Cyber bullying
Topics
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Definition of cyber technology and usage
Positives of cyber technology
Risks associated with its use or misuse
Cyber bullying – definition and forms
Myths of cyber bullying
How serious is it?
The implications for parents
Strategies/solutions/supports
Cyber technology is
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Digital form of communication
Examples of cyber technology
emails
Mobile calls
webcams
Sending messages
Thru mobiles
Computer
Use
Chat rooms
Use of mobile phones to take pictures..
..and send them on….
Cyber use in Australia -examples
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Australia is global leader in SMS -500 million SMS
message each month compared to 1 million in
2000 (Lee, 2005)
Approx 12% of children age 6-9yrs use text
messaging once /day; 49% age 10-14 yrs and
80% of 15-17 yrs (Giles 2004)
46% of 14 yr olds, 55% of 15 yr olds, 73% 16 yr
olds have own mobile phone (Davidson 2004)
What do we know about it?
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Incredible growth (example: ABS 2006 report - HUIT survey
showed rate of internet access in homes across Australia jumped from
16% in 1998 to 64% in 2006/07)
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Continuing to grow
Moving ahead of what we can keep up with
Many forms
Various levels of understanding in the world
Our young people know it better than us
It is young people’s preferred medium for
communication
Digital technology is a critical part
of our world
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Your children are using it as a standard
form of communication and in education
Regardless of your own knowledge
Regardless of your own use
Its world wide and spans all age groups
Digital technology is a critical part of
our world
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Used in schools for
educational purposes
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Used in Tafes,
universities
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They are located in
libraries, cafes, airplanes
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In our children’s future
workplaces
Positives & Wonders
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Information and learning
- Search for any information from home (biggest library in
the world in your home)
- Immediate access to international information/events
- Material for homework and projects
- Various forms of entertainment
- Job searching & educational opportunities
- (24/7)
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Create and Design/Art music
More Positives and Wonders
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Programming skills
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Social - instant and wider connection with
people (anywhere in the world)
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friends/ family/children
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phone from anywhere (low cost)
speak on web cam
send instant photos of memories and events
•
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(24/7)
More Positives and Wonders
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Thrill of watching our children learn things
we didn’t have
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Thrill of watching them learn
 Fun
and leisure
Use of digital
technology is not
without
risks
Exposure to Inappropriate and
Harmful Content
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Such as Pornography
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Easily available on the Net - Australian Broadcasting Authority
(ABA) study: 14million pornographic websites across the world –
some carrying pornographic images of children (Wellard 2001)
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Promotes a demeaning view of women & men
Is addictive
Can be used to sexualise young children
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Children games sites – known to have inappropriate games
hidden within the site or links to inappropriate sites
Unsafe Contacts or
inappropriate contacts
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Predators in chat rooms/stalking/online grooming –
pretending to be someone else or not pretending (WA last
week – man charged with grooming a 12 year old girl for sex
over the internet)
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People know when you online – so invasion of privacy and
easy access
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Cyber sex – yes they do do this
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Exposure or engagement with inappropriate
discussions/language
Racist/sexist/homophobic
material//hate based text
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Small extreme groups use the web for this
purpose. Some pose as churches, or other
“acceptable” groups. Some target children.
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Exposure to other offensive material in the form
of photos, videos, or text of this nature
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Links that take us to homophobic sites or racist
cites
Inaccurate information
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Fake sites
URL mimickers eg www.microdoft.com - known
to be done by using a word that young children
commonly misspell to have the child enter their
site
Historical revisionist material
Inaccurate health information – a real problem
Invasion of privacy
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Often advertising is masked as content on a site
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Subtle request for information (games, auctions
competitions etc)
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Collection of information is a net marketers dream
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Information going out may relate to other
members of the family or the family address,
phone, parents income, movements etc
In opposition to your parenting values
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Our children can easily access magazines,
clips to films or music on the internet that you
may not allow them to normally purchase or
view in your home
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Young siblings may gain exposure to material
you don’t want them to
Health risks
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Addiction
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Sedentary
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Virtual world vs. real world
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Loss of communication & other skills
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Social isolation or loneliness
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Lack of sleep – sms on mobiles at night
Wrongdoing by children could result
in serious long term consequences
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Commonwealth Telecommunications laws
make certain misuse of mobile phones
unlawful
Criminal offence eg: child pornography by
transmitting certain photos
Expulsion from school
Loss of friends/reputation
Civil action
And there is also
cyber bullying …
What is cyber bullying?
The use of digital and internet communication
for the purpose of creating hostile and
intimidating interactions with a targeted
individual
It occurs with misuse of internet and mobile
phones
Netalert defines it as:
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Bullying which is carried out through an
internet service such as email, discussion
groups, chat rooms, or instant messaging.
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It may also include bullying through mobile
phone technologies such as short
messaging services (SMS)
Examples of types of cyber
bullying
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Bullying and intimidating comments in an email, in a chat
room, by SMS
Sending threats or threatening/disturbing pictures
Sending mobile camera photo of humiliating picture to one or
many people k/a “happy slapping”
Sending multiple SMS – 200 in a day of abuse
Sending multiple emails of abuse
Inviting others to write bullying things about you in a chat
room
Setting up a hate site about a child
Isolating communication with a person by sms or chatroom
(ignoring them)
How serious a problem is it?
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Research shows alarming numbers and
frequency of cyber bullying across all ages
Dr Martyn Wild recently reported…
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“1 in 3 children under 15 yrs have experience some form of cyber bullying
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Given 99% of children begin to use the internet by age 5 or 6 these figures are pretty
high”
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Julie Inman Grant, Microsoft Asia Pacific’s Director for Internet Safety and
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Security reports in July 2008 on survey they released (Galaxy Research)
¼ of Australian children report they have been cyber bullied
Chance of being cyber bullied increases into your teens – 31% children age 14-17
yrs compared to 21% among 10-13 yr olds
Regular media coverage or real life and close
to home stories
Police report extremely regular and
increasing issues
eg: Senior Constable McClean, Victoria….
(quoted in April 07)
- 2.5 yrs ago started seeing problems in this area.
Since than an expulsion
- Targeting younger children receiving reports re
8– 18 yr olds (2 yrs ago was 13-17yr olds)
- Every week receive a report of naked or semi
naked girl or having sex being posted on the
internet .
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Critical differences between cyber
bullying and bullying
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Its Anonymity makes it difficult to detect
Anonymity of sender makes it easier for people to bully who would not
otherwise do so
Its easier to hide – often secretive
Continual – goes out to others and caused damage even when ones
computer or mobile is turned off
Visual impact – seeing it again, and again and again
This is an open channel of communication – can go from being a safe
mode to a risky mode at any time.
It extends bullying out of playgrounds and parks to our homes 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week
The impact is instant – its there as soon as computer or mobile is turned on
Less control – once its out there its gone. Difficult to remove content on the
net. Reputation is damaged
Other differences
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Generational gap
Difficult for parents and teachers to understand as
didn’t experience it as this
Lack of knowledge of IT/techno by parents
Hard for parents to monitor (a lot happens at night
when asleep)
Its moving at a faster rate than our
research/understanding and safety measures
Examples of language
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IHU - I hate you
ILU - I love you
IMP - I might be pregnant
IWALY - I will always love you
KIT - keep in touch
LOL - laughing out loud
MYOB - mind your own business
F/F - face to face
F2F - face to face
FTF - face to face
G2B - going to bed
PPL - people
SH - so hot
ASL - age, sex, location
:9 Licking lips. M) See no evil. :X) Hear no evil.
:) The happy smiley face.
:( The sad face.
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”latest research to come out of Australia
and particularly in UK has found that
parents are the missing piece in the cyber
safety puzzle” (Dr Martyn Wilde)
Myths
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If we ban it there will be no risk
It’s a normal part of adolescents
The one-off guest lecture for parents will fix the risk
problem
We had no problems until computer technology and
mobile phones became so popular
Its character building
It won’t happen to my child
My child will tell me we have an open relationship
(hopefully they will but they may not)
FACTS
Young people hold more power than any other
group in terms of their capacity to influence
other young people
Recent research shows that teenagers are less
likely to tell their parents (tell a friend or teacher
first) if it occurs because of fear parents will
remove their access to mobile/computers
What are the
implications for
Parents?
Consider these:
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Risks of:
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Harm and damage to your child now and long term reputation if a victim (it is likely to
occur or have occurred to your child
Long term consequences for your child if they misuse the technology – criminal
record or other
Our children being exposed to this in their adult life also – prepare them better for
this
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Parents have a responsibility to:
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Teach our children how to use things safely and responsibly
Accept we have a significant role in educating our children about safe and
responsible use of cyber technology
Ensure safe practices with cyber technology within the home (or outside to some
extent)
Learn our children preferred method of communication
Take preventative measures to reduce risks
Find out where to get support and help from if needed
Become informed about what the school, government and local community has in
place
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Take responsibility
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Predominantly the problem is cultural – damage is borne out
of a culture that permits or condones (directly or indirectly)
Understand that young people are the most powerful source
of influence on other young people
Inaction can be as damaging as the behavior itself
Value the proper use of the technology – mentor this
Everyone has a right to feel safe
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(UN Declaration on the rights of young people - 1984; National
Safe Schools Website, other)
Strategies and
Supports
2 Main Principles
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Parents are primary educators in safety
and values for their children – must be
proactive in this
2)
A Multi facet approach is necessary
The solutions are not rocket science
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There are no miracle answers or solutions
It’s about using the basic parenting skills
and strategies that work with you know so
well
Its about working alongside other
stakeholders
Each person taking responsibility makes a
difference
Educate yourself
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Spend some time learning about cyber tech
Get involved with your children’s online activities,
validate their skills and learn from them
Get on the internet and mobile phone and learn
how it works. Ask your children to show you
Research the resource handout from tonight talk
Work with the school on an awareness raising
project with the students leading it
Build a positive culture within the community
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let others know that you take it seriously
encourage others to be proactive and prepared
to keep children safe in cyber use
talk to the school about the subject
Talk to each other about it
Be a role model
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Model appropriate and responsible use of
digital technology (time in front of the
computer; circulating photos, emails, SMS
etc). eg: Don’t sit at a computer for 12 hrs
at night.
Be prepared
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Know where to get help and support if you have any
concerns
Know where to report any inappropriate material or
contact
Know what to do if your child, or another child, discloses do the following. Use the 2 R’s:
Reassure
Report (or seek assistance) to the appropriate
persons/authority
Remedy
Implement safe tools now - habitual
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Have the computer in a place that you can see it
(not hidden away in child’s bedroom)
Choose products with parental controls
Have a suitable filter on the computer to stop
inappropriate material or sites
Ensure you as the parent has access rights to
your children’s computers and passwords
Set rules for use in your family
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(social contract – sample in package). Include
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Statement of what you value eg: social interaction,
Clear rules for amount of use (when, and how long)
Clear rules of what you can and cannot do on the internet
Have a ‘Netiquette’ – expectations on how they treat
others
Let them know you as parent will check the computer
Be clear about consequences if they misuse it
(Use language that is consistent with home and
school and community)
Bridge the gap
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Talk to your children about it. Let them know you value
the internet and mobile but you also value social
interaction (healthy balance)
Learn Cyber tech language and use it with your children
Let your children know you want them to use the tech
safely and responsibly.
Ask your child what they did on the net or who they spoke
with today just as you would ask them this about school
Ask older children to mentor safe practices with younger
siblings
Make it a permissible topic in your
home
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Engage in discussion with your children on this – so its
not an awkward topic if they need to seek your help. Let
them know if they were hurt by cyber misuse you would
not take away their use of it
Give them ideas of who else they could go to for help if
they needed to and didn’t come to you (give them the kids
help contacts)
Talk to them and their friends about it
Tell them what your concerns are and ask them for their
ideas and views (and listen to them)
Pick 3 things strategies you will do in
the next month …
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Put them in your diary
Tell someone what you are doing
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Marilyn Campbell, Queensland Psych
survey results showed:
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Of students who admitted to cyber bullying, only 30%
said they also bullied in person, whilst 70% said they
only ever cyber bullied
(Stereotype of thug and physical strength is no longer
relevant)
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