Cyber-bullying
Remember back in school when everybody was talking about somebody the only way that gossip was spread was via hand-written notes passed back and forth and whispered comments made with our hands covering our mouths? Well, in the digital age and the increased use of blogs, this conduct has now transpired to the internet which has a far greater reach and consequently led to more traumatic experiences for the victim.
Cyber-bullying has become a new way for bullies to torment their targets with schools seemingly helpless in trying to stop personal abuse, name-calling, insults and sexually explicit comments on student blogs as reports in the UK and US have found. Even child celebrities cannot escape this, as Daniel Radcliffe, star of the Harry Potter films discovered when a mock profile of him was posted on a blog and fellow students made the following comments:
“friends: none” and “[the] media’s sucking **** **** and you still deny u like punk and wear tartan trousers. When u coming back anyway?? suppose u dont need education when ur as rich as u r”.
One entry from Ranelagh Church of England school in Bracknell, Berkshire, last week read: “Thought I would repeat how much everyone hates you and that my lifetime wish is for you to [be partly] sliced into pieces.”
Although it is possible to block users from a blog to prevent re-offenders, the damage is usually done once the target reads the comments. A blog host has refused to take down names from their site after a request by British schools claiming that this type of bullying is safer because it’s not taking place in the real world.
