The internet is one of the greatest inventions in the field of technology. It makes our world seem smaller, It connects people from hundreds to thousands of miles away with the use of so many social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others. And since many kids have found internet as one of their playground where they can play games and a new place to hang out like social networking sites that can make them a different person where they can remain unknown as they create fake screen names and profiles and be anything they want. Unfortunately, bullies will try anyway and will do anything to replenish their growing hunger to ruin someone else life. Bullies also evolve into one of the most fearful and most harmful criminals, and gave birth into one of the most dangerous forms of bullying and is popular by the name "Cyberbullying". Cyberbullying is the act of harassing other people in a deliberate, repeated, hostile manner using the technology.
I've read an article entitled "The Dangers Of Cyberbullying" by Kathleen Odenthal from the site kathleenodenthal.hubpages.com.
It this article it is said that cyberbullying is becoming more epidemic among children and since the internet has become one of the necessities of every human being because it can connect us to any people in any part of the world, and we can now learn anything in just a click by the way of Google search engine and YouTube tutorials it makes our lives better and easier. That is the reason why the usage of internet and social media also arises among people of all ages.
But, since bully will always be a bully, and they're basically everywhere, they see this significant change in peoples life as an opportunity to seize, and take advantage of it. As a result, "Cyberbullying cases continue to skyrocket as well," says Kathleen Odenthal
The author labeled those bullies in the internet as a "Keyboard Commandos" since the bully knows that other people can't see them typing behind their keyboards, they feel more at ease and more powerful. This made them to say things that are more offensive, cruel, harsh, than they would actually say to someone in person. And they can also make fun of your picture and other personal stuff 24/7 that will make their victims to feel more ashamed since it can be seen by their friends and they can post it to any site that will make their victim feel like the whole world is making fun of them.
"Cyber bullying can be devastating to a child's self-esteem and can have lasting consequences on their mental health," say Kathleen Odenthal
The effects of bullying on the internet are more serious and harmful it can make the victim to drop out of school because they cannot endure the humiliation that their peers will do, their self-esteem and performance in school will surely drop, and they will have trouble to have a interest on many things. And their probability to engage in drugs and alcohol is also going to increase as well as their depressions. And in some extreme cases, where the victims think that there is no end to it, where they can't handle the maltreatment anymore. They ended up killing themselves.
Many researcher now is saying that the growth of suicide cases and suicidal attempts by teenagers is associated with bullying in cyber space. One study that supports this is the article written by David McNamee entitled "Cyberbullying: causes suicidal thought in kids more than traditional bullying" from the site www.medicalnewstoday.com
Some studies suggest that suicide cases depend on the origin of the country. In the U.S. alone, it said that 20% of adolescents seriously consider suicide and between 5% and 8% of adolescents attempt suicide each year. Earlier studies about cyber bullying suggest that its effect on a child's mind when it comes to suicidal idealization is about equal as traditional bullying.
But, the new studies conducted by researchers in Netherlands contradicts the previous study about bullying where it said that girls victims of bullying have a immediate increased in risk, and is more likely to have suicide idealization or commit suicide, while boys are said to have a suicidal attempt or commit suicide only when exposed to bullying in a long period of time.
Because in over 284,375 that participates in the study over 70,102 participants shows suicidal thought in association with cyber bullying. This analysis didn't find any difference between old and younger kid or boys and girls in how likely they were to have suicidal thoughts.
This research also contradicts the reports of some individual that cyber bullying and traditional bullying is in equal terms with the association of suicides. This study suggests that Cyber bullying can inflict more damage to a persons psychological health than traditional bullying.
"Potentially, the effects of cyberbullying are more sever because wider audiences can be reached through internet and material can be stored online, resulting in victims reliving denigrating experiences more often," says David McNamee
Well, whether its bullying on the cyber space or traditional bullying that usually happens at school. All the evidence and studies have shown that it can be really harmful to anyone.
Also one of the reasons why the internet is very popular for teenagers, especially for boys is because anything can be found on the internet. Things like scandals of celebrities, nude photos, videos that shows people having sexual intercourse and many more.
Website that is tolerating this kind of activities is known as porn-sites. There is nothing wrong in engaging to this kind of things, to watch this kind of things, and it actually helps some people, especially those soldiers that are deployed from different parts of the world, seafarers, migrant workers and many more. This kind of websites helps them dissipate their sadness, and reach their sexual dream. But, just like what I said earlier, bullies are everywhere, and just like you they watch porn too, they are on some Dating sites waiting for you. Bullying in the internet that involves sexual exploitation that employs non-physical coercion is called "Sextortion".
According to an article I've read "Sextortion 101: How to Avoid Becoming a Victim" by Bea Cupin from the site www.rappler.com whether you're a person that is very knowledgeable about computer or someone who uses a computer for a small period of time you can be a victim of sextortion.
Sextortionist lure their prey by creating fake profiles on some social networking sites. A profile that will make their victims feel sexually aroused. For male victims they used a very beautiful woman that will make the victims turn on, sometimes they used kids to attract pedophile, and gays also have no exception, they'll lure it by creating a profile of a guy with a steaming hot body that will make any gays fall in love with.
When the fish takes the bait, they'll ask it to communicate using software on the internet that will make them see each other, then they'll convince their victim to strip down and behave in a sexual manner in front of the webcam. Without knowing that the entire act is being recorded.
The sextortionist then threatens the victim that the video will go online if the victims will not send money that is ranging from $500 to $2000.
"If youre online and not careful, you could fall victim to an online "sextorion" scheme where suspects lure men by creating fake accounts on social networking sites," says Bea Cupin
A teenager named Daniel Perry, 17, from Scotland fall for this kind of extortion. Daniel becomes involved in a scam after having an online conversation with a person he believed to be a girl of his own age who then demanded money and said that his videos will be put on his Facebook if he refuse. This kind of threat makes him to jump from the Fourth Road Bridge and that causes his death.
We cant blame Daniel to fall from this kind of trick. He was just like any teenager out there that is looking for some action, for new adventure, exploring and is testing his capability. He was just a victim of those cold-hearted criminials.
I've read another article entitled "Cyberbullying linked to suicidal thoughts in children" by T.S Blanchard from www.theinternational.org it said that in the presentation that happens in 2012, on International Conference on Cyberbullying, a number of 23,420 children from across the Europe was surveyed and the researchers found out that 9 percent of them experience bullying via mobile phone or in the internet for last 12 months. That is more than 2000 kids a year; 62 percent recovered immediately, 31 percent recovered after a few days after the bullying takes place, and 6 percent remained upset after a week.
Then another charity named ChildLine, a private confidential telephone, email and online chat service for children and youth in the UK. Reports that 4,507 cases of cyber bulying in 2012-2013, up from 2,410 in 2011-2012, with an 87 percent increase in ChildLine operator exchange with young people experiencing online bullying, a 41 percent increase in exchange about self-harm, and a 33 percent increase in exchange of suicidal thoughts and feelings.
"This report is a real wake-up call. Far too many of the nation's children seems to be struggling and in despair. Its so important that we support children to talk about issues and look out for sign that they're not able to cope," says Esther Rantzen, founder of ChildLine
This article is showing that prevalence in cyberbullying is increasing. And is saying that cyberbullying is one of the major elements and strongly linked why many teenagers commit suicide, than to traditional face-to-face bullying. And since finding the bully in cyber space is not that easy, because it can spans all over the world and can use many kinds of trick, especially those people who intentionally pursue a course that will make them an expert to do nasty stuff in the world of internet. For example, the sextortion scheme this is an organized criminal activity, in which they generate profit by exploiting the weakness of others. This makes many countries to consider cyberbullying a crime and take action, police all over the world is now coordinating with each other giving information, doing buy-bust operation, preventing that this kinds of crime will never happened again.
"As suicides and suicide attempts by teenagers who have been victim of online bullies receive widespread media attention, preventing cyberbullying and protecting well-being of young people in the era of digital technologies has become more pressing than ever before," says T.S. Blanchard
Today, with the age of digital world anything can happen with just a click, bullying, no longer simply happens in one place, Now, people can be harassed from thousands of miles away, and with so many ways. It is now getting harder and harder to prevent it and protect the victims. Our technology should be used to make our lives better, and not to destroy another. We should use the internet to communicate, to educate, and never to make someone feel inadequate.
The problems that the traditional bullying have caused us is still existing and the effects that it can inflict to its victim is already frightening, but, imagine a bullying that can cause twice its problem, a bullying that can doubled the thoughts of its victims to attempt or commit suicide. We're still not done with it, But, here comes another form that is more hurtful and more fearsome, another form that is more complicated that will make our researchers to scratch their heads. This forms of bullying is called as cyber bullying; this forms of bullying uses the technology such as cellphones and internet via social networking sites to perform its wrongdoings, so bullies now can do harm to you anytime, and anywhere. That's why, i am here now saying NO TO BULLYING and PLEASE BE AWARE!!!
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