Slashdot Mirror
Cyberbullying Gains Momentum in US
interglossa writes "Findings from the Pew Internet Project are being reported on the BBC news web site, indicating a rising incidence of cyberbullying among teenagers in the United States. The study showed a slightly higher incidence among those visiting social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Tactics cited include being 'the victim of an aggressive email, IM or text message' and 'having a rumor spread about them online'. While the concept of cyberbully has been around in the US for a while, most coverage of the issue has focused on more extreme examples abroad. It would seem young people in the US are fully adapting to the anonymity of online interactions."
I ask myself...To be the victim of a cyberbully: Does that even constitute as being victimized? Who in their right mind would even consider that as a cause for any reaction whatsoever, other than a hearty laugh at the expense of the loser who thinks picking on people over the internet puts him up on some sort of proverbial pedestal?
Now, don't get me wrong, I know there are very extreme cases where these issues can turn into cyberstalking, in which a person's actual, physical being is in jeopardy from actual, physical harm, but a few nasty e-mails, or a few comments in your myspace box? Come on! How much of a low self esteem do you have to let such anonymous and distant remarks get to you on some level?
Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you. Does that saying have any more meaning?! Doesn't anyone apply it anymore? Hell, if words can't hurt you, I doubt text can do any more. Atleast when someone is spewing insults at your face, you might feel inclined to cry or whatnot, but text? You don't even have to read it if you don't want to. People can be blocked from contacting you through many mediums. People can be banned.
This is just another way of showing us how we've declined as emotional entities. To show us just how damn sensitive people are when they're being taunted from someone they probably don't even know, and will probably NEVER meet. Those people need help. A lot of help.