Cyber bullying takes behaviour born

Cyber bullying takes behaviour born in the schoolyard and adds two elements: ubiquity and anonymity. “Think of the ways we’ve used technology to make our lives portable; pervasive, with you all the time. Now throw someone who doesn’t like you into that mix. The reason is unimportant. What matters is they have a presence in this portable world, as do you. And with that point of connection the taunting, the insults and the negativity are now portable”, says ABC writer, William Cohen. “Add to this that there’s been a ton of research to show placing a layer of technology between you and someone you know makes it easier to say things that you’d never say to their face. This freedom only becomes more powerful when your real identity is taken out of the equation.”

With the pervasiveness of social networking, the anonymity of the Internet, and the existence of bullying, it’s about time we connect the risks potentially faced online with the relevant piece of the puzzle: Awareness. If we are to help teenagers deal with being bullied in a virtual environment, parents, caregivers, teachers and trainers need to be aware of the problem’s mechanics, not just alarmed by its outcomes, to guarantee a safer and more interesting social media experience for teenagers.