Blog Post #5

Cyberbullying is a terrible problem that is affecting so many of our youth today. My own child is older now but was a victim of cyberbullying during high school. He was already having trouble fitting in and was depressed a lot of the time. Cyberbullying exacerbated the depression and he ended up in the psychiatric hospital for a week. This was one of the most trying experiences of my life and I never want to experience anything like that again. If I had another child, I would not allow any kind of social media under my roof, it's just too toxic of an environment. 

Image Description: Hands pointing out of a computer screen at a woman who has clearly had enough, simulating cyberbullying. 

One of the aspects of cyberbullying that surprised me from the readings was the gender differences. Girls in K-12 schools are more likely to experience and participate in cyberbullying than boys. Boys are more likely to be involved in face-to-face bullying and are more direct with their aggression. Even while online, boys are more overt with bullying while girls are more likely to post gossip with the intent of harming their peers (Bickham, 2021). Honestly, I am not sure which is worse. One is physical and overt while the other can be extremely psychologically damaging. 

Another aspect of cyberbullying that I found interesting was that it does not end with K-12 schools or even in college, but continues throughout life. We tend to throw out the terminology "bullying" once we get out of school, but we should not. Adults are bullies too and all it takes is opening a few posts on social media to see the evidence.

 The Seven Digital Deadly Sins has a few great examples of how adults cyberbully each other and the effects. One story "I Click to Get Angry" involves a person who hate-reads comments online. These comments are bullying and hateful but this man seeks this out as enjoyment. Another story, "Viral wedding invitation," deals with a couple who create an amazing wedding invitation that ends up going viral. The husband is a web designer so he has the knowledge to make an amazing video presentation, however, many online sent terrible messages wishing their marriage to end or calling them idiots for spending so much on the invitation. I can't imagine doing either of these activities. Life is too short to actively seek hate and wedding announcements should only come with congratulations. 

When I address this with my students, I want to be honest, open, and informative. While I believe that students know they are cyberbullying, I do not think they know the lasting effects that may come with these actions. Cyberbullying can lead to severe trauma that can really affect people long-term. I think implementing a program like Screenshots is a fantastic idea. This program can teach students about digital citizenship and deal with issues like conflict resolution and responsibility. With the amount of time kids spend online, digital citizenship is more important now than ever. 


References

Bickham D, Moukalled S, Inyart H, Zlokower R
Evaluating a Middle-School Digital Citizenship Curriculum (Screenshots): Quasi-Experimental Study
JMIR Ment Health 2021;8(9):e26197
URL: https://mental.jmir.org/2021/9/e26197
DOI: 10.2196/26197

Faucher, C., Cassidy, W., & Jackson, M. (2015). From the sandbox to the inbox: Comparing the acts, impacts, and solutions of bullying in k-12, higher education, and the workplace. Journal Of Education And Training Studies, 3(6), 111-125.

“Seven Digital Deadly Sins.” 7 Sins, sins.nfb.ca/. Accessed 14 July 2024.

From the Sandbox to the Inbox: Comparing the Acts, Impacts, and Solutions of Bullying in K-12, Higher Education, and the Workplace

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