Cyber Bullying

"I think allowing people to hide behind an online persona has made some, forget who they are." - Jaimey Howard

A friend and I were recently talking about cyber bullying and how cowardly these bullies are. It is not only cowardly but also very silly. On a very serious note, there have been several suicides in the last couple of years due to cyber bullying, whether it is because of cruel cyber jokes, hoaxes, or teasing. Some of the things said across the Internet is not only cruel and inappropriate but just immature! As I read some of the comments and so called "jokes", I think...'what or who gives you the right to say these hurtful things about another individual?' People communicating threats or nasty comments on social networks disgust me because like Howard said it is very easy to hide behind a screen name. 


These cyber bullies come in all shades and ages. Even adults, other parents, have been cyber bullies. In the case of 15 yr old Megan Meier who hanged herself (2006) in consequence of, an adult created fake Myspace page that lead to, very mean and nasty statements about the teen. This is just one of many stories about teens and people taking their lives because of someones malicious words. Let us work together to stop cyber bullying. There are enough hardships in the world without us adding an unnecessary one. Parents should talk to children about bullying, including cyber bullying and encourage positive Internet usage. Monitor their children's usage to be aware of what they are engaging in- whether they are bullying or being bullied. It is important to be AWARE.