Wednesday June 19th 2013

Cyber bullying

Cyber bullying involves the use of information and technology such as e-mail, instant messaging, the publishing of defamatory personal web sites, and online personal polling web sites that are used to support conscious, willful, deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by one or more people with the intent to harm others

On-line harassment or threatening is Cyber bullying and it is on the rise.


Hot Trends...Educators and Parents Beware...

  • Instagram Beauty Contest...Not the Place to Find Self-Worth  
     “Am I hot or not?” It’s an Instagram game that is exploding on the Internet. Young girls around the age of 13 are posting photo of themselves on Instagram with #beautycontest, #rankme, #rateme and #amipretty hashtags and are looking for a quick virtual judgment of their beauty and in return they receive cruel or lewd comments that can damage their self-worth.  Some of the photos are head shots and some are more risky, which are “sexting.”  Obviously, these girls are not considering the privacy issue especially when hashtags are used or the variety of devastating comments this type of behavior solicits. Educators and parents made want to talk to their Instagramming kids and make them aware that the Internet is not a reliable place to seek self-worth or to post pictures to be rated by others.

Cyber Bullying Handouts

 


Several schools have had issues with community bulletin board websites and the repercussions of the libelous comments spilling over into the instructional day. The Office of the Attorney General has developed a process to address one of the Internet Message Boards...Topix.com that has been successful at getting posts and forums removed within 48 hours for no charge. Click here to download a PDF document detailing this process.

Free Curriculum and Scope/Sequence: Common Sense Media
Get all the tools you need with a FREE Digital Literacy and Citizenship Curriculum and Parent Media Education Program. The relevant, ready-to-use instruction helps educators guide students  to make safe, smart, and ethical decisions in the digital world where they live, study and play. Also, Common Sence Media has a feature called Digital Passport, which teaches and tests basics of online life for 5-8 grade.

ree: Feds release cyber safety booklet - A new booklet released by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other government agencies helps parents and teachers steer kids safely through the online and mobile-phone worlds. The booklet, titled “Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids About Being Online”To order free copies of this brochure: bulkorder.ftc.gov

Cyber Bullying: What is it?

(When one student targets another on-line)
  • Mean, vulgar or threatening email
  • Forwarding a private communication to others
  • Humiliating text sent over a cell phone
  • Web site mocking others
  • Posting embarrassing photos or video
  • Impersonating someone else to spread rumors
  • Intentionally excluding someone from an online group
  • Posting sensitive, private information about another person

Cyber bullying prevention

How can you prevent being cyber bullied?
  • Don’t give out private information (Passwords, PIN)
  • Be careful about posting personal information such as name, address and cell numbers
  • Don’t share buddy lists
  • Delete messages from people you don’t know
  • Posting embarrassing photos or video
  • When something doesn’t sound right, leave the chat room
  • Intentionally excluding someone from an online group
  • Assume no digital communication is private

How to prevent miscommunication or becoming a cyber-bully

How can you prevent miscommunication or becoming a cyber-bully?
  • Don't email when you are angry
  • Don't forward an email that someone sent as a private message
  • Don't email with friends and target someone for entertainment
Questions before you post or send
  • Is this communication kind and respectful
  • How would I feel if someone else sent this to me
  • Does this violate any rules, pledges or laws
  • How would I feel if my actions were printed in the newspaper
  • Assume no digital communication is private
  • Would it be “okay” in real life or "face to face"
  • How will this reflect on me and my family

It is always hurtful, sometimes unlawful and sometimes changes lives forever...

Cyber Bullying/Internet Safety Handouts

Current Cyberbullying Links

Silencing Cyberbullies - NEA - Cyberbullying is the use of electronic technology to deliberately harass or intimidate. Digital sticks and stone can't break bones, but they can hurt even more. Ideas for educators are addressed at the end of the article.

The U.S. National Crime Prevention Council ... Emailing and chatting with friends are children's most common online activities, after studying and playing games. But like many other social situations, some kids bully other kids online. The National Crime Prevention Council provides information and resources to help curb the growing problem of cyberbullying. (downloadable resources include brochures, podcasts, PSAs, etc.)

In the News:

  • Survey: Most kids careful about online privacy – CBS News - Parents rank cyber-bullying among their top concerns and now, a new survey reveals that more young people are taking steps to protect their digital reputations and prevent online harassment.