What is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying can be defined as any act done to a person to cause any form of pain through means of an electronic device such as a cell phone, computer, etc.
Cyberbullying can be defined as any act done to a person to cause any form of pain through means of an electronic device such as a cell phone, computer, etc.
Abstract
This research examines the effects of cyberbullying on the teenager (age 13-20). These effects can be seen anywhere and everywhere from online articles, newspaper reports and news on TV to stories and personal witnessing in local communities. Cyberbullying not only affects the teenager but that person’s friends and family as well. It affects people physically and emotionally. It can cause people to be insecure with ones self, shut people out of their lives, take anger out on others, cut their wrists, commit criminal activities, or even commit suicide. While these negative effects are eminent, some people may even say cyberbullying has positive effects as well such as people becoming aware of the problem and formation of prevention methods. My research includes a variety of sources including online academic articles, newspaper articles, web pages, and case reports. My report argues that cyber-bullying does have a negative effect on teenagers while discussing those negative effects and discussing punishment, intervention, and prevention methods used for cyberbullying.
This research examines the effects of cyberbullying on the teenager (age 13-20). These effects can be seen anywhere and everywhere from online articles, newspaper reports and news on TV to stories and personal witnessing in local communities. Cyberbullying not only affects the teenager but that person’s friends and family as well. It affects people physically and emotionally. It can cause people to be insecure with ones self, shut people out of their lives, take anger out on others, cut their wrists, commit criminal activities, or even commit suicide. While these negative effects are eminent, some people may even say cyberbullying has positive effects as well such as people becoming aware of the problem and formation of prevention methods. My research includes a variety of sources including online academic articles, newspaper articles, web pages, and case reports. My report argues that cyber-bullying does have a negative effect on teenagers while discussing those negative effects and discussing punishment, intervention, and prevention methods used for cyberbullying.
Introduction
In present day America, bullying has been opened up to the ever growing digital world teenagers live in now. Teenagers, for the sake of this paper, are identified as people in the age range of thirteen to twenty years old. The term cyberbullying has become a widely accepted term for this newer form of bullying. Cyberbullying can be defined as any act done to a person to cause any form of pain through means of an electronic device such as a cell phone, computer, etc. Throughout the past years, cyberbullying has gained more and more attention from a variety of people ranging from school officials to students and their parents, to local police force, to legislature, and even to researchers. The negative effects of cyberbullying have been widely researched and reported on due to the greater attention placed on the issue. School officials and parents are becoming educated on the ramifications of this digital harassment as well as ways of prevention and intervention on the subject. State governments have passed laws to protect teenagers from being cyberbullied and for prosecuting the bullies. These laws are then carried out by local law enforcement and the judges that deal with these cases. Researchers have studied cyberbullying intensively to identify exactly how serious cyberbullying is and any ways that states as well as the people are dealing with the issue. It is important that people know just how serious this issue is and how it can be prevented and taken care of in a logical, constitutional and professional manner.
In present day America, bullying has been opened up to the ever growing digital world teenagers live in now. Teenagers, for the sake of this paper, are identified as people in the age range of thirteen to twenty years old. The term cyberbullying has become a widely accepted term for this newer form of bullying. Cyberbullying can be defined as any act done to a person to cause any form of pain through means of an electronic device such as a cell phone, computer, etc. Throughout the past years, cyberbullying has gained more and more attention from a variety of people ranging from school officials to students and their parents, to local police force, to legislature, and even to researchers. The negative effects of cyberbullying have been widely researched and reported on due to the greater attention placed on the issue. School officials and parents are becoming educated on the ramifications of this digital harassment as well as ways of prevention and intervention on the subject. State governments have passed laws to protect teenagers from being cyberbullied and for prosecuting the bullies. These laws are then carried out by local law enforcement and the judges that deal with these cases. Researchers have studied cyberbullying intensively to identify exactly how serious cyberbullying is and any ways that states as well as the people are dealing with the issue. It is important that people know just how serious this issue is and how it can be prevented and taken care of in a logical, constitutional and professional manner.
Why Does Cyberbullying Happen?
Some research has been done on why cyberbullying even happens. Cyberbullying is being done more and more because the bullies feel more power in cyberspace. This added power comes from having a wider audience; being the whole world (Holladay 5). Cyberbullies also bully classmates because they feel “aggressive, vindictive, happy, [and] pleased” after having bullied another person and they feel as if the victim deserved the bullying (Kowalski, Limber, and Agatston 114). According to an article written by Kathy Wilmore, bullies pick on classmates who are different than everyone else physically, mentally, or in sexuality terms (e.g. homosexual). Bullies even post things online and they do not realize how harmful those things actually are towards the victim (Wilmore 4). When bullying their victims, the cyberbullies sometimes do not even see them selves as bullies. They may see them selves as protecting their friends. Other bullies set out to “exert power through fear” (Feinberg and Robey 27). Bullies even have a greater sense of anonymity in cyberspace, which allows more people to be bullies (Feinberg and Robey 27). Cyberspace has allowed cyberbullying to become such a large issue in society.
Some research has been done on why cyberbullying even happens. Cyberbullying is being done more and more because the bullies feel more power in cyberspace. This added power comes from having a wider audience; being the whole world (Holladay 5). Cyberbullies also bully classmates because they feel “aggressive, vindictive, happy, [and] pleased” after having bullied another person and they feel as if the victim deserved the bullying (Kowalski, Limber, and Agatston 114). According to an article written by Kathy Wilmore, bullies pick on classmates who are different than everyone else physically, mentally, or in sexuality terms (e.g. homosexual). Bullies even post things online and they do not realize how harmful those things actually are towards the victim (Wilmore 4). When bullying their victims, the cyberbullies sometimes do not even see them selves as bullies. They may see them selves as protecting their friends. Other bullies set out to “exert power through fear” (Feinberg and Robey 27). Bullies even have a greater sense of anonymity in cyberspace, which allows more people to be bullies (Feinberg and Robey 27). Cyberspace has allowed cyberbullying to become such a large issue in society.