As one reporter appropriately put it, "The Web never stops and it never forgets."ġ2312Psychology. Not only does cyberbullying follow students from school to their homes, but harassing statements can be read and remembered over and over again, even years later. Because of this, cyberbullying, unlike off-line bullying, is usually permanent. Moreover, audience members can easily perpetuate the bullying by adding online comments or by simply forwarding messages and links to others. The audience mentality allows others to "join in on 'the fun'" who may not have done so in a physical confrontation. This may encourage the bullying to get more malicious for they not able to see the affect their words have on the victim. Cyberbullying gives bullies physical distance from their victims, while at the same time allowing for a greater audience.
The words or images used in cyber bullying can be seen again and by the victim and by unlimited other teens if items are posted to social medias. There is also a sense of “staying power” in cyber bullying. For example, three Louisiana students were recently arrested for cyberbullying, despite the fact that they were all honor students. Because of anonymity, cyberbullies may not fit the profile of the typical bully. Bullies can easily take on fake Internet identities or even take on the identities of other students so that "victims often do not know who the bully is, or why they are being targeted.'' They can set up a fake email address or use someone else's mobile phone, for example. While most people believe that bullying happens most often in and around the schoolyard, more recently teens have been able to use technology to take bullying to a whole new level.ġ2321Animosity.
When contacted again in 2010, the percentage of students harassed via cellphones alone went to 26%. Prevelance: In 2007, roughly 32% of teens who use the internet said they’d received threatening messages, had e-mails or text messages forwarded without consent, had an embarrassing picture posted without consent, had rumors about them spread online, or experienced some other kind of online harassment. Although everyone agrees that cyber-bullying can be devastating and even dangerous, people disagree on how to balance students’ freedom with student protection. Megan had hanged herself and died a day later. Megan’s mom discovered her daughter's body in a bedroom closet on Oct. All seemed to go well between them until Megan started getting messages from Josh on her MySpace on saying, 'I don't know if I want to be friends with you any longer because I hear you're not nice to your friends.” The conversation devastated Megan, who could not understand how and why her friendship ended. Yet Megan and Josh continued to talk online. Evans said he didn't have a phone so Megan could not contact him.
But what began as a promising online friendship soon turned sour, as compliments turned to insults. Josh Evans claimed to be a 16-year-old boy who lived nearby and was home schooled. When a cute boy befriended Megan on the social networking site MySpace, the two formed a quick connection during their more than month-long relationship. 12312Megan Meier was looking forward to her 14th birthday and having her braces removed.