Cyberbullying : emerging concerns and solutions in an ever-increasing digital world

Abstract

The relative ease by which the internet can be accessed has given way to a new form of bullying. Coined cyberbullying by Bill Belsey in 1999, victims of online abuse can be attacked via websites, chat rooms, instant messages, online journals, blogs, or cell phone text messages. Since these attacks can occur at all hours of the day to millions of people worldwide in an instant, cyberbullies can easily extend the network of abuse their victims experience in minutes. This study addresses the frequency of cyberbullying in a Northern Ontario public school board. With the call from the Safe Schools Action Team of Ontario for schools to implement mandatory antibullying programs, it was evident that there was little mention of cyberbullying. As students become more adept at accessing and navigating the internet, schools must become more active to help educate students, parents, and teachers about cyberbullying and how to help prevent such abuse. Furthermore, with the evolution of cell phone capabilities to record and download information and videos to the internet, schools face added pressure to combat cyberbullying, since such phones can record incidences at school that can be easily placed on the internet for many to see. As the technology advances, so must schools and school boards with respect to how they educate and prevent cyberbullying. A series of recommendation are listed at the end of the study to help schools and school boards take initial steps towards combating cyberbullying.