Say NO to CYBER BULLYING!
Bullies and mean girls have been around forever, but technology now gives them a whole new platform for their actions. Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content.
Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior. Cyber-bullying has been a problem for a very long time. Due to the development of our technology today, cyber-bullying has become one of the most difficult issues to resolve in our society. 

Cyberbullying can be anonymous, which can sometimes make it even worse. It also has a wider audience, and can spread quickly. Finally, targets of cyberbullying often feel like they can’t get away from the bullying. If someone is bullying you at school, when you leave for the day it’s over. But cyberbullying can follow you home, and continue all night.
While cyberbullying affects each child differently, there has been a clear correlation between victims and non-victims and their self-esteem. Not only their self-esteem is affected but cyberbullying also leads to depression.
Specifically speaking, high school students subjected to bullying and other forms of harassment are more likely to report being seriously depressed, consider suicide and carry weapons to school.

Most common strategies children and adolescents used to cope with cyberbullying were passive, such as blocking the sender, ignoring or avoiding messages, and protecting personal information. Children and adolescents also tended to believe that little could be done to prevent or reduce cyberbullying. Common social media platforms for cyberbullying included blogs, Twitter, social networking sites, and message boards. Name-calling, spreading gossip and rumors, and circulating pictures were common forms of bullying.

Many of today’s new technologies are designed for the sole purpose of facilitating communication between individuals. Not only do these technologies enable communication between friends and family, but a large part of their appeal is that they present the opportunity to meet new people. Among the more popular ways of meeting others online are instant messaging, chat rooms, Facebook and other websites specifically designed for the purpose of meeting and connecting with those who share similar interests. With the click of a mouse, today’s young people have access to the world, and are increasingly more likely to create friendships, and even relationships, online with individuals they have never met in person. 

Technology is a neutral concept, and it is the people who decide the means and uses for it. Technology isn’t the enemy here, and neither is Facebook or text messaging. It’s the people behind them which send the messages.
