Bullying: From the Schoolyard to Cyberspace
A disturbing new trend has emerged on the Internet. It's called cyber bullying. The tradition of home as a refuge from bullies on the school playground is over. The Internet is the new playground, and there are no off hours. The popularity of instant messaging, e-mail, web pages, and blogging means that kids are potential targets all day, every day.
The i-SAFE America research team conducted a national survey of more than 1,500 students ranging from fourth to eighth grade. Their assessment? Of all the students surveyed, cyber bullying has affected more than half—on both sides of the issue. Here are a few highlights:
- 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online
- 53% of kids admit having said mean or hurtful things to another child online
- 42% of kids have been bullied while online
Even worse, i-SAFE found out 58 percent of kids have not told their parents or any adult about something mean or hurtful that had happened to them online. i-SAFE offers a supplement to educational curriculum for grades four through eight. The lessons teach kids Cyber Citizenship, so they will not become bullies, and show them what to do in case they ever run into a bully online.
Next: How to Stop Cyber Bullies
