Cyber Bullying

Cyber bullying is a form of indirect or social bulling that uses technological communications (text or images) to humiliate, harass, embarrass, tease, intimidate, threaten or slander one or more students.  Cyber bullies use instant messages, text messages, email, chat rooms, cell phones, and personal websites or blogs.  Cyber bullying is the act of being cruel to others by sending or posting harmful material or compromising photographs online or through a cell phone.

Impact

· Bullying material can be distributed worldwide and often is irretrievable

· Victims hesitate to report incidents due to being emotionally traumatized and thinking that it is their fault

· Victims may not report incidents for fear of additional retaliation and restriction of cell phone or internet usage

· Cyber bullying causes significant emotional harm which has reportedly led to depression, anger school failure, school absenteeism, school violence, and suicide

· Communications online can be vicious

Prevention

· Apply the rule, “If you wouldn’t say it, don’t send it.”

· Establish rules and consequences for cyber bullying

· Use filtering and tracking software

· Keep passwords private