Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Platforms of cyberbullying include, but are not limited to, devices and equipment such as mobile phones, computers, and tablets as well as communication tools being social media sites, text messages, online chats, and websites (“What is Cyberbullying”, n.d., para. 1). The spectrum of cyberbullying actions is very wide and famous examples include harassment, rumour spreading, disclosure of personal information of others without consent, humiliation, domination and intimidation based on physical appearance, sex, race, disability or homosexuality. Nasty, degrading or embarrassing comments, rumours, pictures, videos, websites and fake profiles are often directed to or about
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Due to the rise in the use of technology, especially in first world nations such as Singapore, and the inseparability of a cellular phone from its user, the victim becomes a perpetual and unending target of negative behaviour. Social media is also often used for bullying purposes due to the viral nature and common use of these platforms by people around the same age group. Negative comments can be left on a victim's Facebook wall leading to the bullying becoming widespread knowledge among people who can see the victim's wall and potentially extending the number of people bullying the victim. Thus, cyberbullying extends to the homes of victims, penetrating a place that is supposed to provide refuge and respite from problems. While it can be said that victims can avoid such situations by filtering their calls or blocking certain numbers to stop receiving certain calls, the use of social media and the internet remain as threatening forces to a victim. The publishing of insulting and degrading material about a victim is hard to counteract and once posted, it can be downloaded and saved by many other people making it difficult to totally remove and its adverse effects on a victim cannot be prevented. Thus, due to the potentially severe problem that cyberbullying may become through its widespread use and through its effects on victims, …show more content…
According to the statistics from the state university researchers in North Carolina, there has been a nearly 30 percent decline in incidents reported as intimidation or bullying since the 2007-2008 academic year due to the anti-bullying programs (Richmond, n.d., The Mecklenberg Model). The argument is to educate people on how to deal with abusive behaviour whether it is directed at themselves or at other people they know. However, the problem with this argument is that it is based on the view that social education regarding cyberbullying and the criminalization of cyberbullying are two opposing forces when they are in fact interdependent. It is through the use of the dual measures in coordination that a government body may fully be able to deal with cyberbullying rather than using one measure in isolation and neglecting the
Due to the rise in the use of technology, especially in first world nations such as Singapore, and the inseparability of a cellular phone from its user, the victim becomes a perpetual and unending target of negative behaviour. Social media is also often used for bullying purposes due to the viral nature and common use of these platforms by people around the same age group. Negative comments can be left on a victim's Facebook wall leading to the bullying becoming widespread knowledge among people who can see the victim's wall and potentially extending the number of people bullying the victim. Thus, cyberbullying extends to the homes of victims, penetrating a place that is supposed to provide refuge and respite from problems. While it can be said that victims can avoid such situations by filtering their calls or blocking certain numbers to stop receiving certain calls, the use of social media and the internet remain as threatening forces to a victim. The publishing of insulting and degrading material about a victim is hard to counteract and once posted, it can be downloaded and saved by many other people making it difficult to totally remove and its adverse effects on a victim cannot be prevented. Thus, due to the potentially severe problem that cyberbullying may become through its widespread use and through its effects on victims, …show more content…
According to the statistics from the state university researchers in North Carolina, there has been a nearly 30 percent decline in incidents reported as intimidation or bullying since the 2007-2008 academic year due to the anti-bullying programs (Richmond, n.d., The Mecklenberg Model). The argument is to educate people on how to deal with abusive behaviour whether it is directed at themselves or at other people they know. However, the problem with this argument is that it is based on the view that social education regarding cyberbullying and the criminalization of cyberbullying are two opposing forces when they are in fact interdependent. It is through the use of the dual measures in coordination that a government body may fully be able to deal with cyberbullying rather than using one measure in isolation and neglecting the