Focus On Cyberbullying

Focus on
CYBERBULLYING
completeissues.co.uk
Cyberbullying
What is Cyberbullying?
Recent Cases
Cyberbullying is bullying that uses electronic
technology: phones, computers and tablets. It
often takes place through social media sites but
also through text messages, chat and websites.
In July 2013, 17-year-old Daniel Perry took
his own life – he had befriended someone he
thought was a girl of his own age online and
had made explicit webcam recordings. In reality,
he was “talking” to blackmailers.
It includes hurtful or threatening text messages
or emails, making fake profiles, circulating
rumours by email or posting on social
networking sites, or showing embarrassing
pictures and videos.
Like all bullying it is meant to make another
person feel hurt, threatened, frightened and
miserable.
It is different from other forms of bullying
because:
• It can follow the victim around – even home
isn’t safe from bullies using technology.
• It can happen at any time - all the time.
• The bullies can easily hide their identities.
• It can reach a wide audience.
• It is hard to remove harassing messages and
images.
They told him to deposit thousands of pounds
into an account or the images would be shared
with his family and friends or the public. The
message also said he would be better off dead
if he didn’t deposit the cash
Hours later, he committed suicide.
On August 2nd, 14 year old Hannah Smith took
her own life after months of cyberbullying on
the Ask.fm site. Her sister, Joanne, who found
Hannah’s body, explained that the site had
become addictive for Hannah, who used it in
secret even after she was told not to.
But Ask.fm isn’t the only, or even the biggest,
forum for cyberbullying. Whenever a site
becomes popular the bullies or trolls will move
in.
So although making the site owners more
responsible is obviously important, it may not
be enough to prevent further tragedies.
For more articles, statistics and contacts www.completeissues.co.uk, search Cyberbullying
How the internet has
turned old-school
bullying into a
virtual hell
Teenage bullying is at an all-time high. Much of it,
though, is not the sly pinches and whispers that
were so common in my teens, the cold giggles or
occasional screamy slaps; much of today’s is done
online. In this week’s survey of American teenage
boys, one in 20 admits to uploading a “humiliating”
photo of their ex-girlfriend, and 10% of boys and
girls have received threatening mobile messages
from a romantic partner.
In the UK, the Sun reports that cyberbullying
is responsible for a 50% rise in teenagers selfharming. The problem has become so rife, so huge,
blanketing schools like the smoke from a factory fire,
that in the US they’ve just coined a new phrase for it:
“electronic dating violence”.
Whereas bullied teens could once find refuge
at home from tormenting classmates, mobile
phones mean that today they’re never quite alone.
Instead of scrawling someone’s sexual history on
a bathroom wall, today fake Facebook accounts
lure broadcastable confessions. Girls’ webcam
stripteases are uploaded to YouTube, their intimate
camera phone shots emailed from school to school,
engraving themselves on the internet like initials in
a tree trunk, fading but never quite disappearing,
lingering, herpes-like, long after the relationships that
spawned them have ended in tears and scratches.
The thought of all those private pictures hovering
bruisily above their original owners, just out of reach
(I always think of the internet as existing a metre
over our heads, like a pixellated limbo), is depressing
enough – these girls’ small reservoirs of trust
emptying in seconds – but this week’s study also
suggests that electronic violence and “traditional”
offline dating violence are often related.
Is it wrong to be nostalgic for the bullying of the 90s,
when things were bloodier but less virtual? When
bullying faded in time, rather than remaining online
forever, lingering on Google like a taste, colouring a
girl’s life like an unbleachable stain?
Whereas bullied teens could once
find refuge at home from tormenting
classmates, mobile phones mean that
today they’re never quite alone.
Eva Wiseman, The Observer, 7 November 2010
© Guardian News & Media Ltd 2010
For more articles, statistics and contacts www.completeissues.co.uk, search Cyberbullying
How much cyberbullying goes on?
An online survey of 2,001 people aged 13 to 19 by Knowthenet showed that
teens are suffering online abuse in silence as most are not reporting it.
have experienced or know someone who has been
affected by online bullying or trolling
The most popular sites and services
for online trolling or bullying
For more articles, statistics and contacts www.completeissues.co.uk, search Cyberbullying
Is it the biggest online problem?
The EU Kids Online Survey asked 25,000 young people aged 9-16
about their experience online.
Cyberbullying was not the risk that young people encountered
most often, but it was the most upsetting
What risks?
40% of the children surveyed encountered
met face-to-face; 6% had been sent a nasty
or hurtful message/been bullied online.
one or more forms of online risk in the past
year.
15% have seen or received sexual messages
online.
14% had seen sexual images; 30% had
contact online with someone they had not
How upset the young person felt after encountering the risk online
Very
Fairly
31%
A bit
Not at all
24%
30%
15%
Bullying
5%
9%
14%
72%
Sexual
images
4%
12%
8%
76%
Sexual
messages
93%
3% 2%2%
Meeting
new people
“
...the digital world brings both risks and opportunities for
young people... risk isn’t automatically a bad thing as it may
give children a chance to learn how to cope
Professor Sonia Livingstone
”
For more articles, statistics and contacts www.completeissues.co.uk, search Cyberbullying
Some myths about ‘Digital natives’
Young people are often regarded as ‘digital natives’.
This means that since they grew up with digital technology it all seems to come
naturally to them.
But, according to the EU Kids Online Survey of 25,000 young people aged 9-16,
young people aren’t all masters of the internet.
Myth: Digital natives
know it all
Only 36% of 9-16 year-olds say it is very true
that they know more about the internet than
their parents. BUT the Knowthenet survey
found that 80% of teenagers use the latest
internet slang but only 30% of parents know
the correct meaning of terms like YOLO
Myth: Under 13s can’t use
social networking sites
Although many sites eg Facebook, say that
users must be aged at least 13, the survey
shows that age limits don’t work –
38% of 9-12 year-olds have a social
networking profile.
Myth: Teaching digital skills
reduces online risk
The more digital skills a child has, the more
risks they are likely to encounter as they
broaden their online experience. Some skills
could reduce the harm that children
are exposed to.
Myth: Putting the PC in the
living room will help
Children find it so easy to go online at a
friend’s house or on a smartphone that this
advice is out of date. Parents should talk to
their children about their internet habits or
join them in some online activity.
Myth: Children can get around
safety software
Fewer than one in three 11-16 year-olds
say they can change filter preferences. And
most say their parents’ action to limit their
internet use is helpful.
Myth: People you meet on the
internet are strangers
87% of online contacts are people children
know face-to-face. 9% met offline people
they’d first contacted online – most didn’t go
alone and only 1% had a bad experience.
Myth: Bullies are baddies
The study shows that 60% who bully (online or offline) have themselves
been bullied. Bullies and victims are often the same people. When
Knowthenet surveyed 10-18 year olds 30% had posted on their friends’
profiles without permission and 20% said they had been mean to others
online.
For more articles, statistics and contacts www.completeissues.co.uk, search Cyberbullying
Read more opinions – go to the Complete
Issues website www.completeissues.co.uk
There is nothing petty about abuse and threats
This writer looks at the issue of online bullying, starting with a Muslim girl in a beauty
contest who received internet abuse from all sides.
Essential Articles 14 page 125
The faceless virtual mob spreading spite online
Protected by anonymity, internet users are becoming ever more vicious.
Essential Articles 13 page 124
A woman’s opinion is the mini skirt of the internet
Like many women writers, Laurie Penny has received insults and death threats
because she dared to express an opinion.
Essential Articles 15 page 102
Internet trolls
Freedom of the internet is a wonderful thing, even if it encourages trolls. Right?
Essential Articles 15 page 133
For more articles, statistics and contacts www.completeissues.co.uk, search Cyberbullying
Staying safe
DON’T FEED THE TROLLS
Trolls feed off your response so whatever you do, never reply
TELL SOMEONE YOU TRUST
Tell a mate, a teacher, a parent, or someone you can trust about it as soon as
possible
COLLECT EVIDENCE
Collect evidence of email or message trails in case it gets more serious. For a
check list of what to save visit www.knowthenet.org.uk/trolling
This site gives good advice - including how to catch a troll.
Useful websites
www.cybersmile.org
Charity committed to tackling cyberbullying and online hate campaigns.
www.getsafeonline.org
Practical advice on how to protect yourself, your computers and mobile devices and your
business against fraud, identity theft, viruses and many other problems encountered
online.
www.knowthenet.org.uk
Advice on using the net effectively and safely.
www.kidscape.org.uk
The first charity in the UK established specifically to prevent bullying and child sexual
abuse.
www.childline.org.uk
ChildLine is a private and confidential service for children and young people. Call free
on 0800 1111.
http://ceop.police.uk
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is dedicated to eradicating
the sexual abuse of children. Also runs www.thinkuknow.co.uk
www.wiredsafety.org
American site. Lots of information and advice.
www.stopbullying.gov
American website directed at parents
There are organisations like regainyourname.com who will provide resources to help but
charge for their services.
For more articles, statistics and contacts www.completeissues.co.uk, search Cyberbullying