Technology is a pressing issue in today’s society, especially for teens. With around half of Eden Prairie Students reporting an experience of cyberbullying, it becomes a bigger issue than just someone calling another person names over the internet.
Cyberbullying’s danger stems from its differences from traditional face-to-face bullying due to its tendency to be persistent and hard to notice. Rumors, threats, gossiping, harassment, and insults are some of the many examples of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying’s innate danger lies in the fact that cyberbullying can be carried out despite the distance. Messages can be sent and received anywhere, which denies victims a safe space, such as their house, as they may receive online harassment no matter the location and time. Due to the anonymous nature of cyberbullying, oftentimes those targeted may not know those responsible, which makes cyberbullying hard to report and destroy.
Cyberbullying presents many long-lasting hazards due to the harsh nature of cyberbullying due to the anonymity aspect. Emotional, behavioral, and mental health issues are all at stake for victims of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is especially serious when regarding issues such as teen suicide. Some studies have shown that victims of cyberbullying are as much as two times more likely to commit suicide.
With cyberbullying remaining a rampant issue, it is important to note strategies to prevent it. By far the easiest method is to hit the block button. While it may be frustrating to give the bully a win, the victim wins by a landslide. Another road of action is to ignore. Often the bully feeds off of the emotions and reactions of the victim, and by denying the satisfaction of sparking a response that the bully craves, it may just stop it. If neither of these options works, it may be best to get someone else involved. Reporting the incident to a social media platform may cause the problem to be immediately fixed through bans. Similarly, reporting the incident to trusted friends or adults can help victims feel less alone and can provide counseling to those suffering from cyberbullying.
Cyber Bullying continues to be an issue for students in high school, and the issue exacerbates as students view social media as an outlet. However, due to the commonness of the issue, many don’t believe the issue to be as pressing as it should be, causing it to be ignored and normalized instead of being solved for. As a way to solve this, students can take numerous steps to overcome the issue. First, it is essential for students to make sure they are safe and no physical threats are made. If so, students should inform a trusted adult about the issue to ensure their safety. To cope with cyberbullying, students should reach out to counselors and professional help if the bullying is getting out of hand and beyond their control.
