The United Methodist Church

CONCEPCION ECUMENICAL SCHOOL FOUNDATION INC.

Isabel Subdivision, San Nicolas, Concepcion Tarlac.

CYBERBULL
YING
(RESEARCH)
 Chino M. Macalino
Grade 7 Abraham
CYBERBULLYING

Society has changed in so many respects and has been the same in many others. Just the
processes have been modified. Cyberbullying has been around for a while now, but people have only
recently started to understand that the epidemic needs to be tackled. Let us look at some of the reasons
behind cyberbullying and how everybody should do their part to keep it from happening.

There is a widespread belief that it is just children who suffer from cyberbullying. Of course, they
are influenced by the problem. That has made harder by how difficult it is for parents to keep up with
what their children are doing online. Yet cyberbullying is a phenomenon that can affect everyone and
impacts individuals of every age in the world.

Cyberbullying and the non-consensual sharing of personal images are associated common
phenomena, also referred to as cyberbullying. The central practices in both forms of activity are not
new, but the way in which they are carried out has expanded the complexity and scope of their effect. It
includes the use of information and communication technology that promote intentional, aggressive,
and sometimes repetitive activity by a person or community that is intended to harm others. While it is
possible for anyone to be the victim of cyberbullying, as with more general abuse, children and youth
are the most frequent offenders and targets of this form of behavior.

Bullying is not a recent problem, but the widespread introduction of emerging communications
technology has facilitated the transfer of harassment to cyberspace, a practice commonly called
"cyberbullying." Cyberbullying is of increasing interest to parents, the police, educators and the public
because of its increased prevalence and the fact that it has been identified as a factor in cyberbullying.

Bullying includes a deliberate misuse of force by unjustified and repetitive actions intended to
injure or cause harm in any way. Its effect can be overt (physical and verbal teasing) or indirect
(relational, such as social exclusion and spreading nasty rumors). Bullying is increasingly a concern for
young people and educators, particularly with the increased usage of digital media that make contact
simpler and more readily accessible. Traditionally, harassment activity was generally associated with
school settings; however, this is no longer the case when emerging technology cause victimization to
occur outside of school and at any time of day.

WHAT MOTIVATES CYBERBULLIES?

A lack of empathy

Technology enables people to distance themselves from a situation even while they are in it.
Cyberbullies cannot see the pain they cause and thus cannot imagine the turmoil they put their victims
through. In fact, many cyberbullies who were ousted and questioned after the fact said that the act
made them feel funny and powerful.

Because they feel the victim deserves it

When it comes to school children bullying others, it is often rooted in perceptions of status. Insecurities
are a major factor in bullying and pupils often try to put their peers down to feel superior.

This is true for adults, too.

It is common for people to try and discredit or bully others based on a difference of opinion or a sense of
superiority. Celebrities are not immune to this either. Not long ago, actress Kelly Marie Tran deleted her
Instagram account after constant abuse by Star Wars fans.

Boredom becomes pain

There is no denying that cyberbullies get a sort of kick out of targeting others online. After a while, it can
almost become an addiction of sorts where they need a constant fix.

Anyone who has ever been part of a Facebook or Twitter feud can attest to the fact that it is too easy to
get entangled. These platforms make it hard to ignore incoming messages. It is easy to just type back a
reply or keep logging on to re-read the messages.

Self-loathing

Studies have found that there is a strong connection between previous victims and current cyberbullies.
Much like violence in real life, virtual bullying is a perpetuating cycle of anger. Therefore, the problem
continues to cycle and gets worse each time.

HOW YOUR CHILD MIGHT FEEL IF CYBERBULLIED?

Overwhelmed

Being targeted by cyberbullies is crushing especially if a lot of kids are participating in the bullying. It can
feel at times like the entire world knows what it is going on. Sometimes the stress of dealing with
cyberbullying can cause kids to feel like the situation is more than they can handle.

Powerless

Victims of cyberbullying often find it difficult to feel safe.1 They feel vulnerable and powerless.

Typically, this is because the bullying can invade their home through a computer or cell phone at any
time of day. They no longer have a place where they can escape. To a victim, it feels like bullying is
everywhere.

Additionally, because the bullies can remain anonymous, this can escalate feelings of fear. Kids who are
targeted have no idea who is inflicting the pain—although some cyberbullies choose people they know.

Humiliated
Because cyberbullying occurs in cyberspace, online bullying feels permanent. Kids know that once
something is out there, it will always be out there. They feel exposed. When cyberbullying occurs, the
nasty posts, messages or texts can be shared with multitudes of people. The sheer volume of people
that know about the bullying can lead to intense feelings of humiliation.

Worthless

Cyberbullying often attacks victims where they are most vulnerable. Targets of bullying may feel intense
dissatisfaction with who they are. As a result, targets of cyberbullying often begin to doubt their worth
and value. They may respond to these feelings by harming themselves in some way.

For instance, if a girl is called fat, she may begin a crash diet with the belief that if she alters how she
looks then the bullying will stop. Other times victims will try to change something about their
appearance or attitude to avoid additional cyberbullying.

Vengeful

Sometimes victims of cyberbullying will get angry about what is happening to them. As a result, they
plot revenge and engage in retaliation. This approach is dangerous because it keeps them locked in the
bully-victim cycle. It is always better to forgive a bully than it is to get even.

Disinterested

When cyberbullying is ongoing, victims often relate to the world around them differently than others.
For many, life can feel hopeless and meaningless. They lose interest in things they once enjoyed and
spend less time interacting with family and friends. And, in some cases, depression and thoughts of
suicide can set in.

They may also feel disinterested in school. Cyberbullying victims often have much higher rates of
absenteeism at school than non-bullied kids. They skip school to avoid facing the kids bullying them or
because they are embarrassed and humiliated by the messages that were shared.

Their grades suffer, too, because they find it difficult to concentrate or study because of the anxiety and
stress the bullying causes. And in some cases, kids will either drop out of school or lose interest in
continuing their education after high school.

Isolated

Cyberbullying sometimes causes teens to be excluded and ostracized at school. The child may feel alone
and isolated.1 This experience is particularly painful because friends are crucial at this age. When kids do
not have friends, this can lead to more bullying.

Depressed
Victims of cyberbullying often succumb to anxiety, depression, and other stress-related conditions.2 This
occurs primarily because cyberbullying erodes their self-confidence and self-esteem. Additionally, the
added stress of coping with cyberbullying on a regular basis erodes their feelings of happiness and
contentment.

Physically Sick

When kids are cyberbullied, they often experience headaches, stomachaches, or other physical ailments.
The stress of bullying also can cause stress-related conditions like stomach ulcers and skin conditions.
Additionally, kids who are cyberbullied may experience changes in eating habits like skipping meals or
binge eating. And their sleep patterns may be impacted. They may suffer from insomnia, sleep more
than usual or experience nightmares.

Suicidal

Cyberbullying increases the risk of suicide.3 Kids that are constantly tormented by peers through text
messages, instant messaging, social media, and other outlets, often begin to feel hopeless. They may
even begin to feel like the only way to escape the pain is through suicide. As a result, they may fantasize
about ending their life to escape their tormentors.

WAYS TO PREVENT CYBERBULLYING

Talk with your child about cyberbullying

 Open a discussion with your child about cyberbullying. It is the best way to show them you think
it is important to their lives – and will make it easier for them to come to you in the future:
 Let them know you have become aware of the issue; you might mention it has been in the news
a lot and seems to have become a pretty big thing among teens lately.
 Refer to the stories you may have heard or read about.
 Ask your child if they have ever seen any kind of cyberbullying and let them tell you about it.
 Be careful not to make it an interrogation; listen and open the lines of communication.
 Reassure them you will not take away their social networking access or mobile device. Children
and teens are often afraid to confide in their parents for fear their online access or devices will
be taken away.
 Learn about what your child does online
 While you did not grow up with it yourself, your child's use of social networking, texting, and a
whole range of online activity can seem very foreign. Find out what your kids are doing online.
It's the first important step to keeping them safe.

Learn what sites your child uses and what accounts they have. Talk with them about what they do
online, and who they do it with.

 Try it yourself. It is hard to understand what this is all about without some first-hand experience.
Set up a social networking account and create a profile; try making a simple webcam video or
sending photos; even play one or more of the video games they are immersed in.
  Know the technology – and keep up with it. Learn about the devices your child is using and how
they are using them: instant message, text, visit social networking sites, download content.
Learn what apps they may have on their mobile devices. Learn about Websites and apps your
child may be using.
 Set ground rules for your child's online activity
 If you have not already, start setting some ground rules with your child about their online
activity.

Insist your child use privacy settings. Social networking sites let users control who sees the information
they share. Make sure your child knows how to use the privacy settings on any site where they have
created an account, and how to restrict who sees the messages or photos they post.

 Let your child know you may act if there's reason for concern. Tell them it is part of your job to
keep them safe, and if you feel there is a risk, you may monitor their online communication.
 Educate your children about passwords and how important they are.
 Encourage them to create different passwords for different sites and to never share their
passwords with friends. Learn more about passwords.
 Make sure they use a password to lock their devices. This will protect them if their mobile
device – and what is on it – ever gets into the wrong hands.
 If your child is younger, you can ask them to give you the passwords they use, letting them know
you will only ever use them in an emergency. However, teens see their accounts as their
personal property; demanding they share their passwords with you can backfire by making them
more secretive.
 Teach your child safe online behavior
 A lot of social networking activity is entirely harmless and is part of the way kids today stay
connected with each other. But there are also serious risks. Help your child understand what
they are.

IN CONCLUSION

Cyberbullying is a problem in societies that are advanced enough to have the technology to
connect with other people online and is not easily fixable. Cyberbullying can affect anyone but is most
prominent in today’s youth. If we can curve out this awful behavior early in their age, they are unlikely
to continue down that path. Unfortunately, this is not an easy task. This will require schools, and
especially parents to be aware of the problem and act on it. Eliminating cyberbullying will take a
combined effort and will not be eliminated overnight. If the government is willing to accept that
cyberbullying is a problem, laws can be put in place to help discourage this activity. Even still, parents
and schools should eliminate and stop this behavior now, then laws should not be necessary. So,
schools and parents, be aware of what kids are doing on the internet and their phones, and act if they
are doing something that they should not be. Fighting cyberbullying will take hard work and a mind-shift
in society at large. However, it is essential to start the fight against toxic online behavior now before it
keeps escalating.

“Technology is a big part of everyday life and cyberbullying should not become a regular part of it.”

REFERENCES

https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-are-the-effects-of-cyberbullying-460558

https://sossafetymagazine.com/bullying/the-real-causes-of-cyberbullying/

https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/ntnl-scrt/cbr-scrt/cbrbllng/prnts/prvnt-cbrbllng-en.aspx