Social Media and Bullying - W3O

Bullying through Social Media 

I think most of us can say that we have either been bullied or know someone who has been bullied at some point throughout our school years. Although it has always existed, the accessibility of social media sites, and the speed at which information can be spread, has changed the landscape of bullying. A student can no longer leave school and be away from the harassment; they can not transfer to another school, or hide in the confines of their own home because social media is everywhere. If their aggressor decides to remain anonymous or use a different online profile, they may not know the source of the rumors or be able to retaliate. Anyone can post anything about someone whether it is true or not.

Phoebe Prince

Recently, there have been many stories in the news discussing the role that social media might play in teen suicides, but it was the January 14, 2010 death of 15 year-old Phoebe Prince, from South Hadley, Massachusetts, that brought international attention to the problem.

In the article by Peter Kotz on truecrimereport.com, he states that, "This wasn't just any case of high school girls behaving badly toward one another. Phoebe apparently faced an onslaught of bullying via texts, Facebook messages, and in person at the school." Even after her death, the girls made unkind remarks on the Facebook page that was created in her memory.

All nine students involved in the harassment of Phoebe Prince were charged with several crimes, but unfortunately, it has not deterred bullies. Sadly, Phoebe's suicide has been followed by several others like 13 year-old Seth Walsh from Tehachapi, California, Asher Brown, 13, of Cypress, Texas, 15 year-old Billy Lucas from Greensberg, Indiana, 18 year-old Tyler Clementi, a student at Rutgers University, and most recently 14 year-old Kameron Jacobsen of Orange, New York.

According to iSafe, a non-profit internet safety education organization:

• 42% of kids have been bullied while online
• 35% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages
• 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online
• 53% of kids admit having said something mean or hurtful to another person online
• 58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that happened to them

Source: iSafe.com

What is being done to help prevent bullying?

As a result of these tragedies and the ongoing problems that parents and schools are facing with bullying, several steps have been taken. Schools have begun educating parents and students on this epidemic. Parents are encouraged to ensure their children are using social media sites responsibly. Celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres have begun talking about bullying on their shows to bring further awareness to the problem. Also, many states have passed anti-bullying laws. As of October 2010, 45 out of 50 states have legislation in place against bullying.

To help combat the issue of cyber bullying the social media sites themselves have taken action. For example, “Facebook, along with Safety Web, have designed an application called “Find Help,” which helps in detecting any abuse of peers occurring on the site. Not only can cyber bullying be reported, but so can depression, suicide, drug abuse, hate, runaways, LBGT problems and more. There are also more organizations that are helping including the National Center for Missing Exploited Children's CyberTipline.”

While there has been a lot of criticism in the use of social media and bullying, it is this same medium that is now being used to speak out against these crimes. It is allowing people to share their stories and provide support to those in need.

Sources:
http://www.truecrimereport.com/2010/01/phoebe_prince_15_commits_suici.php

http://www.isafe.org/channels/?ch=ai

http://technorati.com/lifestyle/family/article/no-bullying-on-facebook/