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Running Head: CYBER-BULLYING EFFECTS

Cyber-Bullyings Effects & the Change That Needs to Happen


Marissa Gwinn Jarvis
College of Southern Idaho

CYBER-BULLYING EFFECTS
Cyber bullying has become a major issue in the past few years. Bullying in schools has
seemed to always be an issue, so schools and government have been able to figure out how to
deal with and stop it from happening. However, since cyber-bullying is a newer problem the U.S.
is still trying to figure the proper procedures for handling it. This time is an awkward one. The
students effected and the school systems that the cyber-bullying is happening in all want to be
able to do something about it. However, because it happens mostly away from the school,
administration is unable to step in. Youth effected by cyber-bullying are at the age of attending
high school. However, Marrow and Downey (2013) have stated, Reports of cyber-bullying
victimization among American college students are significantly higher, at almost 22%, likely
indicating that such experiences do not end with high school graduation (p. 536). Cyberbullying can have many negative effects on youth today; new laws and regulations need to be
made and enforced to help solve this ever growing issue.
Cyber-bullying has been proved to cause many mental health problems in its victims.
Samrall (2016) has claimed, Cyberbullying leads to higher rates of suicide, depression, and
feelings of isolation among children (p. 1477). All of these issues can have serious effects on
childrens social interaction, and development as well. Samrall (2016) has stated, About onehalf of young people report being a victim of cyberbullying and more than one-third have
experienced online threats (1477). ABC Family produced a movie called Cyberbully. Where
it followed a fictional story about a girl in high school named Taylor Hillbridge. Even though the
movie was fictional it was brought to the attention of ABC Family through so many real stories
of this happening in U.S. schools today. Taylor just wanted to make friends and be current with
what everyone else was doing in her high school. In doing this she took to the internet. Where
she made an account on a site that included many of the students from her high school. She then

CYBER-BULLYING EFFECTS
was bullied through this website from girls in her school. She was pushed to a breaking point
where she attempted suicide but was stopped by her best friend. Through this story ABC Family
was able to show, both youth and adults, how extreme cyber-bullying is getting. This was an
amazing way to bring this issue to the front and center of media. Marrow (2013) has claimed,
Recently, media coverage of how Internet- and mobile phone-based bullying may be more
frequently contributing to tragic youth suicides and complex legal action, has intensified
scholarly interest in the relatively-new cyber-bullying trend (p.536).
The current situation with cyberbullying procedures is a bit foggy. Mesch (2009) has
claimed, Cyber-bullying is intentional aggression using an electronic medium, and as the use of
information and communication technologies to intentionally harm others (p. 387). The U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (2016) has more recently defined cyberbullying as
bullying that takes place using electronic technology, and defines bullying as unwanted,
aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power
imbalance (1478). In some states they are able to make new laws that bring in the public school
system. Whereas other states are avoiding this issue. Cyber-bullying needs to be brought to the
attention of federal law makers. So that everywhere across the U.S. has the same laws on how
cyber-bullying needs to be handled. Many people and states are fighting against doing anything
for cyber-bullying because it is protected under freedom of speech. Giving reason to say that,
no individual is able to say what one can or cannot express on a subject. Greenleaf (1998) has
noted that, Traditionally, the internet has resisted attempts at regulation, preferring a more
liberal approach to its governance. However, it is now widely accepted that the law does have a
role to play in the regulation of cyber-space (p. 594597). This open and liberal approach has
allowed cyber bullying to reach a whole new level.

CYBER-BULLYING EFFECTS
The people of the U.S. today need to do something to stop this. We all need to work
together with the school systems and the federal law to make motions to get this problem under
control. No child should have to suffer through something like this. It is so difficult to deal with.
More so than regular bullying. Cyberbullying follows students home. The students being mean to
them are in class with them every school day so they have to deal with them there. Then they
have to go home. Where its thought they should some sort of peace, but they dont; they receive
terrible text messages and emails, along with phone calls and messages through or on social
media.
We as people can make a difference. We have to fight for our youth today. Students are
finally starting to show the public how big of a problem this is. Darden (2015) claimed, Schools
and districts have made it clear they are getting tough on bullying, including cyber bullying; but
that childhood ritual is proving hard to break. Now the courts are joining the fight. Working
together to protect our youth is extremely important; even if it is from each other. Every student
whether they are in middle school, high school, or college deserve to go to school and learn in a
peaceful environment and go home to an even better place.

Refrences

CYBER-BULLYING EFFECTS
Greenleaf, G. (1998) An endnote on regulating cyberspace: Architecture vs law, University of
New South Wales Law Journal, vol. 21, p. 593.
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.lili.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=bf21650313bc-4f13-a262-af5fce2e7a0a%40sessionmgr4008&vid=21&hid=4107.
Morrow, A., & Downey, C. A. (2013). Perceptions of adolescent bullying: Attributions of blame
and responsibility in cases of cyber-bullying. Scandinavian Journal Of Psychology,
54(6), 536-540. doi:10.1111/sjop.12074.
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.lili.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=12&sid=bf21650313bc-4f13-a262-af5fce2e7a0a
%40sessionmgr4008&hid=4107&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d
%3d#AN=91929637&db=aph
Mesch, G. S. (2009). Parental mediation, online activities, and cyberbullying. Cyber Psychology
& Behavior, 12, 387393.
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.lili.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=bf21650313bc-4f13-a262-af5fce2e7a0a%40sessionmgr4008&vid=21&hid=4107
Sumrall, T. (2016). Lethal Words: The Harmful Impact Of Cyberbullying And The Need For
Federal Criminalization. Houston Law Review, 53(5), 1475-1501.
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.lili.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=bf21650313bc-4f13-a262-af5fce2e7a0a%40sessionmgr4008&vid=21&hid=4107
U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources (2016). What is cyberbullying? Stop Bullying.
https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it/index.html

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