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Cyber bullies hide behind computer screens, protected, and it fuels their power. But actually, it shows a real weakness of character. This “power” can hurt, diminish, and even destroy lives. Is it worth it? These recent studies show the realities of cyberbullying:
- “Among overweight adolescents, 61% have received mean or embarrassing posts online and 59% have received mean texts, e-mails or instant messages” (Anderson, Bresnahan, & Musatics, 2014).
- Cyberbullying has negative effects on victims, such as lowering self-esteem, increasing depression and producing feelings of powerlessness (Anderson, Bresnahan, & Musatics, 2014).
- Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University (Yale University, Office of Public Affairs, “Bullying-Suicide Link Explored in New Study by Researchers at Yale”)
One last statistic: “It is estimated that about 2.2 million students experienced cyberbullying in 2011” (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2013). With these numbers, it ‘s safe to assume we’ve all experienced cyberbullying on some level. My first experience left me in a state of shock and hurt. I wanted to ask the person who posted the horrible message why he or she did it, but I never had the chance. I never found out who it was since he/she hid behind a fake username. But what I did learn from the experience was the following: 1) the attack was more about the bully than me 2) while I felt vulnerable and exposed, I didn’t have to let it overpower me and 3) there was something I could do about it.
I decided to fight back. Now, I’m not saying to wage a full-on cyber war. Posting responses can fuel bullies and often do more harm than good. But I am saying that you can do something—whether it’s getting a post removed from social sites, informing others about bullying, or simply not letting it overpower you (I know, easier said than done). I could have ignored the hateful post and let him have the power, but I didn’t. And eventually, the post was removed because I assumed my own power. Let’s promote and support an anti-bullying message so that communities can partner to protect children and young adults from abusive situations.
Websites consulted for statistics used:http://www.meganmeierfoundation.org/cyberbullying-social-media.html and http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-and-suicide.html
girl in the middle 
This post was insightful. I was shocked at the statistics but empowered by your personal experience and how you dealt with it.
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Cyber bullying is, unfortunately, a reality in the world today. You don’t have to be on social media long before you see ugly comments, verbal harassment, and degrading words. I liked how you mentioned that the ‘power’ cyber bullies feel behind their digital device is actually rooted in their own weakness of character. I think you are absolutely right. No one should have to go through cyber bullying and I appreciate the personal experience you shared and the encouragement you provided to stand against this issue. The statistics you provided proved just how real and serious of a problem it is today.
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Lots of people, especially teens, forget that behind technology screens are real people. This post brought this to my attention in more depth. Next time I’ll think before I post on social media.
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Cyberbullying has become a real problem. I liked that you put statistics to show how much of an impact cyberbullying has on people.
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I feel like cyberbullying has became the main way to bully in today’s society. I really like that you put the stats to show how cyberbullying has really affected people. It is really sad to see people kill themselves over somebody bullying them.
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My opinion on this subject probably isn’t a very popular one. I agree with the fact that cyberbullying is a problem in today’s world, and it is definitely a serious issue. But bullying of all kinds has been around since the beginning of time. I feel like the reason cyberbullying seems to be a bigger deal is because kids are not taught how to handle negativity anymore. There will always be bullies; that will never change. It’s the way we react to them that will make a difference.
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I really like that you put the statistics of the impact of cyberbullying. I feel that the majority of people who do things like that are teens, and it’s a shame that some teens think cyberbullying is the cool thing to do. It is most definitely a problem in today’s world.
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I feel like the bullied a lot of times become cyber bullies to get revenge on how they were mistreated. It’s sad that they want to make other people feel the same pain they went through in their reality. In my experience, some people want others to be just as miserable as them. They want to drag everyone down with them instead of trying to deal with the problem that is gnawing at them beneath their rough exteriors. The easiest way for them to spread their misery most of the time is through the media and by bullying others while hiding behind some electronic barrier.
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I really enjoyed reading this post. I admire how you fought back by not instigating a “full-on cyber war” but by spreading awareness as well as offering suggestions on how to cope with a bully and not allowing him to feel that ‘power’ they desire.
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In today’s technologically advanced world, avoiding cyberbullying can be a difficult challenge. Kids and teenagers today, who don’t like to deal with face to face confrontation, often vent their problems on the internet because it is basically easier to deal with. A bully or just a distressed teenager can write about their problems or attack another individual by simply typing a few words onto a keyboard and screen and all of a sudden, that post is out there for the world to see. That, in my opinion, is the strongest downside to the internet and this issue has yet to be resolved. After reading those statistics, it only reaffirms my point that it is much more simple to hide behind a computer screen than to actually get out in the real world and deal with your problems face to face.
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Cyber bullying has become a sad trend in todays world. Some teens don’t even realize they’re bullying until its too late. Technology is an easy cover up, anyone can be anonymous, but when it comes down to I feel as if t, cyber bullying is a huge problem in teenagers today.
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As the world advances, I wonder what the next type of bulling will be. The provided statistics above were shocking,but with your helpful advice, People can protect themselves.
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Cyber-bullying is a major problem in our world today. You told us about your bullying experience and how to properly handle it. How you took power into your own hands and dealt with it the correct way. These cyber-bullies feel unstoppable behind a computer screen and hiding with fake names so they will not be revealed. I think that they use fake names because it keeps them secure and people will never find out how they actually are.
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This post, especially the statistics in the beginning, was eye opening. It truly is sad how the world hides behind a computer today. Ashley’s comment really was sad too. She wondered what the next form of bullying will be. It made me think of how my dad explained how the world has changed since his childhood, and makes me worried about how one day I will have to raise my children in such a wicked world.
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