| |
Discussion: 'Defriending' latest form of adolescent cyberbullying
Member Since: 10/5/2005
Posts: 11,422
|
'Defriending' latest form of adolescent cyberbullying
Quote:
'Defriending' latest form of adolescent cyberbullying
Sen. Amy Klobuchar gathered an expert panel to define online bullying and offer legal solutions.
By JEREMY OLSON, Star Tribune
Last update: October 21, 2010 - 9:04 PM
The suicide of college student Tyler Clementi, whose sexual encounter was secretly streamed online via webcam, showed the brazen side of cyberbullying -- along with its cost.
But sometimes, cyberbullying takes place with nary a word texted or a message posted, a panel of Internet experts said in Minneapolis on Thursday.
Complaints are now surfacing from despondent teens who have been shut out by groups of friends or classmates on Facebook or other social networking sites, said Shayla Thiel Stern, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota who researches youth communication.
The pain of "massive defriending" is as real to youths as if nobody talked to them at school, she said. "In a lot of cases, this is just as devastating to them as online harassment."
Thiel Stern joined a cyber-crimes investigator, a Northfield parent whose daughter was victimized online, and a public policy expert for Facebook on Thursday to discuss the many forms that cyberbullying can take and the legal, technological and parenting solutions that might be available.
The forum at Augsburg College was arranged by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who has written federal legislation that would make it easier to prosecute online stalkers and to require schools to have bullying policies.
Surveys have estimated that a third to half of adolescents and teens have been bullied or harassed online.
While the bullying might not result in physical bruises, it can be emotionally traumatizing and inescapable for teens who use e-mail and texting as a primary form of communication.
"A bully on the Internet has the whole world as his school yard," Klobuchar said.
The veil of the computer screen also makes it easier for bullies to be cruel and for others to pile on to what they see on social networking sites, panelists said.
Lynn Miland of Northfield, Minn., said her autistic daughter was assaulted by a bully in high school a few years ago, but that the attack was preceded by weeks of harassment online.
"The bruises have long since faded," said Miland, who now advocates for disabled children through the Pacer Center, "but it's something that is hard to forget."
Sometimes it's the reverse -- online bullying follows physical bullying. Victims have filed assault complaints with police, only to be harassed online by their assailants, said Brian Hill, a computer forensics investigator with the Anoka County Sheriff's Office. "It's definitely not a myth. It's out there and it happens."
Nicole Jackson Colaco, a Facebook public policy manager who participated in the panel, encouraged parents to get more involved. Those who are Web-illiterate can empower their children and ask them to demonstrate how social networking works, she said.
Ideally, she added, conversations about the pitfalls should start before parents allow children access to social networking.
"You wouldn't put your kids in a pool without teaching them to swim," she said.
Some parents require that they be Facebook "friends" who can see their kids' pages. All families should use Facebook's privacy tools and their own judgment to control their online worlds, she added. "It seems like a no-brainer, but you never have to accept a friend request."
Klobuchar admitted she once embarrassed her daughter by admitting in public that she didn't understand the online acronym "LOL." She has become more savvy, now knowing that "POS" is her daughter's warning to friends online that Parents are looking Over her Shoulder. She discourages her daughter from posting specifics about her schedule, address or whereabouts.
Panelists were mindful of the recent death of Clementi. Jackson Colaco said a memorial Facebook page to him hosted compelling discussions about sexuality, but also drew hate speech that was removed. She said Facebook prioritizes complaints it receives about harassment or bullying and actively trolls for content that violates its policies. Authors of that content can be warned or removed from the site.
"We are seeing a lot of hateful language on the [memorial] site," she said. "We're going after it."
|
This is rather cruel. As an adult, some of us would be like "Okayyyyy...whatever?" But the social needs of a middle/high schooler are quite fragile from my viewpoint.
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 11/10/2009
Posts: 19,215
|
This is so sad  While the internet is a wonderful place, it is very dangerous for fragile minds.
|
|
|
|
Banned
Member Since: 8/23/2010
Posts: 428
|
Quote:
Originally posted by BTrisc0392
This is so sad While the internet is a wonderful place, it is very dangerous for fragile minds. |
This.
Some people are just brutal. It's easy to be mean to someone when you can't see them being hurt by it. Some people are too fragile to handle that meanness. I feel bad. Everyone needs a good 
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 10/3/2010
Posts: 50,276
|
lol  not that this is funny because its not, but if people were to "defriend" me I couldn't care less....
besides Facebook is overrated I only go on once a week to post my UK Top 50 video lol
This is sad though....  
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 3/4/2009
Posts: 5,549
|
The article makes an interesting point. Since media, internet and social networking web-sites are so evolutionarily novel, subconsciously people think that they are directly communicating with their acquaintances through them, so being "defriended", or extensively bullied online feels almost the same way as the face-to-face bullying would...(I don't know if I made myself clear here).
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 9/13/2009
Posts: 22,181
|
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 10/28/2008
Posts: 22,771
|
At least, you can always have someone who will stand up and defend you which is a rather rare occurrence in the real world.
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 1/21/2008
Posts: 3,607
|
I love Internet, and I sure as hell appreciate the fact that it exists, but there needs to be strict legislations to prevent it from turning a generation of innocent souls into insensitive douchebags. It's just too easy to be unnecessarily mean and cruel when you don't have to look at the people you are hurting. Make full use of the greatest invention of our time, but also take the consequences of whatever you do on it. The lawmakers need to make sure that's the way it is.
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 9/5/2010
Posts: 4,381
|
Quote:
Originally posted by fanoftalent
The article makes an interesting point. Since media, internet and social networking web-sites are so evolutionarily novel, subconsciously people think that they are directly communicating with their acquaintances through them, so being "defriended", or extensively bullied online feels almost the same way as the face-to-face bullying would...(I don't know if I made myself clear here).
|
That much is true, and I find it even worse if someone gets blocked for no given reason....it just feels...bad and confusing.
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 10/8/2009
Posts: 35,527
|
Sad but true.
I completely agree with BTrisc0392's comment.
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 3/2/2008
Posts: 14,823
|
Some people take the Internet way too seriously, and many people abuse it.
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 11/10/2009
Posts: 19,215
|
The reason why the Internet so dangerous is that young children barely have any concept of what the real world is really like. They were born into this era and are being exposed more and more to the Internet and media every day. By the time they become teenagers, the Internet WILL be their world. Don't believe me? Gaming occurs online, face-to-face conversations occur online, shopping occurs online, research occurs online, even school now occurs online. Essentially, a child exploring the internet without parental controls is like a child wandering a city by himself/herself.
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 7/10/2010
Posts: 9,489
|
I would hate to see how some people would reacted if they came to atrl... This site would not be a place for them
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 6/4/2010
Posts: 38,919
|
Quote:
Originally posted by Pharaoh Omega
I would hate to see how some people would reacted if they came to atrl... This site would not be a place for them
|
I think people like us tend to be a little different from the regular people of the world who aren't really into online communities like ATRL. We're definitely not as fragile.
As someone said people take the internet way too seriously.
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 11/13/2009
Posts: 25,902
|
Quote:
Originally posted by Hi.Ðefinitiøn
I think people like us tend to be a little different from the regular people of the world who aren't really into online communities like ATRL.
|
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
