Cyberbullying is a huge problem that has skyrocketed over the past 10
years. Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying is on the internet and the bully
could reach a wide spread of people- anonymously. In many states, there is no
punishment for cyberbullying. There should be a punishment for cyberbullying
because it is a constant form of bullying, and it can reach younger kids. The
punishment should be deletion of the bully’s account(s).
Cyberbullying reaches thousands everyday. According to NoBullying.com,
since about 94% of teens claim to have witnessed cyberbullying it has become
extremely common. As Marlene Sandstrome, a psychology professor said,
“Cyberbullies have the ability to attack their targets after the physical contact
ends… making it hard for victims to find a safe haven.” Cyberbullying can also be
done anonymously, making it difficult or even impossible to track the
bully/source. What makes cyberbullying so destructive is that it can follow the
victim around virtually anywhere, whether its across the world, or right next door.
There is no escape from the torment of cyber bullies. It is everyone’s
responsibility to inform about the laws, and it is the schools and the Governments
responsibility to enforce the laws followed up with strict punishments. Since 95%
of teens have a social media, mean comments and pictures can be distributed
quickly to a wide audience. This means 95% of kids are exposed to the
possibility of being cyberbullied or witnessing it. Because of this, harsher
consequences should be placed on the internet, because if used properly, it can
be very beneficial. Cyberbullies can attack anywhere, anytime, any place, making
it worse than traditional face-to-face bullying.
Aside from cyberbullying being able to access more people, cyberbullying
now has the power to hurt a much younger age group. In the article “Six out of
ten children 'lie about age on internet.'” Cyber Bullies normally track kids from 918, but the ages can range way lower. Kids who are cyberbullied from a young
age are more likely to use alcohol and / or drugs, skip school, receive poor
grades, have lower self esteem, and have more health problems. That means
34% of America’s youth is in harms way of life threatening effects. If
cyberbullying isn’t stopped in its tracks now, younger generations will be exposed
to the possibilities of less education, drugs and alcohol, and low self esteem. This
never-ending cycle could only grow by reaching younger and younger
generations crippling the youth of America, if a stricter punishment is not
implemented. The Pew Research Project, a fact tank that informs the public
about the issues and trends in America, 43% of kids had messaged strangers,
starting from an average age of 12, and 52% of 8 to 16-year-olds ignored
Facebook's age limit just this year. Cyberbullying and internet safety is not
discussed in school until at least the 5th grade, so younger victims will not be
educated, and can make various wrong decisions. Compared to schoolyard
bullying which starts around age 11, cyberbullying opens the doors to harming a
wider spread of people. Cyberbullying should be punished because it can be
targeted at younger, non-prepared age groups.
For these two reasons, cyberbullying should have a stricter punishment. It
should be the deletion of the bully’s account(s) at least. The punishments should
rise according to the situation. According the the Megan Meier Foundation, an
organization spreading awareness about cyberbullying, 81% of teens admit it is
easier to get away with.The Pew Research Project says that only 6%of
cyberbullies receive punishments. That means that without strict and tough
punishments, cyberbullies can go around with a 96% of not getting caught/ in
trouble. If there are no guidelines to what is okay and what is not, how can
cyberbullying ever be stopped? According to a recent JAMA pediatrics study,
cyberbullying causes higher rates of suicide among youth. 30,000 kids have
committed suicide from cyberbullying in the last year. There is a New Jersey
state law that no one is allowed to harass, intimidate, or bully others. But, if there
is no one to enforce this law, it is completely useless. To decrease the amount of
cyberbullying, harsher punishments should be implemented, and strictly
enforced.
To conclude, the punishment for cyberbullying should be losing the
account(s) because it can reach a larger amount of people, and it is targeted at a
younger age group. This is because it is easier to reach more targets. Also,
younger age groups can be exposed to it without protection. It is up to everyone
to stop cyberbullying. So now, if you see any form of harassment, intimidation, or
bullying tell an adult, a teacher, a principal, or guardian. It is everyone's
responsibility to take a stand.
Works Cited
"Bullying & Cyberbullying Laws." Megan Meier Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 02
Feb. 2015.
<http://www.meganmeierfoundation.org/laws.html>.
"New Jersey Anti-Bullying Laws & Policies."
Department of Education, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.stopbullying.gov/laws/new-jersey.html>.
Reporter, Daily Mail. "More than Half of Children Use Social Media by the Age of
10:
Facebook Is Most Popular Site That Youngsters Join." Mail Online.
Associated
Newspapers, 19 Nov. 2014. Web. 02 Feb. 2015.