By Savannah McDade Posted January 12, 2011
Technology is rapidly enhancing and each year companies are producing new innovations that help provide for fast communication via social networking. Social networking is giving way to a prominent means of harassment referred to as “cyberbullying”. Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place in the form of verbal harassment as well as sexual harassment through the use of the internet and cell phones.
Cyberbullying has made the news on various occasions throughout 2010. One particularly eminent case occurred on September 22, 2010, when Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi posted a farewell suicide message on his Facebook site. Clementi allegedly threw himself off of a bridge into the Hudson River after his roommate clandestinely filmed Clement in the midst of a sexual encounter with another male and proceeded to post the video online (www.insidehighered.com).
Another well-known cyberbullying-linked suicide was that of 17-year-old Alexis Pilkington of Long Island, New York, who committed suicide on March 21, 2010. Pilkington was allegedly a victim of online harassment. According to an article posted on cbsnews.com, there has been an increase of threatening and malicious comments posted on her Facebook page even after her death.
There are numerous organizations that have been put in effect that not only advocate the prevention of cyberbullying but also aid in bringing the issue to the public’s attention. Such organizations include, “PACER’s National Center for Bullying Prevention” (“Teens Against Bullying”) which is promoted by teen pop singer Demi Lovato. Another is, “The Cyberbullying Research Center” which provides statistics, case histories, and facts about cyberbullying including the causes and consequences of cyber harassment. The Cyberbullying Research Center is directed by Dr. Sameer Hinduja and Dr. Justin Patchin; both of which have been studying cyberbullying for about eight years. Furthermore, their website (cyberbullying.us) provides credible information available to the general public in order to educate as well as evoke the importance of the issue. The website also keeps a blog that provides up-to-date information including state-wide laws against cyberbullying.
With the increase of organizations that promote cyberbullying prevention as well as stricter laws against cyber harassment, there is great hope that cyberbullying will decrease.
