Monday, November 24, 2008
Case# 39 - Cyberbullying On The Rise
“Cyber bullying” is a new term that seems to be a household phrase that is infiltrating many homes with teenagers and young children. While it is important to discuss preventative ways to deter these actions, it’s also important to understand why there has been such an extensive rise of cyber bullying.Traditional bullying occurs in the classroom or on school grounds, but technologically savvy kids are taking their unsettling words to the Internet through email, MySpace, Facebook, other websites and text and instant messages. Cyber bullies are posting disturbing messages, videos and images of their contacts onto the web where millions of other people can see. Cyber bullies can also remain anonymous on websites and through email messages so the increase of bullies on the web is also rising.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noticed a rise in cyber bullying. In 2000, only nine percent of kids ages 10 to 17 experienced this type of bullying. The percentage has now reached 50 percent for 2008. Another study shows that 64 percent of the teens that said they were the victim of cyber bullying were never bullied at school. There are a few reasons why this rate has increased so much. This age bracket is becoming more technologically savvy as a result of entertainment and their other interests going online. Schools are also teaching students how to use the Internet to acquire help with projects and homework. Social media groups also let these kids create a profile about themselves and easy ways to communicate with others.
i-SAFE Inc., a worldwide leader in Internet safety education, conducted a study to prove the rise of cyber bullying. Their conclusions showed that: 53 percent of the 1500 student surveyed have admitted to saying something mean or hurtful to a person through the Internet; 42 percent of those surveyed have experienced bullying online; and 58 percent of those surveyed have had someone say something hurtful to them online. Even more alarming, 58 percent never told their parents about their experienced with being bullied online.
While it may seem like a simple solution to prevent cyber bullying is to take away all computer privileges, many of today’s kids use these websites and Internet tools as another way of socializing. MySpace cyber bullying is a popular mode because bullies can post hateful information on another person’s profile page or on their own page, or a bully can create a separate profile just about bullying this particular person. Facebook cyber bullying is similar to MySpace cyber bullying because they can create fake identities or create a page with the sole purpose of bullying another person. Twitter is another social media network that is adding to the rise of cyber bullying. A user can “follow” another person to post status updates or send mean messages. Users can also post links to websites about cyber bulling as “helpful” how-to guides.
In extreme cases, kids are learning how to create their own websites, free of charge, to target a while site about bullying individuals. The person gains acceptance with their group of friends because they are humiliating the other person for everyone to see. Then, the bully will use MySpace, Facebook or Twitter to spread the word about additions to their hateful website.
Access to the Internet is also increasing. Local small businesses are offering free wireless Internet access for their customers as a marketing tool to increase their sales. Cell phones offer quick and simple access to the Internet. The Internet is offered in school libraries and classrooms for school work and educational tools. If your child is not allowed on the web while they are at home, of course they are going to find alternative ways to stay connected.
Some social media websites require the child’s email address and password to gain access into their account. This limits the ability for a parent to monitor their navigation through certain sites and some parents just aren’t involved enough to be concerned with what is going on over the internet. Without an open level of communication between child and parent, there may be another life your child is leading without you even knowing.
ORIGINAL
Labels: cyberbully, cyberstalking, defamation, emotional abuse, hurt, libel, slander, smear campaign
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Case# 14 Rose Desrochers Is At It Again.
It has been a long time since I have blogged, and that has been for many reasons. My life has been quite busy even though the grand boys left 2 months ago. Spring is here, so therefore spring cleaning, the garden is up and needs to be attended to, and pretty much life in general. Also, I have not really been up to par since my daughter left for war in Iraq recently.I had actually decided at one point not to blog about Rose anymore, as I could not change her ways or completely warn others about her, and the importance of doing so somewhat left me of even trying to do so. With so many new changes in my life, which a lot of those changes were soul searching times spent in my garden, I had pretty much given up on being concerned about her and wasting my time with her.
But that all changed recently, as I decided to visit the new and booming MYLOT site. This site has a lot of potential and I actually learned about MYLOT from reading one of Rose's Blogs a few months back. While I was reading all the discussions, which by the way, many are great and well thought out, I decided what the heck, I will check Rose's profile out while here also and what she has to say and how others respond to her. OH MY GOD!! I guess I came in at the right time to see what the heck was going on AGAIN!
The drama has started all over again. And it is truly sad. She has once again managed to start flame wars, flying insults to members, criticize, belittle and hurt so many feelings here. I bet many can guess why! They did not agree with her opinions or play by her rules. And of course, she is the victim again if members shot back in defense of her outbursts. She has managed to get so many angry with her, a forum almost dedicated to her shows up in cyberspace. And of course she is angry about that, as she does not appreciate people talking behind her back. She must have forgotten what she and her husband did with the forum on Invision Graphics called HALL OF SHAME, and what that felt like to many, to include myself. I am glad to report that HALL OF SHAME on that site is now down.
She has angered and insulted so many on MYLOT, and what is so sad about this, is that from what I can tell, they are really nice and compassionate people, and many used to be her friends and on a list like MySpace does, but apparently once they disagreed with her, she uses the option to deleted them off her list. This is just such familiar behavior with her. This has happened to so many, and not just on MYLOT but in the past as well. Sad thing is, the members on MYLOT have no idea what they did wrong or what happened, and feel a great deal of hurt, and even guilt!
But many did not tolerate it from the beginning and flew with their own remarks toward her, and she wondered why? Many of those comments and discussions were deleted, yet I did my thing again of copy and paste to save. Sometimes I am scared to death that something will come out of all this and my computer will be taken for proof concerning her. LOL And I cannot say for sure, but I think she had something to do with many of the comments and discussions being removed or deleted.
Thing is, now that others are in defense and pretty much ganging up on her, she cries victim with new discussions or new comments on other discussions. In her own discussions and in comments, she talks about how she would never insult people or resort to name calling, when that is the very thing she did. AGAIN! Does this not sound familiar with her behavior? WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?
I am once again angered, as from what I have read, the majority of these people are really kind and compassionate and go over and aboard to give others and she a chance to speak, or try to explain their cause, especially when she gets upset as they feel she just did not understand. And respond to that. And they continue to do this after they have been attacked by her. Many times more than once. Yet, she has the nerve to call foul as if a game and victim.
Being compassionate of what one believes in is understandable and admirable, and needed to make the world go round. We really all want to speak our mind and voice our opinion and let our voice be heard in chance to change things we feel so compassionate about. That is what makes FREEDOM OF SPEECH so important to us all. That in many ways is really what makes the world go round as it changes, and will change laws, thoughts and the world in general.
It has taken me days and days or reading when I can find the time to do so concerning this new outbreak with Rose, and it breaks my heart to see how cruelly Rose has treated so many there. It makes me want to once again warn and fight for the victims that Rose places in her path. And as always, when things get hot coming her way, the discussions or comments were given by her of how awful people treat her for no reason. As John Stossel would say "Give me a break".
I guess I am not ready to let Rose go without warning people still, and I hope others will see with this blog of WHAT LIES BENEATH.
Katie
