make really wise decisions
with what they share or send online, considering
Educators who establish a nurtur- the possibility that anyone and everyone may see it
ing and caring classroom and (including their parents, and others with opportuni-
ties to give them).
school climate will make great
strides in preventing a whole host Dont stand by
of problematic behaviors, both at Bystanders also have a very critical role to play.
Those who witness cyberbullying generally do not
school and online. want to get involved because of the hassle and
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problems they fear it might bring upon them, yet vene as necessary. In a recent survey of school re-
they often recognize that what they are seeing is source officers, we found that almost one-quarter
not right and should stop. However, by doing noth- did not know if their state had a cyberbullying law.
ing, bystanders are doing somethingthey are pas- This is surprising since their most visible responsi-
sively encouraging the behavior. By actively stand- bility involves responding to actions which are in
ing upin that moment or right afterward, we be- violation of law (e.g., harassment, threats, stalking).
lieve that bystanders can make a huge difference in Even if the behavior doesnt immediately appear to
improving the situation for targets, who often feel rise to the level of a crime, officers should use their
helpless and hopeless and need someone to come discretion to handle the situation in a way that is
to the rescue. Bystanders should note what they see appropriate for the circumstances. For example, a
and when. They should also intervene when they simple discussion of the legal issues involved in
feel comfortable doing so, and afterwards tell an cyberbullying may be enough to deter some youth
adult they trust who can really step in and improve from future misbehavior. Officers might also talk to
the situation. Finally, they should never encourage parents about their childs conduct and express to
or indirectly contribute to the behavior by for- them the seriousness of online harassment.
warding hurtful messages, laughing at inappropri-
Relatedly, officers can play an essential role in pre-
ate jokes or content, condoning the act just to fit
venting cyberbullying from occurring or getting out
in, or otherwise silently allowing it to continue.
of hand in the first place. They can speak to stu-
dents in classrooms about cyberbullying and online
safety issues more broadly in an attempt to dis-
When should law enforcement get involved? courage them from engaging in risky or unaccepta-
Law enforcement officers also have a role in pre- ble actions and interactions. They might also speak
venting and responding to cyberbullying. To begin, to parents about local and state laws, so that they
they need to be aware of ever-evolving state and are informed and can properly respond if their child
local laws concerning online behaviors, and equip is involved in an incident.
themselves with the skills and knowledge to inter-
Suggested citation
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2014). Cyberbullying Identification, Prevention, and Response. Cyberbullying Research Center
(www.cyberbullying.us).