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Zhou YuanYuan 2122033Z

Negative Impacts of Cyber-bullying

Introduction
Internet has become an integral part for people's daily communication nowadays.
Social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitters, have been built up as the
most popular Internet-based communities. The Guardian shows the number of active
users at Facebook has boosted to 1.23 billion by the end of 20131. When considering
the number of young Internet user, for example, 94% of the US teenagers from 12 to
17 used Intent, 71% of them have social network site profiles in 2010(Li, ed. 2012).
On these social networking sites, youth can not only express their individual opinions
but also interact with other users by comments. In some cases, they rudely spread
negative emotions, even tease, bully, defame, humiliate to others, including
anonymities, although at most times, normal or polite expressions are usedHinduja
and Patchin, 2009. The cases of online bullying have doubled to 4507 in 2012-20132.
In UK, 7 in 10 young people experienced cyber bullying, with 54% adolescence being
bullied in Facebook.
In order to find out the reason behind this phenomenon, this essay analyzes the
characteristics of Internet and its impact on youth in terms of cyber-bullying, followed
by the current solutions and their evaluations.
The reasons behind the impacts of cyber-bullying on youth and its consequences
Cyber-bullying is the deliberate, malicious and repeated harm- teens using various
electronics devices harass, threaten or hurt peers by instant messages, emails and
social networking sites, which theory is hold by Myers, Mccaw and Hemphill
(2011,cited in The national crime prevention council). Cyber-bullying has caused
deep impact on society. There is a considerable number of victims of cyber-bullying
(Li, 2012; Willard, et al, 2006).
Hinduja and Patchin (2009) point out that Cyber-bullying harasses others
psychologically beyond physical aggressions, involving Internet usage. Compared
with that, the traditional bullying usually happens between two people or small groups
in public, more often with physical harm. In contrast, firstly victims who experience
bullying online would inflict harm deeply. The cyber-bullying is worldwide spread,
without space and time limitation, could increase the seriousness of case along with
the characteristics of the Internet. Tumors, gossips and malicious behaviors can be
repeated, be diffused rapidly. Secondly, anonymity challenges the supervision. They
can escape and hide themselves without any punishment. Admittedly, anonymity and
pseudonymity are common phenomenon. Fake account can cover true identities of the
bullies, who contribute to extreme viciousness and unconscionable textual violence
1

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2014/feb/04/facebook-in-numbers-statistics

2 http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html

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regardless any consideration of the result of their delinquencies. As the third aspect,
the various methods of dissemination of information lead to the seriousness of
victimization. It means though the medium of email, instant texts, networking sites,
attack behavior can be implemented at same time, led the bullies go deeper.
Along with the characteristics of Internet, the underage Internet users may be more
subject to impact of the cyberbullying. They are immature and lack of coping or
cognitive skills, who can be easily influenced by willful bullies. When they response
or express their thoughts directly under emotions, it can be incited to hurt others. To
some extend these juvenile are either victims or aggressors. Additionally, most of
children did not tell their parents when they experience online bullying. They are
concerned with the access to Internet, for example chatting, playing games, and
posting their life online because the access would be limited by their parents once this
problem is known. They cover the truth of being bullied and this would cause the
difficulties of the preventions.
Thus the consequence of Cyber bullying on youth is much more negative and it has
long time effect than that of traditional bullying, with the involvement of Internet.
These findings are supported in research by Li (2012), who reports that
online-bullying results in anxiety, depression, and even suicide, which can damage
adolescence and teens. In 2012-2013 the case of online bullying soared 87%, rising 41%
in contacts about self-harm and increased 33% in young people feeling suicidal3-the
suicide of a 14 year-old girl Amnesia caused an against action in Italy, which aroused
the attention of whole public4.

Current online prevention and offline intervention strategies.

Who should take the responsibility for these victims, how cyber-bullying can be
prevented? It urges governments, educational institutions and parents to address this
issue.
Offline Strategies: firstly, from governments perspective, legislations can deter
aggressors from bullying victims. Currently, they enforce some legislations to bullies,
such as fines and jail up to two years (Li, 2012). The act outline obligations of
Internet providers, media websites, and public education institutions in terms of
educators. Therefore they would take responsibility to monitor childrens whatever
online or offline behaviors and to paid the cost (punish) once cyber-bullying happens.
In the USA and Japan, they have such enacted laws to prevent teens[1], different
views regarding the solutions are held by some countries. For instance, Germany and
Britain force on rising awareness, which need to take time, although it is the basic one.

3 http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/08/cyberbullying-more-children-affected-childline
4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26151425

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Secondly, educational institutions play the role of educating and training students and
their parents, through the guidance material. Is it really effective? In Australia, they
obey this kind of regulations but do not have evidence to support that. Thirdly,
develop anti-cyberbullying policies and organize anti-cyberbullying actives, to arise
public awareness. UK has successfully set a series anti-cyber-bullying events, but in
some countries such as India and China there are no any relevant laws.
Online prevention: develop supervision and censorship, through setting online filters
to block a black list and monitor content. There is a few automatic detection software,
which are effective to prohibit computer users from accessing inappropriate sites. One
challenge to develop censorships is the expense. Not all countries can afford to install
them to social websites. Overall, whatever which approaches they have for prevention
and intervention, the problem is still difficult to solve in a short time.
Conclusion:
Cyber-bullying is a global issue amongst children and adolescence, with dire
consequences.
Currently, there are many possible effort in offline preventions measures and online
approaches, devoted to reduce the amount of incident. However, taken the scope and
depth of this problem into consideration, it is urgent that the relevant law need be
completed relevant law and the protection ways need be improved and developed in
some lack counties.

Reference:
[1] Hinduja, S & Patchin, J (2009) Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and
Responding to Cyberbullying, Corwin Press, p5, 75
[2] Sullivan, K (2011) 2nd Edition, The Anti-Bullying Handbook, SAGE Publication, p
[3] Li,Q; Cross, D; Smith ,P; (2012) Cyberbullying in the Global Playground,
Wiley-Blackwell , Li,Q ,ed
[4] Myers, J; Mccaw, S; Hemphill, J; (2011) Responding to Cyberbullying : An
Action Tool for School Leaders, Corwin Press,p3
[5] Campbell, Marilyn A (2005) Cyber bullying: An old problem in a new guise?.
Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling 15(1):68-76.
[6] Sedghi .A, Facebook: 10 years of social networkingin,numbers. The Guardian
Tuesday 4 February 2014.

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At:http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2014/feb/04/facebook-in-numbers-stat
istics (accessed 6th July, 2014)
[7]http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/08/cyberbullying-more-children-affe
cted-childline
[8] http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html
[9] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26151425
[10] http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/cyberbullying.aspx

Bibliography:
http://stopcyberbullying.org/parents/youth_empowered_solutions.html
http://www.bullying.co.uk/cyberbullying/
http://www.cybersmile.org
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/help-and-advice/for-parents/online-safety/cyberbullying/cyb
erbullying_wda99645.html
http://www.cyberbullying.us/Cyberbullying_Identification_Prevention_Response_Fac
t_Sheet.pdf
http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/prevention/index.html
http://www.cyberbullying.org