Cyber bullying, using the Internet, cell phones, or other forms of information technology to bully others, is an easy way for boys to bully other boys and put teens at risk. While most boys use the Internet for friendly communication, cyber bullyin is on the rise. Cyber bullies may use the internet to send intimidating and threatening emails to others, create hostile Web sites, post inaccurate and embarrassing information in blogs, ignore kids who send them messages, and pose as people other than themselves in chat rooms. Cyber bullies may also upload embarrassing photos of their victims online and through cell phones.
Cyber bullying is just as cruel as name calling, exclusion, prank calls, and other traditional forms of bullying, and its consequences can be just as horrifying. Here’s one sad example. Recently a teenage boy from Vermont committed suicide after being bullied online. Another boy pretended to be his friend, and when the first boy shared some personal information about himself, the bully turned the story around and spread rumors that the teenager was gay. To stop the rumors, the Vermont teen started “dating” a girl from his school online. The two chatted all summer over the Internet, but on the first day of school when he approached the girl in front of her friends, she laughed and told him he was a loser she wanted nothing to do with. The bullying and humiliation were too much for the Vermont teen, and he killed himself.
Understanding why kids cyber bully is the first step in figuring out how to prevent this devastating form of bullying. Here are some reasons boys may be drawn to cyber bullying:
- As with traditional bullying, kids who cyber bully feel a need to control others. And the Internet is an easy way to gain control. Kids (especially teens) also use the Internet and cell phones to take out their anger and get revenge on other kids.
- When teens have nothing constructive to do, the Internet is an easy place to look for—and find—trouble.
- Some kids think tormenting other people online is fun, and they enjoy the reaction they get from their victims.
- Cyber bullies enjoy the safety and anonymity of numbers—they can bully in groups without ever seeing their victim face to face.
To avoid having your son become a cyber bully or the victim of one, keep the lines of communication open so that you know what is going on in his life. In addition, as difficult as it may be, you must monitor what your son is doing online and with his cell phone.