Cyberbullying

This week in my Digital Citizenship class, the topic of discussion was Cyberbullying. As an educator and parent, this week terrified me. Not because of the coursework, but because of the information that I would learn. This week was going to put the spotlight on technology that I love so much, but dread allowing my children to use.

Technology, including social media, has become a large part of my life. I LOVE it. I often wish I had started college just a couple of years later, because I just might have chosen a completely different career path. When I first got to Baylor as a freshman, I remember the most exciting new technology was that we didn't have to use a dial up modem. They has JUST installed wiring in the dorms and we could buy this thing called an ethernet cable to connect to the internet. Our minds were blown! That was 1997. I was lucky. I didn't have to go through high school or really college with the fear of anything little thing I did, getting spread all over the internet.

It was in 1998 that the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke on the internet. The first real story to spread worldwide in a matter of seconds to the entire world. Her mistakes as a young lady just a few years older than me, were suddenly known by everyone! It was the beginning of a world of instant access, and the end of honest, well-researched, news reporting. Since that time, news agencies are in a race to get stories out first, within minutes of a big event. They miss important details. They are often one-sided, because it takes to long to speak with both sides. They often go back and edit their stories, even though it has already been read by thousands of people. They often lack empathy or even a thought about the long-lasting character damage the story could have on the person that is featured. Is this cyberbullying? I think so.

With our youth, cyberbullying is causing even greater and more devastating effects. Younger and younger kids are gaining access to the internet and social media sites every year. What begins as a fun way to connect with friends outside of school, all to often turns into name calling, rumor spreading, sharing of personal information, impersonations, and more. Many times these actions start out as practical jokes and aren't intended to be harmful, but end up being an embarrassing moment that can never be escaped that spreads and grows much farther than a joke.

Cyberbullying is not something to be taken lightly. We have to start educating our kids at early ages about what cyberbullying is and give them ways to get help and cope with it when it does occur. Revisiting the subject often, updating information, providing a network of mentors, trusted adults, and friends, and creating clear expectations can only help our youth deal with the evolving world of online communication.

As a society, we have to remember that while the internet seems to offer anonymity because you are behind a computer screen, there is still a real person being affected by your actions. We must also model and teach empathy and kindness to our youngsters. If young kids see adult caring for one another, treating each other with kindness, and supporting each others differences, they are more likely to follow.