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Cyberbullying is a prevalent issue in today’s society, and has been rapidly increasing for years. It is important that we all as a society become educated about cyberbullying so that we can take steps to decrease and eventually end cyberbullying and its negative effects. This blog will involve posts full of information in the form of personal examples, articles, statistics, and the like. Alongside that, it will contain re-blogs from other accounts that discuss cyberbullying. Overall, this blog has been created to increase awareness, and I hope that I can help some people discover the ugly truths about cyberbullying. 

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Key Terms

In order to fully immerse yourself in this blog and reach the full potential for understanding cyberbullying, it is important to understand a few key terms.

Cyberbullying: bullying that takes place through the use of technology, which can include derogatory text messages or comments on social media, the spreading of rumors or sensitive media, and/or any other number of personal violations done through the web. 

Social media: an online source that allows users to communicate with each other in various forms, ranging from text to photo and video.

Prevention: the act of stopping an occurrence before it is even able to begin. 

Cyberbully: any person who takes part in cyberbullying as defined above.

Victim: any person who is on the receiving end of cyberbullying as defined above; however, cyberbullies often may be victims as well.

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source: http://slvlogs.com/real-life-cyber-bullying/

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source: http://resources.uknowkids.com/blog/bid/198436/Cyberbullying-Infographic-Correction

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Trigger warning: reference to extreme self-harm

Be warned before entering this site that it contains the stories ofseveral victims of cyberbullying who ended their lives because of what was inflicted on them online. This is dark, this is shocking, and this is not something that we enjoy thinking about; however, as important as it is to address the positive steps we can take to stop cyberbullying, it is also of dire importance that we recognize exactly how severe the consequences can be.

In the case of my sister, we had a happy ending. She spoke to us about what was occurring and she was able to regain her self-esteem and see her self-worth; however, that is not always the case, as is shown by this heartbreaking article and the many others provided on the site. These harrowing effects of cyberbullying need to be noted, the victims need to be remembered, and we need to work together using communication, authority, and education to bring an end to cyberbullying completely.

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“Twitter announced policy changes aimed at promoting safe discourse for users of the social network. The updates are the latest in efforts by social media companies, researchers, and others to end online abuse and harassment using innovation and technology.”

As I mentioned in my post below, the recognition of cyberbullying as a problem is the beginning to ending the problem altogether. By creating a mass understanding of cyberbullying, major steps are taken not only at a classroom-level, but in a corporate level as shown in this article. 

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How We Can Stop Cyberbullying

The link above contains a case study along with some background information about cyberbullying. This is an article that is best read alone or in a small group so that you can challenge yourself to answer the questions provided in a thoughtful manner. 

Instead of focusing on the entire article in this post, I am instead going to write a bit about possible ways to prevent/bring an end to cyberbullying. This text touches on it slightly; however, they were not delved into fully. Because of this, I am going to provide a few key points that can help bring an end to cyberbullying, including: communication, authority, and education. 

Firstly, communication is key. Oftentimes, those who are bullying or those who are bullied feel that they can and should handle the problem on their own, leading to a lot of self-inflicted emotional and, sometimes even physical, pain. The key message to understand here is that it is okay to ask for help, even if you may not feel you need it. A trusted family member or friend is a great place to start. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to them, talk to someone who values your privacy, such as a school counselor or teacher. 

The idea of communication spreads into all three of the categories, beginning with authority. It is the responsibility of the authority figure in the child’s life to handle the problem in the most beneficial way possible. However, the best case scenario is to stop the problem before it even starts. Explain to your children before they get social media that you will be monitoring it while they are still adolescents, keep the computer in the family room, or have a mandated amount of time that children can be connected to the web. Although some may argue this is overstepping boundaries, as a parent/guardian, some rules need to be set into place and that is not only acceptable, but necessary to ensure safety.

Lastly, cyberbullying can be brought to an end through education. By educating both parents and children about the negative effects of bullying and the positive paths that can be taken if you are being bullied, recognition of the problem can become much more widespread. This recognition can lead to action being taken against cyberbullying and thus a major decline in cyberbullying itself. By using media within classrooms and providing parents and teachers with the resources needed, an understanding of the problem can become infinitely more widespread.

Overall, by applying communication, authority, and education to cyberbullying, I truly believe we can overcome this problem that has overrun our evermore digital society. It is up to us to bring cyberbullying to an end, and these are three steps that can help us to do just that. So, let’s make cyberbullying end now.

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Trigger warning: contains images of self-imposed violence and some horrific images.

Above is the trailer to a new movie that many are calling a new genre of horror. This film revolves around the release of sensitive photos and videos of a young woman online. She later kills herself because of this, and is now out for revenge. 

Although I have not seen the film, the trailer helps shed some light on some of the most major effects of cyberbullying: the quick spread of sensitive content, rumors, broken friendships, lack of belief in self-worth, and even self-imposed harm. Alongside this, it also helps to demonstrate the cyclical effects of cyberbullying.

In spite of the fact that this is a film and is not based on a true story, it still does show the victim becoming the bully. As the article I attached in my previous post demonstrates, a bully can be a victim as well, making the cycle of cyberbullying one that is difficult to bring an end to.

One of the ways we can begin to bring an end to cyberbullying is through media. As I said previously, I’ve never seen this film; however, it seems clear that it is demonstrating that the effects of cyberbullying are not something to be taken lightly. 

Although this may not be the best way to achieve an understanding of cyberbullying, it is a start. By showing cyberbullying in a horrific setting that will be seen by many young adults, hopefully the message will begin to spread and cyberbullying will begin to be seen as a real threat. Mass media may not be the ultimate solution; however, it is a start to spreading the message that cyberbullying is serious. Cyberbullying is prevalent. Cyberbullying needs to end.

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Cyberbullying hurts. Cyberbullies hurt too.

The above article demonstrates a value I really wanted my blog to show: there can be more than meets the eye to cyberbullies. This article helps to demonstrate some of the reasons why cyberbullies begin bullying in the first place, and it is not a pretty picture.

To begin, many cyberbullies have actually been victims of cyberbullying and retaliate by becoming cyberbullies themselves. This is an example of the circulation of negative effects that begins and ends with cyberbullying. It is a cycle that often seems inescapable, and my hopes, along with the hopes of the author of this article, are that this cycle can be stopped.

One of the ways that this cycle can be brought to an end is through communication. If you have been cyberbullied, try talking to a trusted friend or family member - do not try to deal with the internal struggle completely on your own or take matters into your own hands. Everyone needs a social support system, and it’s okay to ask for help even if it may seem difficult.

On the other hand, if you have thought of cyberbullying or have been pressured to do so, you should also feel safe talking to someone, especially someone in a position in which they can help you get to the root of why you may be wanting to cyberbully. A good start would once again be a close family member or friend. 

Overall, don’t be afraid to ask for help. As this article shows, whether you’re a cyberbully or someone who is being cyberbullied, you can both be victims. If you don’t have anyone in your life that you feel you can talk to, keep in mind there are other options such as school counselors or teachers - people in positions of power who are there specifically to help you. By doing this, you can be a part of stopping the cycle. 

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Personal Experience: Cyberbullying and My Sister

Personally, cyberbullying has had a major influence in my life through the harm it’s done to those close to me, namely, my sister. She has always been a fan of nerdy things, much like myself. For example, she’d rather be watching an anime or reading a comic book than off playing sports. Although I was sporty as well, I also had these tendencies as a young adult; however, I was never met with any negativity because of my nerdy-side. She, on the other hand, had a very different story unfold.

When she was only twelve years old, she began becoming a part of online media. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, you name it, she has it. On these social media networks, she would often share posts from her favorite anime or post photos of her drawings. She received a lot of positive comments and “likes” from family members  and friends; however, shortly thereafter, the bullying began to occur.

People she know and strangers would both begin to comment on her photos, saying derogatory things about her weight, her appearance, her abilities to draw, and her interests. She began acting extremely depressed. She would ask to go to the gym daily - at the age of twelve - and her eating began to crumble away. She was sad all the time, and none of my family knew why.

How did we miss it? Because the social media sites she was bullied on were ones we did not know about. Her accounts on Instagram and Twitter are ones that my family and I did not know existed. Because of this, it was much easier for her to hide what was occurring and get lost in her own thoughts, sorely affected by the comments of others.

It took months before she finally came to me and told me what was going on. I quickly deleted the comments and even asked her if she would be comfortable with deleting some of the accounts - which she did. Since then, she’s been much healthier and much happier, and her privacy settings on social media have been set to the highest level. 

I hope this personal example helps you to understand how cyberbullying can affect someone extremely negatively, as they begin to question their self-worth. Alongside that, the loved ones who did not know the cyberbullying was occurring often blame themselves for not being more observant, as was the case with my family. In short, cyberbullying is a lot more prevalent than we might like to believe, and I hope this personal example helps bring the subject closer to home for anyone exploring this blog. 

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source: http://mythandmonsters.weebly.com/stop-cyberbullying-now.html

Cyberbullying is not just mean posts on social media or harsh texts, cyberbullying is instead seen in hundreds of different forms. As this photo demonstrates, cyberbullying has many different tactics and many different effects. It is important to broaden your understanding of cyberbullying to truly understand how widespread it is and how crucial it is that we work together to stop cyberbullying now. 

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One of the things I want this blog to accomplish is making not only cyberbullying, but also the harsh effects of cyberbullying, a reality. This particular video helps to do that by playing on Jimmy Kimmel’s, “Mean Tweets,” skit, only this time, it’s children and teens reading tweets in which they are being bullied. Instead of being humorous, this video instead hits close to home, and, hopefully, it will help many people realize the vast intricacies and dangers of cyberbullying. As Stu Auty states in the article linked above, “…Those videos give the message that cyberbullying is OK – even funny…For regular kids, words can cut like a knife.” Cyberbullying is serious, and this video and article help to demonstrate that. 

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Although this article doesn’t directly correlate to cyberbullying, it does directly correlate to the negative thoughts of your own worth that can be an effect of cyberbullying. I posted this article for anyone who has personally been afflicted by cyberbullying and is still struggling with the after-effects. Although they are not instant solvents, these ten tips may help you find some peace after you talk to an adult or peer who you trust and get the situation taken care of. Just because the cyberbullying ends does not mean that your self-worth is instantaneously restored, so I hope this article gives you some tips that assist you in finding the positive again. 

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For anyone who does not totally understand cyberbullying or has questions about to do when you or someone in your life is faced with cyberbullying, this article can help you out. Within it, the author helps you to understand the effects of cyberbullying, gives help lines in different countries that can be called if you are dealing with cyberbullying, and gives advice for those dealing with it and for parents and teachers who are trying to stop it completely. Even if you think you have all the information, I can promise you that this article will open your eyes to new ideas and helpful tips to both benefit your understanding and, hopefully, lead to a growth in your abilities to stop cyberbullying. You CAN make a difference. 

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“Cyber bullying has proven to be one of the most destructive of bullying tactics in recent decades. The prevalence of cyber bullying is a result of how easily cyber bullies can have access to their victims. Many people do not realize the extreme effects that cyber bullying can have on children and teens. Reading the stories of actual cyber bully victims can help individuals understand the consequences of this most destructive form of abuse.”