Social Media and Cyber Bullying

The world we live in now is more connected than it has ever been before. Facebook, Instagram, Skype are just some platforms that help us all stay connected with one another. By simply taking a picture on our smart phones, we can post a thought or share something funny with hundreds of other users, all within a matter of seconds. Today’s teenagers are having access to new technology and are especially adept at picking up the new tech. With these new pieces of tech coming in each and ever year they tend to create vital social networks. When types of networks have the purpose to bring people together problems begin to arise. Rather it is used to abuse others, pushing peers out of their social networking into a world that is filled with embarrassment, terror and disgrace. Cyber bullying could lead to sending mean and sometimes threating messages or post. Other sources could lead to gossiping and spreading rumors or even posting messages asking to rate individuals attributes in a negative manner. Unlike other forms of bullying, the humiliation and harassments can be within you throughout your whole day. It is harsh and violent reaching teens in their own homes while being with their own parents, or even in their private places such as their bedrooms. There are no safe places when it comes to cyber bullying. Teenagers who become the bullies tend to be behind the screen, remaining unidentified if they choose too. Teens who cyber bully don’t immediately see the reaction of their words or taunts, which might other wise spark empathy for the pain the have caused. Not witnessing the reaction of others makes it easier to become more aggressive and viscous. Other forms of cyber bullying could include of teens that witness the bullying by receiving messages or forwarding them to their friends. When making those actions they don’t consider themselves as a being apart of the problem, when they are actually spreading the problem. By taking action such as that it can increase the number of viewings creating a bigger problem than it was originally. Teens who are being bullies via online feel a sense of being alone and isolated, their desperation can sometimes lead to acts of self harm. So before posting something on social media make sure to put yourself in other’s shoes. I’ve experienced both sides of these situations when I was younger. I’ve been the bully and the one who’s been bullied. I’ve learned a lot from these experiences and I have taken a more mature approach when it comes too social networking. What we must realize is to make the Internet a safe place to interact with one another. here are some ways to prevent yourself from cyber bullying. Take a second to go through your social media settings and head over to the privacy settings, make sure you are not exposing your email or phone number to the public. When being bullied don’t respond and don’t retaliate. This is obviously a difficult task because some one is talk trash about you and you want to get back at them. By getting back at them, your giving the bully what they want, your encouraging him to do more. Another action is to block the bully; by doing that you are able to completely ignore them. If the problem is still getting out of hand make sure to tell someone you trust and report the problem to the online services. These actions should be shared to anyone who is being bullied and those being the bully must realize what they are doing wrong.