Published: Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Certainly the topic of children bullying one another is not new; it is perhaps as old as childhood itself.
What is new, and confounding, is the utilization of various electronic communication programs by children. The programs present new challenges to adults, especially parents, to control behavior by children.
While bullying has always been a problem, it is clear that cyberbullying has raised the activity to a new level. When children and teens engage in bullying by computer, they are no longer face to face with their victim. Spiteful behavior is easier without human interaction.
This, of course, is not unknown to adults. From the time the first computer bulletin boards started turning up with computer geeks in the 1970s and 1980s, members were well-known for "flaming" each other with outrageous statements. Things haven't changed all that much in the passing decades.
The technology for communication by the Internet has become far more familiar and easier to use for the general public. Today's youth take to it as second nature.
These new technologies — text messaging, Facebook, and the like — are enormously popular. But like anything else, there is a downside. Rumors that were once transmitted by word of mouth can now appear instantly within a peer group, a school, a whole community and beyond.
The charges can be embarrassing, hurtful, depressing and even deadly to the individual or individuals involved. In many ways, it is the same old story with bullying, only more so.
School districts are struggling to come up with policies to curb this activity. Schools are experimenting with a variety of policies. There is no standard. People are still feeling their way.
The activity is relatively new. It changes and seems to get worse with each introduction of a new technology. And with all things teenager, what is current today is hopelessly last year tomorrow. Seen a Sony Walkman lately?
One very old-fashioned tactic presents itself throughout: the role of parents.
Kathleen Conn, a professor who has studied cyberbullying, stated at a recent conference that "Today parents want to be their children's friend. We have to tell parents that you are the adult and children may get mad, but it may save their lives later."
It seems clear, as well as common sense, that parents need to monitor the computer activities of their children for their own safety and public good.
— Journal Register News Service, West Chester Daily Local News
What is new, and confounding, is the utilization of various electronic communication programs by children. The programs present new challenges to adults, especially parents, to control behavior by children.
While bullying has always been a problem, it is clear that cyberbullying has raised the activity to a new level. When children and teens engage in bullying by computer, they are no longer face to face with their victim. Spiteful behavior is easier without human interaction.
This, of course, is not unknown to adults. From the time the first computer bulletin boards started turning up with computer geeks in the 1970s and 1980s, members were well-known for "flaming" each other with outrageous statements. Things haven't changed all that much in the passing decades.
The technology for communication by the Internet has become far more familiar and easier to use for the general public. Today's youth take to it as second nature.
These new technologies — text messaging, Facebook, and the like — are enormously popular. But like anything else, there is a downside. Rumors that were once transmitted by word of mouth can now appear instantly within a peer group, a school, a whole community and beyond.
The charges can be embarrassing, hurtful, depressing and even deadly to the individual or individuals involved. In many ways, it is the same old story with bullying, only more so.
School districts are struggling to come up with policies to curb this activity. Schools are experimenting with a variety of policies. There is no standard. People are still feeling their way.
The activity is relatively new. It changes and seems to get worse with each introduction of a new technology. And with all things teenager, what is current today is hopelessly last year tomorrow. Seen a Sony Walkman lately?
One very old-fashioned tactic presents itself throughout: the role of parents.
Kathleen Conn, a professor who has studied cyberbullying, stated at a recent conference that "Today parents want to be their children's friend. We have to tell parents that you are the adult and children may get mad, but it may save their lives later."
It seems clear, as well as common sense, that parents need to monitor the computer activities of their children for their own safety and public good.
— Journal Register News Service, West Chester Daily Local News
