Cyber Bullying

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Session 3

• Cyber Bullying

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What is Cyber Bullying?

• Sending or posting harmful or cruel text or
  images using the Internet or other digital
  communication devices

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Cyber Bullying is

• Sending cruel, vicious, or threatening messages
• Creating web sites that have stories, cartoons,
  pictures, jokes ridiculing others

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• Posting pictures of classmates online to rate or
  having booths to vote for the ugliest, fattest,
  dumbest,
• Who is the biggest (derogatory term)?

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• Breaking into an e-mail account sending vicious
  or embarrassing materials.
• Communicating in IM (instant messaging), tricking
  the person into revealing sensitive, personal
  information, forwarding that information to
  others

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• Taking an embarrassing picture (locker room) of a
  person with a camera phone or digital camera and
  forwarding the picture to others.

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Who are Cyber Bullies?

• Anyone! Some of your most unlikely students take
  part in shocking internet communication.

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Why Technology?

• It is a world away from adult knowledge
  and supervision
• Feelings of anonymity with the ability to attack
  any time, any place

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• Home is no longer a safe refuge from the school
  bully.

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• The bully can accuse someone else of using his
  screen name
• The bully feels removed from the action and the
  person at the receiving end

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• No tangible feedback about the consequences of
  the action on others
• Lack of feedback lack of empathy or remorse

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• Text messaging with cell phones
• provides constant access to the target
• Example Students used a camera phone to take a
  picture of an overweight classmate in the gym
  shower. The picture was distributed throughout
  the school in minutes

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So What???

• If youre a target, contact your Internet service
  provider and/or cell phone service provider
• Adults need to learn all they can about the
  Internet and what kids are doing online.

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• Encourage kids to tell a trusted adult if cyber
  bullying occurs.
• Never post or say anything you wouldnt want the
  whole world
• (including your mom and teacher) to read

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• Guard your contact information
• If youre being harassed, leave the area (chat
  room, instant messaging)
• Block senders messages

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• NEVER respond to harassing messages
• Save harassing messages and forward to Internet
  Service Provider

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• If messages include threats, call police
• School anti-bullying rules and policies need to
  address cyber bullying

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• Closely monitor
  students computer use
• If schools Internet system is used to bully, the
  school is obligated to take action.

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• Notify parents of bullies and targets

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Web Sites Resources

• www.hateboard.com
• www.myspace.com
• www.xanga.com
• www.schoolscandal.com
• www.teenangels.com
• www.livejournal.com
• www.transl8it.com (helps translate text messages)
• www.webopedia.com (help navigating online terms
  acronyms
• www.urbandictionary.com
• www.myfreeproxy.com (allows students to bypass
  web blocks)
• www.ratemyschool.com

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• www.cyberbully.org
• www.bullying.org
• www.cyberbullying.us
• www.tolerance.org
• www.opheliaproject.com
• www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov
• www.CastleWorks.com
• www.empowerprogram.org