This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Cyberbullying even worse than standard bullying

By Sanford Fisher, Member, Deputy Sheriffs' Association of Santa Clara County

 

While Sanford Fisher was a detective, he investigated many cases of cyberbullying. He has formal training on the topic.

Find out what's happening in Los Gatoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

Standard schoolyard bullying is painful, destructive and inexcusable. It should always be taken seriously.

Find out what's happening in Los Gatoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Cyberbullying extends schoolyard bullying to a frightening extent as it moves it onto computers and smartphones. It uses the very technology that was born in our backyard and has made our region known around the world as Silicon Valley.

Cyberbullying means that tormentors both young and old can anonymously hide behind technology and never have to look at a victim in the face. The bullies don’t even need to know the victim. This appeals to people who are cowardly, cruel and lacking in basic decency.

The old saying “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” has a new meaning. Name calling may now be done through Facebook, Twitter, Vine, Ask FM, Snap Chat and Pinterest, to name a few. There are many more.

These websites are a mode of entertainment, to be sure. But they are also perfect vehicles for cyberbullying.

For example, people can ask questions at random on ask.fm and remain anonymous. Most of the questions are innocent and have no underlying message. Some are even endearing. One girl was asked the question “What is the biggest problem in your city?” Her answer was “When you get older, your hand doesn’t fit into the Pringles can.”

However, there are seemingly bland questions that could open the door for other classmates or unknown people to chime in and terrorize a teen. What kind of question? How about “Did you see Jane’s dress?”  A bully could answer “She looked trashy.”

Some say Snap Chat doesn't hurt anyone because the picture lasts only 10 seconds and is gone forever. Not so. Snap Chat retains that picture indefinitely on its server. The phone keeps it as well.

Cyberbullying is far more dangerous than schoolyard bullying. Cyberbullying can be so intense that it causes young people all over the world to kill themselves because someone has posted inappropriate photos of them or has harassed them with words. It causes feelings of inadequacy and humiliation. Unlike traditional schoolyard bullying, social media are so pervasive, so easy to use, and in our face every day that it can be very difficult to separate from it.

Most of these websites allow any type of content to go up until they are reported. Some of the social media sites want to do a good job by not allowing certain pictures or postings, but they can't stop everything.

A few of these sites are in foreign countries, so when law enforcement officials from the United States contact them to take down a post or help in an investigation, they are of little help because they do not follow our laws.

Here is some advice for parents:

1.    Prepare your children before they start using smartphones and social media.

2.     Look at your child’s phone, computer and tablet to see whom they are talking to and associating with.

3.     If you see inappropriate posts concerning your children, go on NeedHelpNow.ca. It will answer questions and assist in the recovery of a victim.

4.     Report all inappropriate behavior to the company that controls the site.

5.     If you see inappropriate pictures of young children, please get in touch with your local police department or Sheriff's Office.

 

# # #

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?