My kid’s not a “cyberbully,” and has never been “bullied” online. That’s what most of us think, right? A recent survey of 2,000 Middle School students shows, in fact, that 33% of the students admitted to cyberbullying (once they knew what it was) and a full 42% had been the victims of cyberbullying. This research is highlighted in the book, Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying, by Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin.
Parents, we know our teens are navigating through a whole new world that includes social websites, instant messaging, and text messaging. I asked my kids and their friends, “Calling or texting, pick one!” They all picked texting. Basically, teens can communicate 24/7 without the visual or auditory clues of a personal reaction. The impersonal world of online communication makes it easier to be rude, daring, (not) funny, or simply misunderstood.
I first heard the term “textual harassment” on the Today Show this past Monday. Evidently, boyfriends, girlfriends or interested parties are using technology to “stalk” and control their love interests. Furthermore, teens are getting pressure from friends and significant others to send, receive or forward racy pictures. It seems that more and more sexual messages are flying through cyberspace and landing, wanted or not, on our teens phones and computers.
The Ad Council, with support form the Justice Department and the National Family Violence Prevention Fund, have put together a web site for teens to help them respond to the overwhelming burden of cyberbullying, including picture pressure, constant messaging, rumors and textual harassment. The site is thatsnotcool.com , and features videos, calling cards that can be downloaded and sent in response to cyberbullying, and message boards. It’s worth a look, and it’s worth forwarding to your teen. They may be a cyberbully, or a victim, and not even know it.
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