John Hopton for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online
For most people, bullying used to be confined to the schoolyard and was an issue we did not have to face up to unless we or our children were attending school. But now the Internet is one big schoolyard of cyberbullying. How much do we really know about it?
The American Academy of Pediatrics has stressed that bullying can present a serious health risk for adolescents, and cyberbullying has elements to it that can potentially make the problem even worse. The anonymity of the Internet reduces the restraint of those doing the bullying, and constant access to and dependence on online social groups means that it is difficult for the victim to get any respite. The study notes that: “Because of their networked nature and anytime-anywhere access… online microsystems are often connected to and embedded in offline microsystems, such as the family and school.”
A study from Taylor and Francis recently published in the journal of Information, Communication & Society analysed 1094 comments left on a blog written by singer-songwriter Amanda Palmer, regarding the suicide of 15-year-old Amanda Todd as a result of online bullying. Palmer had herself been a victim of bullying and came across Amanda Todd’s case while researching. The comments shed light on the different reasons why people are targeted as well as the coping mechanisms they use.
In line with past research, the investigation showed that the top reason for being abused was physical appearance, followed by sexual orientation and an involvement in non-mainstream interests. Only 25 percent of all the bullying stories made reference to cyberbullying, but a lot of commenters stressed that technology exacerbated the problem of bullying in general. The researchers said that cyberbullying “is rooted in traditional bullying, the distinctive properties of online environment (such as anonymity, constant connectivity, and a vague and vast audience) introduce new dynamics.” This includes “the difficulty to escape one’s tormentors and identify them.”
The findings identified two major types of coping strategies: behavioural and cognitive. The former included techniques such as seeking social support and ignoring the bully, and the latter focused on shaping individuals’ microsystem and drawing in their own personal supportive resources. Not many of the contributors in the comments said anything favorable about the role of technology in bullying, but those that did emphasized the potential for a supportive online community that victims can turn to.
It may not be reasonable to tackle every negative comment we see from one stranger to another online, but the study shows that we can help by tipping the scales in favor of the victim and building a culture that reassures them that the fault is with the aggressor, not themselves. An unrelated study recently found that the amount of abusive language used in online comments sections decreased when a recognized journalist joined in. If abusers are reminded that their comments are being scrutinized, whether by a recognized journalist or the online community, rather than just floating out into the faceless sea of the Internet, it might remind them of the need for self-censorship, self-consciousness and restraint.
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