Cyber bullyingEllen Rondina, MSWExtension Educator

UNH Cooperative Extensionellen.rondina@unh.edu

Outline Definitions and examples of cyber

bullying Signs of bullying Research Youth profile and perspective Suggested Responses and Guidelines What we know and don’t know

Agree/Disagree Internet access for children is all

right

Parents have a right to look at their children’s facebooks

All children are able and ready to use technology

What is bullying?A written, verbal or physical act, or any

electronic communication, intended to cause: Physical harm or damage to property Substantial emotional distress Interference with educational

opportunities Severe, persistent, or pervasive

intimidation or threatening Substantial disruption to the operation

of the school

Other definitions of Cyber bullying “Cyber bullying is when someone

repeatedly harasses, mistreats, or makes fun of another person online or while using cell phones or other electronic devices”

“The use of information and communication technologies to intentionally harm others”

Imbalance of power A key component of bullying situations

This power can be real or perceived, and may involve gender, culture, race, social class, etc

Mediation doesn’t work in dealing with most bullying incidents

The difference Anonymity All students are potential victims Cyber bullying can occur at any

time Cyber bullying messages and

images can be distributed quickly to a wider audience

Examples of Cyber bullying Ignoring others

Spreading rumors about others

Sending angry/rude/vulgar messages

Calling negative or hurtful names

Threatening others

Examples cont.Labeling as gay/lesbian, even if not

the caseSubjecting to uninvited or unwanted

sexual suggestionsPretending to be someone else

online and making someone look bad

Posting sensitive personal information online

Signs of being cyber bullied If the child is

Upset after being on the computer or phone

Clearing the screen when you come in the room

Secretive about internet activitySpending unusual hours on the

computer

Signs cont.Avoiding conversations about the

internetShowing signs of stress or

depression, such as withdrawing from friends or activities

Experiencing more trouble with academics

Appearing nervous or jumpy when a message appears

Signs a child may be the bully Quickly switches

screens or closes programs when you walk by

Uses the computer at all hours of the night

Gets unusually upset if he or she cannot use the computer

•Laughs excessively while using the computer•Avoids discussions about what they are doing on the computer•Uses multiple online accounts

What we know about bullies Bullies often

have low self control Don’t get enough parental supervision Have had significant exposure to models

of aggressive behavior in the home Are more confident, fearless, and

socially astute Show little empathy Aggression and cyber bullying are

connected

Those who are bullied95% of student respondents from a study claimed that students are more likely to be cyber bullied because of specific attributes such as special needs, academic abilities, un-popularity, physical appearance, etc…

*this is confirmed in the research*

What the research tells us As many as 33% of teens have

experienced cyber bullying As many as 25% of students have

cyber bullied As many as 19% of elementary and

middle school kids have experienced cyber bullying

What the research tells us 42% of youth who were cyber bullied did

not tell anyone 39% of social network users vs. 22% who

don’t use social networks have experienced cyber bullying

Girls are significantly more likely to experience cyber bullying, 26% vs. 16%

20% of teens have ‘sexted’ 71% of teen girls have sent suggestive

messages

What the research tells us Cyber bullying seems to be an extension

of ‘offline’ bullying

Most cyber bullying does not happen through texting, but rather through chat room and/or email

Profile 73% of 11-year-old students are more likely to

report problems to school officials as opposed to 42% of 14-year-olds

Students are most likely to report to: friends, parents, school personnel

Youth who were bullied online were more likely to have skipped school, have had detentions or suspensions, or to have carried a weapon to school

Profile Depression, substance use and

delinquency are significantly higher among youth who report cyber bullying

Youth who cyber bully are more likely to be engaging in rule-breaking behavior and to have problems with aggression

Bully/Victims Students who are both the bully and

targets of bullying are a particularly at-risk group They are more likely to experience:

Externalizing behaviors; truancy, acting out, etc…

Hyperactivity Psychiatric consultation referrals

Long-term effects Adults who experienced significant

bullying in their youth have lower self-esteem and are more depressed

Compared to their peers, adults who were bullies are more likely to be convicted of crimes in adulthood

Youth identified as bullies in school had a 1 in 4 chance of having a criminal record by age 30

Youth perspective Students believe bullying occurs online by

some children who would not otherwise bully because of anonymity

Students believe bullying can happen all day, “non-stop bullying”, and is ‘spreading’

47% of respondents to a survey argue that freedom of expression is a right and online speech is borderless

Youth perspective 46% of students say that cyber bullying is

a normal part of the online world 32% maintain that online bullying is not

hurtful as it is just ‘words in cyberspace’ 79% of students expressed hope for a

more respectful online world and identified the school culture as possibly contributing to cyber bullying behavior

75% of students say that cyber bullying is more of a problem today than it was a year ago

Youth perspective“I think cyber bullying is much worse

than verbal bullying because you can’t tell anyone about it and then no one really knows what’s going on and, the person who’s doing it doesn’t feel as guilty because they’re not saying it to their face”

-teen

Why parents give their children access so easily The tools of technology are cheaper and

readily available They just feel better knowing their child

has a cell phone Having cell phones, iPods, and Game boys

has become so normal that they don’t question it

Parents worry that if children don’t have these tools, they will be at a disadvantage

Guidelines for parents Put computers in a public area such as the

kitchen or family room Instruct young people to NEVER share

personal/private information engage kids in discussions about their online

activities Until children are driving and/or participating in

more activities without supervision, NO CELL PHONE!

Guidelines for parents Track the phone bill and facebook…mainly

to see when and whom they are messaging

While maintaining privacy, check texts and facebook etc..

Take advantage of all usage controls on all technology used by the family

Lay down the law Develop a family contract

Guidelines for adults Remind kids that they should not respond

to messages that are angry or mean, nor should they open messages sent from people they don’t know

Discuss the fact that we don’t really KNOW the people we ‘meet’ online

Acknowledge that the internet can be fun but if you are online and something doesn’t feel right, you should leave the site.

Parental monitoringChildren whose parents monitored their

online activities were: less likely to disclose personal information Less likely to seek out inappropriate sites Less likely to conduct chat conversations

with strangers

Parents of non-victims were more likely to have rules on internet use

Guidelines for youth Get away from an unpleasant or

uncomfortable situation in a chat room or social networking site by logging out

Think before you answer private messages Check that you know how to report

something you feel is uncomfortable Use a nickname Meeting someone you have only been in

touch with online can be dangerous

Guidelines for youth Tell a parent or caregiver if someone or

something is making you feel uncomfortable

Look out for your friends Learn how to keep a copy of the

conversation in chat Learn how to block/ignore people Check your profile to make sure it doesn’t

include any personal information

If a child is being cyber bullied Have the child tell the person to stop

immediately. Cut off all contact. Try to block the bully from accessing the

child. Tell the child not to access the bully. Try to

Monitor his/her electronic interactions. Contact school officials/police if necessary Conduct an online search for your child’s

name, screen names, phone numbers, and have the information removed when possible

If a child confides Calmly help student think through what

happened

Tell the child that you are sorry it happened and thank them for telling you

Let them know that together you will work through this

Don’t promise them that you won’t tell anyone

Model good problem solving skills and a calm, rational approach to handling conflict

If a child is bullying

Talk with the child and find out what is going on

Help him/her accept responsibility for the bullying

Help him or her make amends Get mental/emotional help Expect good deeds moving forward

Best Practices for schools Empathy training Assertiveness training Developing a school culture that is more

respectful, inclusive, and caring Students need information on the

restrictions of free speech, the longevity of their communications and cyber-space etiquette

Best practices Get parents and community involved in

efforts to stop bullying Train ALL staff in bullying prevention and

intervention Increase adult supervision in hot spots Intervene consistently and appropriately Focus some class time on bullying

prevention Engage students to help define policies

Olweus We will not bully others We will try to help students who are

bullied We will make it a point to include students

who are easily left out If we know someone is being bullied, we

will tell an adult at school and an adult at home

Response: Change the contextBullying is contextual

Cyber bullying is not a whole new problem

The context is the life of the school andcommunity, not the internet

Youth solutions: top 31. Set up anonymous phone-in lines

2. Develop programs to teach students about cyber bullying and its effects

3. Work on creating positive self-esteem in students

Positive Opportunity To develop

NetizenshipPositive conversationSocial responsibilityEncourage caring and respectful

interactions

What we don’t know

Is social networking healthy for children and teens or unhealthy?

We don’t know…

Research on cyber bullying is still in its infancy

What we do know… Cyber bullying is happening all over

the world Cyber bullying is easier for people

who wouldn’t normally be bullies in real life

It is contextual Quick fixes don’t exist