Cyber-bullying (Congress, activist, death, high school)
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Well parents have to make tough decisions all the time.They have control as to the accesss their children have to these forms of communications.Its like the discussio on home schooling and sical contact. many are home schooling because of teh type of social contacts going on at public schools. The rich have done this by private school for centuries.All parents have dome much the same by who their childrens friends are for centuries also.
The solution is to turn off your kid's computer, give them a ball and make them go play outside.
But they'll be raped or kidnapped!!! The overriding fear of all American parents. Even more frightening than the danger that they'll see a boob on their screen.
To the issue, cyber bullying is not sticks and stones. It is names that will never hurt.
The computer does not introduce any new threats to what kids have always been able to do to each other. It is only a new medium of communicating what they've always said and thought about each other. A couple of generations ago, parents were afraid their kids would be victims of obscene phone calls, or use the telephone to nefarious purposes.
I would have to agree with jtur88 on the computer being a new medium of communicating with each other. In some instances cyber bullying can be just as harmful as bullying in "reality." It is easy for people to hide behind their computers, they are able to say things that they would not necessarily say in person. Unfortunately some kids don't have the strength to get up and walk away from the computer so they fall prey to all the hurtful comments.
There were bullies before the internet.
My suggestion is to teach kids how to deal with such things.
Strengthen their personal resolve as much as you can through love and leading by example.
And also show them that bullying people, while it may give one kicks in the short term, can actually damage some people's lives catastrophically.
As they get older reinforce this training on whatever level they can understand.
It is no guarantee, but at least one can say they put their work in trying to prevent it.
As far as those who do the bullying, I would recommend psychological therapy to find out the root cause of the kids need to prey on people and if it can be curbed.
If it cannot maybe there could be a program where the bullies could spend time with similar children.
Maybe for a summer or so.
To understand how its a bad idea.
cyber bullying is wrong and needs to be stopped... but you could just turn off the computer
i mean i'm 16 & i even realize that advanced technology has taken over so many young lives gosh!
I think the cyber-bullying is not something kids can actually log out and walk away from though. For an adult on here to be insulted is much different, for example, because you don't really know the people. Whereas, whether or not the child is actually logged in, other kids are still posting things about them and they hear about it at school the next day. Like when bullies spread rumors or insults behind a person's back in the more traditional way, except now it's with technology and it can be done after hours and away from school property. I think it's more complex than parents realize and that's what makes it so hard to combat.
Since teenagers are the big consumers and of technology, cyber-bullying seems to be something new teens are facing. I wanted to get a better idea of what people think about this issue.
So, how much of an issue do you think that cyber bullying is for teens? What experiences do you know about relating to this topic? What can realistically be done to address this issue?
Parents need to monitor their teens means of communication. Period. Until parents accept that responsibilty or limit access to texting/social networking websites, IM, etc... nothing can be done.
Teens who are bullied have the option of "unplugging". Those doing the bullying run the risk of leaving a trail of digital evidence.
There are countless scenarios that are now LEGAL situations and started off as cyber bullying. Check your kids history and also be very clear in your family and with your kids that situations such as cyber bullying can lead to much much bigger issues than simply taunting some fellow student via MySpace. There are situations across the nation of kids being expelled, suspended or families facing legal charges due to a child's reckless cyber bullying. Agree with the consequences or not, it's happening. Cyber bullying is LAME. No reason to turn a blind eye to it. It really has the power to destroy a kids life.
Can't these kids report them (the bullies) to the costumer service of the website and or to the police if it is non-stop and or threatening...or is that too easy?
cyber bullying is wrong and needs to be stopped... but you could just turn off the computer
i mean i'm 16 & i even realize that advanced technology has taken over so many young lives gosh!
I was participating in a certain website one time, and some wonderful example of humanity chimed in with this (partially literate) threat: "I'll cap U."
To which I responded, "I can't wait for you to try that from the other side of a computer screen. You must be even more pathetic in real life than you are online." Never heard another peep out of this fool again.
The only way anyone ever gets "bullied" online is if they allow themselves to.
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