Cyber bullyingBy: Steve Jackson

andPatrick Lovette

Definition"Cyber bullying 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.“ – Bill Belsey

http://www.cyberbullying.org/

OriginsCyber bullying started

becoming very prominent with Mark Zuckerberg’s creation of facebook

The widespread popularity of social networking sites contributed to the rise of cyber bullying

More cases of cyber bullying started to pop up with the rise of YouTube

TextingThe rising popularity of

text messaging has also helped contribute to the rise of cyber bullying.

Teens use text messages as ways to attack a person or even ways to spread rumors about other teens.

Text messages are also used to spread pictures that could be considered forms of cyber bullying

Instant MessengerAnother popular way

of cyber bullying is by instant messenger

Yahoo, AIM, and Msn Messengers are all used to bully

Facebook/MySpaceFacebook and

MySpace are also popular ways to cyber bully.

These social networking sites allow users to post messages.

Users sometimes post hateful or menacing comments

Facebook/MySpaceUsers can post many things on Facebook that

can be considered cyber bullying.They can post pictures, write hateful

messages to people, or make there statuses about certain people.

All of these can be considered forms of cyber bullying

Effects of Cyber bullyingDepressionAlcoholismDrug AddictionWeight Gain/ Weight LossSocial IssuesFear of exclusionSuicidal thoughtsAvoiding friends and activities

DepressionA state of low mood and aversion to activity.The victims of cyber bullying start to get

depressed just like victims of regular bullyingUsually depression leads to worse problems

for the victim

AlcoholismAny condition that results in the continued

consumption of alcoholic beverages, despite health problems and negative social consequences.

This is a way of coping for most victims of cyber bullying.

Alcohol abuse usually leads to harder substances such as drugs.

Drug AddictionAnother form of coping for the victims.The victims usually see drugs as a way out of

there problems brought on by cyber bullyingThey do not realize that doing drugs will lead

them to even more problems

Weight Gain/Weight LossSome victims of cyber bullying see eating as

a way out of their problems.Other victims see not eating as a way to cope

with their problems.This is also a side effect of depression.These two problems usually lead to even

more bullying either in the form of cyber bullying or just regular bullying

Suicidal ThoughtsSome cyber bullying victims get so upset by

the bullying that they consider suicide.Megan Meier was a victim of cyber bullying

in 2006. She committed suicide due to being bullied on MySpace by a friend.

This is one of the most well known cases of cyber bullying and has caused a rise in awareness of the effects of cyber bullying.

Megan MeierMegan Meier was a regular

13 year old girl until she started getting bullied by a mother of a former friend on MySpace.

The mother of her friend made up a fake profile for a 16 year old boy.

The woman’s name is Lori Drew

Lori then spent time sending Megan messages posing as this boy

Megan soon developed an attraction to this boy

Megan MeierLori was using the emails Megan sent to

collect information to later use against Megan in an attempt to humiliate her.

Lori thought that Megan was spreading rumors around school about her daughter.

On the day of Megan’s death she received messages from Lori (posing as the boy) that told her she was an awful person and the world would be a better place without her.

Megan MeierSoon after this last message was sent

Megan’s body was found hanging in her closet.

She killed herself because of cyber bullying and the effects it had on her

Due to Megan’s death there has been a movement to stop cyber bullying and many states have either looked into or passed laws against bullying.

http://www.meganmeierfoundation.org/

Megan’s LawThe Missouri State Legislature recently

passed a law stating. “The law makes it a felony for someone 21

years or older to communicate with someone 17 years or younger by phone or electronic means in order to recklessly frighten, intimidate, or cause emotional distress to that person.”

This law was passed to protect children in hopes that cases like Megan Meier will not become more frequent

Ryan HalliganRyan was a 13 year old boy

who committed suicide after being the victim of cyber bullying for a long time

Ryan was being bullied via instant messenger as well as at school

These students picked on Ryan due to his learning disorder.

Ryan then enrolled in a Taebo class to learn how to deal with the bullies.

Ryan HalliganRyan fought one of his bullies later on and

the bullying then stopped at school.The bullies then befriended him on the

internet and acted like his friends.They then used information he told them

online to start a rumor that he was gay.Due to this rumor a girl he liked decided to

make fun of him and pick on him even more.

Ryan HalliganRyan was later found hanging in the family

bathroom.The family later discovered how much he had

been bullied online and are now involved in the fight to cut down on cyber bullying.

Due to Ryan’s death the Vermont Legislature enacted a Bully Prevention Policy.

Ryan’s father was one of the lead policymakers on this act and he is now involved in the anti bullying movement.

www.ryanpatrickhannigan.com

Ways to stop cyber bullyingMonitor children’s online activities.Limit the amount of time that a child can

spend online.Teach the children to never give out personal

information to anyone onlineLimit the use of social networking sites.

Ways to stop cyber bullyingDiscuss rules of the internet with children

and let them know what is acceptable and unacceptable

Do not allow kids to have instant messenger services until a certain age.

Sit down and talk to kids and find out about there online activities.

StatisticsAccording to an ABC News poll taken in 200642% of children have been bullied online at

some time25% have had this happen more than once35% have been threatened with physical

harm while onlineAlmost 20% have had this happen more than

once21% have received mean and threatening

emails58% have said that they have been told

something mean or hurtful while online

StatisticsMore than 40% say that they have been told

mean or hurtful things online more than once58% of kids being bullied have not told their

parents about these threatsIn a 2006 Harris Interactive survey 43% of

teens admitted to being bullied while onlineA Canadian study performed in 2006 found

that 23% of middle school students have been bullied via email

Statistics35% have been

bullied while in chat rooms

41% via text messages

41% did not know the identity of the bullies

Isafe.org

Cyber bullying among adultsIn recent years

cyber bullying has become more prominent among adults

It is often referred to as cyber stalking with adults but is still considered bullying

It is becoming common in the workplace

Cyber bullying among adultsIn a recent study 1 out of 10 United Kingdom

employees believe that cyber bullying is a problem in the workplace.

Some workplaces have now started to hold seminars discussing cyber bullying and are enacting policies to prevent it.

The bullies use posts, journals, and other online means to pick on their co-workers.

They pick on them based on salary, job security, and other reasons

ReferencesAlabama Virtual Library. Web. 5 Nov. 2009.

<http://www.avl.lib.al.us/>.Www.cyberbullying.org -conceived of, and created by

Bill Belsey, creator and facilitator of www.bullying.org. Web. 5 Nov. 2009. <http://www.cyberbullying.org/>.

Halligan, John. Ryan's Story Presentation, LLC. Web. 10 Nov. 2009. <http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.com/>.

STOP cyber bullying: Cyber bullying - what it is, how it works and how to understand and deal with cyberbullies. Web. 5 Nov. 2009. <http://stopcyberbullying.com>.

ReferencesSurdin, Ashley. "In Several States, A Push to

Stem Cyber-Bullying." Student research center.

Alabama Virtual Library, 1 Jan. 2009. Web. 10 Nov. 2009. <http://www.avl.lib.al.us/databases/public.html>.

"Megan Taylor Meier - The Story." The Megan Meier Foundation - Preventing Bullying and Cyber-Bullying. Web. 10 Nov. 2009. <http://www.meganmeierfoundation.org/story/>.

I-SAFE Inc. Web. 5 Nov. 2009. <http://isafe.org>.