Cyber bullying, also known as electronic bullying or online social cruelty, is defined as bullying:
through email ,through instant messaging ,in a chat room ,on a website or gaming site
through digital messages or images sent to a cellular phone
Although sharing certain features in common with traditional bullying, cyber bullying represents a unique phenomenon that has only recently begun to receive attention in both the popular press and in academic circles. Cyber bullying not only looks and feels a bit different than traditional bullying, but presents some unique challenges in dealing with it. (Kowalski, Limber and Agatston, 2007)
"Cyberbullying involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behaviour by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others."
Legislation against cyberbullying
Legislation geared at penalizing cyberbullying has been introduced in a number of states including New York, Missouri, Rhode Island and Maryland. At least seven states passed laws against digital harassment in 2007. Dardenne Prairie of Springfieled, Missouri passed a city ordinance making online harassment a misdemeanor. The city of St. Charles, Missouri has passed a similar ordinance. Missouri is among other states where lawmakers are pursuing state legislation, with a task forces expected to have “cyberbullying” laws drafted and implemented In June, 2008, Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) and Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-Mo.) proposed a federal law that would criminalize acts of cyberbullying.Lawmakers are seeking to address cyberbullying with new legislation because there's currently no specific law on the books that deals with it. A fairly new federal cyberstalking law might address such acts, according to Aftab, but no one has been prosecuted under it yet. The proposed federal law would make it illegal to use electronic means to "coerce, intimidate, harass or cause other substantial emotional distress."
In August 2008, the California state legislature passed one of the first laws in the country to deal directly with cyberbullying. The legislation, Assembly Bill 86, gives school administrators the authority to discipline studies for bullying others offline or online.
Here I would like to share the ABC of cyber bulyying for students ,
ABC’s of Cyber Bullying for Students
Patti Agatston, Ph.D
http://www.cyberbullyhelp.com
A Avoid posting or sending mean comments toward
others online.
B Block the senders who repeatedly send nasty
comments or messages to you.
C Clarify the intent of a message that bothers you.
Maybe the sender was just joking.
D Delete mean messages or comments, but be sure to
save the evidence should the cyber bullying continue.
E Encourage your friends to post positive comments and
messages online.
F Forward abusive messages to the internet service
provider so that it can warn the abuser.
G Generate a positive cyber atmosphere by avoiding
disrespectful treatment of others.
H Help others who are targeted by posting positive or
encouraging messages.
I Invite a classmate who has been targeted online to
participate in an activity with you.
J Join with others to stamp out cyber bullying by
addressing it in student leadership groups.
K Keep a record or log of cyber bullying incidents to
assist you in reporting the incidents.
L Limit the “friends” on your social networking sites or
buddy lists to people you know in the real world.
M Make a public service announcement or start a
campaign in your school to prevent cyber bullying.
N Name aggressive, mean, online behavior as cyber
bullying when you see it. It is not just “playing
around.”
0 Open your eyes to bullying incidents everywhere.
P Protect yourself by using the privacy features on
social networking sites.
Q Quickly report cyber bullying that includes threats of
violence or self-harm, sexual exploitation, or
harassment. Report to a trusted adult or the police.
R Respect others in the real world and the digital world.
S Support targets of bullying online and in the real
world through words of support and offers of help.
T Tell an adult at home and at school if you or your
classmates are being cyber bullied.
U Understand how words can be weapons and choose
yours wisely.
V Verify with the sender that it is okay before you
forward their message to others.
W Write an article for the school newspaper about cyber
bullying to educate other students about this problem.
X “X” amine your own behavior online. Treat others as
you would like to be treated.
Y Yelling online is viewed as rude. Avoid typing in all
caps.
Z Zip your lips and your keyboard when it comes to
gossip and rumors!
The other alternative is buy a Cyberbully Alert programme, ( I have purchased this programme ) installed it in your computer , it could detect and monitor whoever send ur email or enter your website, so if you think someone is bullying you, you could use this as evidence and present it to the authority, its so funny how some people thought they could get away posting in the website just by signing anonymous, in reality people can see their IPS, hahaa some people r sooo stupid...(so mama indo be careful...)
