Cyber-bullying is one of the leading deaths in
Cyber-bullying is one of the leading deaths in the United States today, what is cyberbullying? Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. A 2016 report from the Cyberbullying Research Center indicates that “33.8% of students between 12 and 17 were victims of cyberbullying in their lifetime. Conversely, 11.5% of students between 12 and 17 indicated that they had engaged in cyberbullying in their lifetime” Those who are victimized by cyberbullying also reveal that they are often afraid or embarrassed to go to school. In addition, research has revealed a link between cyberbullying and low self-esteem, family problems, academic difficulties, school violence, and various delinquent behaviors. Finally, cyberbullied youth also report having suicidal thoughts, and there have been a number of examples in the United States and abroad where youth who were victimized ended up taking their own lives. Victimization on the Internet through cyber bullying is increasing in frequency and scope. This negative experience not only undermines a youth’s freedom to use and explore valuable online resources, but also can result in severe functional, psychological, and emotional ramifications. Cyberbullying is a growing problem because increasing numbers of kids are using and have completely embraced online interactivity. A remarkable 95% of teens in the US are online, and three-fourths (74%) access the Internet on their mobile device. While often similar in terms of form and technique, cyberbullying and bullying have many differences that can make the latter even more devastating. With the former, victims may not know who the bully is, or why they are being targeted. The cyberbully can cloak his or her identity behind a computer or phone using anonymous email addresses or pseudonymous screen names. Another key feature that makes cyberbullying so problematic is the fact that hurtful or humiliating content can be sent to a large number of people in a short period of time. Cyber Bullying is a known problem all across the world. It goes unnoticed as actual bullying most of the time, but cyberbullying can be very harmful, and sometimes even fatal. More and more people are standing up against it, but there are still a lot of cyber bullies in the world.
