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Cyberbullying: A Growing Teen Threat

Bullies have always been a part of society. Parents, teachers, and even students have long considered bullying and being bullied as a rite-of-passage that affects all children. While vigilance by parents or guardians, teachers, and community members may reduce or eliminate some forms of bullying, yesterday's schoolyard bully has been replaced by another type of bully. Today, a cyber bully uses social networking sites, email, and text messaging as platforms for spreading false rumors and other hurtful information. Glencoe Health defines cyber bullying as "cruel or hurtful online contact." Cruel and hurtful it can be.

In two cases, cyberbullying moved beyond the realm of one person or group hurling taunts and insults at another via the Internet and through text messaging. In these cases, the pain caused by cyber bullies became so emotionally devastating that two teen girls committed suicide rather than endure additional taunts. The issue has garnered so much attention that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a paper titled, Electronic Media and Youth Violence: A CDC Issue Brief for Educators and Caregivers.

The CDC's researchers estimate that up to 46 percent of students have experienced some form of cyber bullying. While many of these reported incidents are limited to spreading false rumors or insults, some include more harmful tactics. Additional, the old advice of just ignoring a bully does not seem to work with a cyber bully.

So what can be done to address the issue of cyber bullying, and to prevent the behavior? Teen Health and Glencoe Health include material on developing good character which may influence young people not to become bullies. The textbooks also address what students should do if and when encountered by a bully. Additionally, the CDC has developed a list of steps that educators may want to consider when addressing the issue of cyber bullying. These steps include the following:

1. Explore current bullying prevention policies.
2. Work collaboratively to develop policies.
3. Explore current programs to prevent bullying and youth violence.
4. Offer training on electronic aggression for educators and administrators.
5. Talk to teens.
6. Work with IT and support staff.
7. Create a positive school atmosphere, and
8. Have a plan n place for what should happen if an incident is brought to the attention of school officials.

Educators may also want to reach out to parents to seek their help in preventing the spread of cyber bullying. The CDC also includes a set of considerations for parents and caregivers. Those considerations include the following:

1. Talk to your child.
2. Develop rules.
3. Explore the Internet (to discover what Web sites he or she visits).
4. Talk with other parents and caregivers.
5. Encourage your school or school district to conduct a class for caregivers about electronic aggression, and
6. Keep current with new technology that your child uses.

The CDC's report contains additional explanation of each of the above mentioned steps. The CDC recommends that a strong collaboration between educators, parents, and caregivers can strengthen the message to children, teens, and young adults that cyber bullying is hurtful and wrong.