Cyberbullying

1. Cyberbullying MEDT 8201 By Kimberly Sharp

2. What is Cyberbullying? “Cyberbullying is using electronic means to bully, harass and otherwise make life miserable for people.” Mike Donlin, manager of federal technology programs and cyberbullying education & prevention efforts, Seattle Public Schools (http://www.schoolcio.com/ShowArticle/1030)

3. What is Cyberbullying? "Cyberbullying involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group that is intended to harm others". Bill Belsey, President of Bullying.org Canada (http://www.schoolcio.com/ShowArticle/1034)

4. Examples of Information & Communication Technologies • E-mail • Cell phone and pager text messages • Instant Messaging (IM) • Chat Rooms • Webcams • Social Networking Websites (Facebook, MySpace) • Defamatory Personal Websites • Defamatory online personal polling Websites

5. Categories of Cyberbullying • Flaming - Online fights using electronic messages with angry or vulgar language. • Harassment. Repeatedly sending nasty, mean, an insulting messages. • Denigration. "Dissing" someone online. Sending or posting gossip or rumors about a person to damage his or her reputation or friendships. • Impersonation. Pretending to be someone else and sending or posting material to get that person in trouble or damage their reputation. Nancy Willard, author of "An Educators Guide to Cyberbullying and Cyber threats”, 2006

6. Categories of Cyberbullying • Outing. Sharing someone's secrets or embarrassing information or images online. • Trickery. Tricking someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing information and then sharing it online. • Exclusion. Intentionally and cruelly excluding someone. • Cyberstalking. Repeated, intense harassment and denigration that includes threats or creates significant fear Nancy Willard, author of "An Educators Guide to Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats”, 2006

7. Examples of Cyberbullying • “I hate you” messages • Name-calling blogs • Students use cell phone cameras to take nude photos of people in the locker room and e-mail them to classmates • Teenagers text message the deepest darkest secrets of former friends to students throughout the school • Videos are edited and posted on YouTube without permission of the people in the video

8. Facts 50 percent of kids have had some type of negative interaction online 10% or more report bullying Mike Donlin, (http://www.schoolcio.com/ShowArticle/1030)

9. What Causes Someone to Become a Bully? • Sociocultural Theory • Victim of physical abuse or bullying themselves • Angry about events at home • Desire power, strength, attention & popularity • Psychoanalytic Theory • Afraid of showing their feelings or weaknesses • Pick on others or scare them to hide their own feelings • Jealousy

10. What Causes Someone to Become a Bully? • Behavioristic Theory • Thrive on the reaction they get from their victims • Choose only those they can dominate • Passive or Easily intimidated • Smaller, younger, defenseless • Isolated or friendless • Epigenetic Theory • No evidence of genetic disposition

11. Different Styles of Males & Females • Boys – Overt Aggression • Physically hurt or intimidate • Threaten • Girls – Relational Aggression • Verbally harm – specifically with regard to peer relationships • Manipulate • Retaliate by exclusion or badmouthing

12. Cyberbullying vs. Traditional Bullying • Bully is removed from immediate feedback from the victim • Bully doesn't "see" the harm they have caused or the consequences of their actions • Bully’s feelings of remorse or empathy are minimized • Kids will do and say things on the Internet that they would be much less likely to do in person http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org/cyberbullying.htm

13. Someone may be involved in Cyberbullying if he or she… • Spends long hours on computer • Closes windows on computer when you enter the room • Is secretive about internet activities or won’t say who they are talking to • Has trouble with sleeping, stomach & headaches, lack of appetite, crying

14. Someone may be involved in Cyberbullying if he or she… • Fears leaving the house or has lack of interest in social activities • Feigns illness before school or community events, frequent visits to school nurse • Exhibits low self-esteem or behavioral changes • Changes their attitude, dress or habits • Has missing or incomplete school work

15. Emotional Consequences - Victims • Rejected by peers • Experience loneliness, social anxiety, suffering & distress • More submissive than peers • Interferes with social & emotional development, school performance • Can lead to suicide

16. Emotional Consequences - Bullies • Greater likelihood of criminal conviction • By age 24, 60% of people who were bullies have at least one criminal conviction http://www.bullying.org/htm/main.cfm?content=1059) • Struggles in life • Alcoholism • Antisocial personality disorders • Mental health issues

17. Advice for Victims • “Telling is not tattling. Telling is to make things safer & better, tattling is something you do to get people in trouble on purpose.” Talk to an adult about it. http://www.bullying.org/htm/main.cfm?content=1059 • Don’t reply to messages – it’s what the bully wants • Save all messages for documentation – you don’t have to read them, but you may need the evidence

18. Advice for Victims • Block the sender to prevent receiving future messages • Consider changing your e-mail or cell phone accounts • Inform Internet Service Provide (ISP) or cell phone providers • Call police

19. Tips for Safe Internet Activity • NEVER give out personal information or passwords • Name, name of friends or family, address, phone number, school name, team name, pictures of yourself, e-mail address • Ask permission before sharing any info on a website or in a chatroom • Never tell anyone your password except your parents • NEVER arrange to meet with someone you met online unless your parents are with you and always choose a public place • Don’t believe everything you see or read – some people pretend to be someone they are not Suggestions taken from cyberbullying.org

20. Tips for Safe Internet Activity • Be polite to others online – if someone is mean, don’t respond • Don’t send messages when you are angry – wait until you’ve had time to think about it • Avoid online arguments – be respectful – use emoticons (smileys) to indicate humor or sarcasm – don’t use offensive language • Don’t open messages from someone you don’t know • If you see or find something you don’t like, tell an adult • Don’t stay online too long – disconnect and try reality! Suggestions taken from cyberbullying.org

21. Parents - How Text Savvy are You? Know some Online Acronyms – cyberbullying.org 2L8 -Too late 4GM -Forgive me ASLP -Age, sex, location, picture? BF -Boyfriend BME -Based on my experience BTDT -Been there, done that DIIK -Darned if I know EG -Evil grin G2G – Gotta go GAL – Get a life GR8 – Great HCIT – How cool is that HHVF -Ha-ha, very funny IAG -It's all good KIR -Keepin' it real LTR -Long term relationship LOL -Laugh out loud MMA – Meet me at…MMAMP -Meet me at my place OMG -Oh my gosh POS -Parent over shoulderROTFL -Rolling on the floor laughing TTFN -Ta ta for now TTYL -Talk to you later W2F -Way too funny W8AM -Wait a minute

22. Advice for Parents – Preventing Cyberbullying • Determine an appropriate amount of technology for your kids to access • Do they need a cell phone? With what features? • Keep computers in a an open space, not the bedroom • Set guidelines for internet usage • Limit time on the computer • Consider not allowing use when parents aren’t home • Discuss what they should do if they see something inappropriate

23. Advice for Parents – Privacy Issues • Sharing Passwords • Require kids to give you access to all of their accounts • Open Policy OR • Placed in a sealed envelope in the event of emergency • Remind them to never share passwords with anyone else • Someone could impersonate or misrepresent them, or ruin their reputation • Don’t allow them to register for free games, prizes, contests • Talk about dangers of meeting someone online • Discuss the Internet as an Open Forum – everything is public knowledge • Share the dangers of “sexting” • Sexting involves sending sexually explicit text or photographs • There is no guarantee of privacy even with current boyfriend or girlfriend

24. Advice for Parents – Preventing Cyberbullying • Social Networking Sites • Utilize privacy settings to prevent unlimited access • Discuss profiles & pages – is it accurate? Appropriate? Too detailed? Positive rep? • Become your child’s “friend” by setting up your own account • Take an interest in their e-pals the same way as friends that come home • If you don’t recognize the friend, delete them

25. Advice for Parents – Preventing Cyberbullying • Have kids show you how to use the internet • Set up your own accounts and have them help! • Learn how to post videos on sites like YouTube • Monitor internet usage • Check the browser history to see what sites they visit • Restrict or monitor chat room functions

26. Advice for Parents – Software Assistance • Visit http://kids.getnetwise.org/tools/ for descriptions of a variety of tools you can use! • Filters to prevent personal information from being shared • Internet monitors • Website blockers • Time limiting tools • Browsers for kids • eMailTrackerPro – tracks internet e-mails back to IP Address • McAfee Parental Controls – chat filtering system for IM & chat room • Predator Guard – scans text for potential threats, logs violations for use by law enforcement

27. Advice for Parents – if your child becomes a Victim • Talk to your child in a positive, accepting manner • Remind them that it is not their fault • They did the right thing by telling you • Discuss how they’ve tried to stop it • Don’t overreact, blame or punish • Work together to learn from experience • Work with teacher or counselor • Work to teach how to make good choices – applies to all areas of life • Encourage them to ask you for future support

28. Advice for Parents – Raise Caring Kids & Prevent Bullying • Encourage and reward kindness & empathy • Kids who are cared for are likely to care more for others • Parents are great role models for nurturing, kids will imitate • Speak firmly about thoughtlessness & cruelty • Criticize the behavior not the child • “What you did was not very kind” vs. “YOU are not kind.” • Volunteer together in the community • Treat kids with respect & dignity • Monitor exposure to media (books, movies, TV) • Emphasize programming with compassionate characters • Minimize those that exhibit selfishness, criminal behavior or violence • Discuss the differences

29. Suggestions for Teachers & Schools • Ensure that school filters & firewalls are up to date • Find out about programs in other schools to combat bullying • Peer mediation, conflict resolution, anger management, adult supervision • Create cyberbullying policies with consequences • Most cyberbullying occurs off campus which makes it difficult for schools to punish, but it affects kids while they are in school • Communicate with parents & staff regarding the seriousness of the issue

30. Suggestions for Teachers & Schools • Keep close contact with school resource officers • Be on the lookout for victims • Make sure students know who they can go to at school for help • Teach kids how to use the internet appropriately • Remind them that they are not anonymous – they leave a technological fingerprint (IP) that can be obtained by authorities • Designate a staff member to address cyberbullying complaints

31. Advice for Bullies • It is wrong & illegal to threaten, intimidate or harass other • Anything you say can have a damaging effect on someone else. • Never post anything that could harm someone – names, address, phone numbers, mean things – even if you believe that they are true • Even positive comments about appearance can be harmful and degrading • Hurting others doesn’t make you important • Bullying makes you mean

32. Advice for Bullies • Bullying when you’re young leads to trouble when you’re older • Academically • Socially • Emotionally • Legally • Seek help ASAP – talk with a parent, teacher, principal, counselor or doctor • Develop a plan to stop destructive behavior • Be a leader – get involved in sports, school groups, community • Treat others the way you want to be treated!

33. Websites for CyberbullyingEducation & Support • http://www.isafe.org • http://www.netsmartz.org/index.aspx • http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org • http://www.cyberbully.org • http://www.cyberbullying.us • http://www.wiredsafety.org Suggestions from http://www.schoolcio.com/ShowArticle/1030

34. References from CourseDen • American Psychological Association. (1998, March 26). Boys and girls are cruel to each other in different ways -- but the effects are equally harmful. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/03/980326075743.htm • American Psychological Association. (n. d.). What makes kids care? Teaching gentleness in a violent world. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.apa.org/topics/kidscare.html • American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. (2008, May). Bullying. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/bullying • Bullying.org. (2003). Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.bullying.org/splash_page/bullying.cfm?sRes=1024 • Cyberbullying.org. (n. d.). Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.cyberbullying.org/ • GetNetWise.org. (2008). Kids’ safety. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://kids.getnetwise.org/

35. References from CourseDen • Riley, S. (2007). Q & A: Mike Donlin: Standing up to cyberbullies. School CIO. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.schoolcio.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604538 • Winter, R. E., & Leneway, R. J. (2007). Terror in the classroom: What can be done?, Part 1. School CIO. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.schoolcio.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604797 • Winter, R. E., & Leneway, R. J. (2007). Terror in the classroom: What can be done?, Part 2. School CIO. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.schoolcio.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604815 • Winter, R. E., & Leneway, R. J. (2007). Terror in the classroom: What can be done?, Part 3. School CIO. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.schoolcio.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604856 • Winter, R. E., & Leneway, R. J. (2007). Terror in the classroom: What can be done?, Part 4. School CIO. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.schoolcio.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604866

36. Additional References • CSRIU, Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use. (2007). Retrieved July 2, 2009 from http://www.cyberbully.org • Connectsafely.org. (2009). Retrieved July 2, 2009 from http://www.connectsafely.org/ • Halligan, John P. (2009). In Memory of Ryan Patrick Halligan. Retrieved July 2, 2009 from http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org • Hinduja, Sameer and Patchin, Justin W. Cyberbulling.us (2009). Retrieved July 2, 2009 from http://www.cyberbullying.us • Isafe.org. (2009). Retrieved July 2, 2009 from http://www.isafe.org/

37. Additional References • National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (2009). Netsmartz Workshop. Retrieved July 2, 2009 from http://www.netsmartz.org/index.aspx • Wired Kids. (n.d.) Wired Safety.org. Retrieved July 2, 2009 from http://www.wiredsafety.org