As technology advances, cyberbullying increases. More teens and now children have admitted to either being a victim or perpetrator of the new trend.
“32 percent of teens who admit to getting on the computer on a daily basis have experienced online harassment and as of September 2010, 8 percent of recent suicides have been related to forms of cyber bullying,” according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project Research Center.
Even young childen can be bullied online.
“If you’re old enough to use the computer and have your own page of some sort, you’re an open victim for cyber bullying. It can happen to anyone young and old,” counselor Lynnette Calder said.
Bullying is not a new concept, tut the internet has brought forth other ways to embarrass a person. One, hundreds of people are likely to see the mean remarks, two, it is harder to remove, and three, a student can do it anonymously.
“More students make fun of each other online now, because people are scared. They want less confirmation, and they don’t actually want to fight, but if you think about it, everyone has bullied someone rather you want to believe it or not,” senior Dakota Quinn said.
Many students at Northtown say it is a part of attending high school. When someone is different or stands out, students don’t let it go.
“They attack because of their own insecurities. It makes them feel good and look good if they pick on someone who doesn’t know how to defend themselves,” sophomore Matthew Howerton said.
The main source of the bullying occurs on Facebook. Accounts have been made just to make fun of a person. A note was written here, a comment there, a status that over 50 people liked.
Many students have experienced being bullied on Facebook.
“People write things about me on Facebook all the time. I know it, and basically I got tired of it. So I wrote right back. If they want to say something about me, fine. They can come to me in person and say it. I’m tired of all the Facebook drama. It’s petty,” senior Tori White said.
Is there a solution to cyber bullying? Is there even a solution to bullying in general?
Calder says there is. As a counselor at NKCHS, she believes there should be disciplinary action against it.
“The only thing that is going to change it is if a witness steps in and stands up to stop the bully. We don’t see or hear about everything, but the students do. News travels around fast here, and it takes just one person to stop it or bring it to our attention,” Calder said.
With recent news of suicides spurred by cyberbullying, students need to consider what they say or type before they hit “submit” or “send.”
