Refutation: Is cyberbullying true bullying?

A recent article published on NBCNews.com suggests that cyberbullying may not be the epidemic that people once believed it to be. The article cites that the American Psychological Association received data in a survey that, in a study containing 5,000 teens, only 15 percent reported having been cyberbullied. This information differed from previous data that claimed 30 to 72 percent of teens have been bullied online.

The article explains that youth and teenager use of the internet and social media get a bad reputation because of high-profile cases where young people become extremely depressed and in some cases, commit suicide. In fact, the author questions whether cyberbullying should be considered bullying at all:

“Indeed, there’s debate over what cyberbullying actually is. Traditional bullying involves repetitive episodes of abuse carried out by one person who is viewed to have more power, usually physical, over the victim.”

15 percent is an unrealistic number. In many, if not most, cases of cyberbullying, the victim is fearful to let the problem be known. The definition of bullying includes the fact that the bully and the victim have a power imbalance. Although cyberbullying does not fit the traditional definition of a physical power imbalance, the inequality lies in the confidence that the bully feels behind a screen versus the lack of confidence the victim feels. Just because only 15 percent of the 5,000 students were confident enough to admit they were cyberbullied, does not mean only 15 percent were actually victims.

Cyberbullying is more prevalent nowadays than “classic” bullying. Digital devices are more common to see than personal interactions. Because the technological world is advancing at such a rapid rate, schools need to keep up and update the rules and regulations within the system.

Intro – Louie Colella

Whats up! My name is Luigi Colella, but everyone calls me Louie. I am a junior Communications major here at the University of Maryland. I am 21 years old and am from Philadelphia, PA. I am the Vice President of my fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha and have a part-time job at Landmark Apartments. When I am home, I am a volunteer firefighter for Lower Merion Fire Department. My hobbies include traveling, cooking and spending time with family.

Cyberbullying is prevalent in our society and that is simply due to the rapid increased use of technology and social media. There are so many different outlets that allow cyberbullying to occur. Cyberbullying is all behind a screen leaving people to feel less remorse when it comes to saying something. It is an issue that I care about because it can happen at all ages which affects me the most, it could happen to me, my siblings, my future children and even my future wife. With the susceptibility of being a victim of cyberbullying being so high I believe that people need to be made aware of what is considered cyberbullying because you could be doing it without noticing.

Intro: Sue Perez

Hello! My Suleika Perez, and I am current senior at the University of Maryland. I am majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Sustainability and Spanish. I was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Columbia, MD (just outside of Baltimore). Some of my interests include: traveling, cooking, fitness, eating sushi and drinking wine on a Friday night.

Over the last few years, cyberbullying has become extremely more common and dangerous than traditional bullying. Cyberbullying is easy to start and the anonymity of the Internet removes many of the traditional restraints. Today, cyberbullying is a major factor of low self-esteem in children, increased in suicide rates, and an increased in mental illness. It is also hard to stop. The words and pictures used in cyberbullying can go around the world in no time and are often impossible to remove. We need to take action and teach the millennial how to properly and responsibly use technology in order to end this increasing epidemic.

Welcome to our blog!

Cyberbullying is defined as the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. What makes Cyberbullying unique is that it can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Bullies online can often post anonymously and send messages quickly to a wide audience, causing maximum damage with minimal effort.
According to research on StopBullying.gov, kids who are cyberbullied are more likely to use drugs and alcohol, be unwilling to attend school, receive poor grades, have lower self-esteem, have health issues, and more.

We are University of Maryland students who believe that the Maryland Public School System should enforce stricter punishments to cyberbullies. By creating systems within our school organizations, we can contribute to making both in-person communities and online digital communities safer. Enjoy our blog, where we will post our thoughts and ideas about cyberbullying!

Intro: Karen Salshutz

Hi! My name is Karen Salshutz and I am a 21-year-old junior at the University of Maryland. My major is Communication and I am on the Public Relations track. I am born and raised in Westchester, NY, a suburb outside of New York City. Some of my interests include: cooking, yoga, and binge-watching TV shows years after they were actually popular.

Cyberbullying is an issue that I am passionate about. Growing up in the digital age, I have had the opportunity to see social media and digital media flourish, but have also seen the downsides of technology. Throughout middle school and high school many of my friends and I have been a victim of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a national and global issue that I believe can be solved with proper education programs about digital media. It is imperative that actions are taken against cyberbullies in order to establish a safer digital community.