Cyberbullying - It's not Just at School Any More

1 in 3 students in over 30 countries have reported being a victim of cyberbullying, in the average United States classroom this translates to over 1/3 of students being a victim of this act, and the numbers have only increased since the pandemic with the implementation of online learning (Wylie, 2019). In our world, where teens are on a screen for over 7 hours a day, it is imperative we empower our children and students with the knowledge of how to be respectful and responsible digital citizens (Rogers, 2019). But teaching our children and students how to navigate both the physical world and digital world is a huge undertaking and one not for the faint of heart. I'm sure we can all agree, it would be much easier to assume the stance that as long as our children are kind in person that they would probably follow that practice online. However, with shows like Catfish becoming mainstream and our world evolving to allow children o have access to technology now more than ever we cannot just assume that our children will be able to translate their knowledge of how to be empowering individuals or not act as a bystander to bullying in the cyber world. 

In the age where people are always connected, whether through their computers or cell phones, our ability to communicate effectively, responsibly, and compassionately is more relevant than ever. Studies have shown that victims of cyberbullying under the age of 25 are twice as likely to self-harm or attempt suicide (Newman, 2018). Me, as a victim of cyberbullying both as an adult and teenager, can confirm that the detriments of being cyberbullied are dire and can result in some of the most painful moments I to date have experienced. However, there is hope and that hope can take the form of the integration of socio-emotional learning in our classrooms and curricula as a means of teaching educators how to effectively respond to bullying, students how to use their voice in a productive way, and parents on how to help their children be responsible digital citizens. 

I believe it is necessary for us, as a society, to continue to adapt and pivot when challenges arise and face us as a community and I believe that cyberbullying is no different. For years, The United States has made a point of collecting data on bullying in our schools as a means of formulating an appropriate response for our educators and educational leaders to take in their schools. However, the pandemic threw a curveball into this data collection and, beyond that, allowed us insight into a problem that was festering before Covid ever existed. Cyberbullying didn't just start when the pandemic did, it just became a more visible problem, a visible problem that warrants an immediate response. 

So what do you, as an adult, do about this? Use your voice. As an adult, you have the innate ability to see an injustice and respond to it in a solution-based manner, and, no, responding doesn't mean making a snarky comment in a reactive manner. Responding can mean reporting the post to the social media provider, sending the post to an individual who is able to take further action, or even reporting the post to the proper law enforcement authorities if the situation warrants it (such as someone threatening to harm another individual or posting something that could be construed as a threat). This week, take a moment to read through the posts you read online and really identify whether or not the post's comments could be identified as a form of bullying and, if they are, respond accordingly to best resolve the matter in a solution-based form. A simple task of reporting a post, or comment, truly could help someone and their experience in navigating this digital world. 

References

Newman, C. (2018, April 19). Young victims of cyberbullying twice as likely to attempt suicide and self-harm, study finds. Swanesa University. https://www-2018.swansea.ac.uk/press-office/news-archive/2018/youngvictimsofcyberbullyingtwiceaslikelytoattemptsuicideandself-harmstudyfinds.php

Rogers, K. C. (2019, October 29). US teens use screens more than seven hours a day on average. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/29/health/common-sense-kids-media-use-report-wellness/index.html

Wylie, H. (2019, September 3). UNICEF poll: More than a third of young people in 30 countries report being a victim of online bullying. UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-poll-more-third-young-people-30-countries-report-being-victim-online-bullying

Media References

All the Latest Cyber Bullying Statistics and What They Mean In 2022. (2022). BroadbandSearch.Net. https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/cyber-bullying-statistics

Hinduja, S. (2022, March 8). Cyberbullying in 2021 by Age, Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Race. Cyberbullying Research Center. https://cyberbullying.org/cyberbullying-statistics-age-gender-sexual-orientation-race

What’s Cyberbullying? (2018, November 6). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ctd75a7_Yw