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Bullies Go Digital

The internet serves as a powerful tool for educators and social networking sites like Facebook—allowing people to form connections all across the globe.

As with most tools, however, there is a right way and a wrong way to use them. And, in the case of social networking sites, the opportunity to use them in the wrong way can have devastating effects. 

The New York Times recently published an article “As Bullies Go Digital, Parents Play Catch-Up” detailing the agony and frustration of students and their parents who discover first hand the insidious nature of cyber-bullying.  Moreover, school administrators are often caught without the ability to monitor or regulate how students access the internet on campus.

With a computer or cell phone and a minimal amount of expertise, anyone can send threats or spread rumors without fear of consequences or exposure. Perpetrators of this new form of bullying take advantage of the anonymity of the internet along with the relative ease of creating posts under fictitious names. Sometimes even the victims of physical bullying take their revenge via a digital campaign waged against their tormentors.

The Safe School Ambassadors program was designed originally to combat physical violence and mistreatment on campus. These same skills, however, can give students the means to intervene even in cases of cyber-bullying. 

By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), Community Matters Outreach Coordinator

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