RD reflection -- the rise of cyber bullying

Since 2000, cyber bullying which includes sending threatening messages, displaying private messages, and posting embarrassing video footage and photos on the internet, has been increasing at an alarming rate. As online communication evolves from chatrooms and istant messaging to social networking, the venues where bullying occurs are becoming more central to young people's lives and more public. It is becoming clear that aspects of online communication encourage people to act aggressively, prompting then to do things they would not dare to try in real life. Many children thinks the cyberworld is a place that adults would not enter, so it is harder to get caught cyber bullying. The ability to reach out to more people, and the always-on culture of the internet, means cyber bullying can have an even more detrimental effect on the victim than the conventional variety. A research found that for one in eight young people, cyber bullying is even worse than physical bullying.The reason for this is the sheer number of people who can view anything posted online. It would be bad enough to be cyber bullied by one person when no one else knew about it. However, a video seen by hundreds of others would be devastating.

Another reason why cyber bullying is so harmful is its sheer relentlessness. The internet does not just amlify the effect of bullying. The option to stay anonymous when online means people can write things they would not dare to if their identity were known. Anonymity can also amplify bullying's negative effect on the victim. The psychological ramifications of not knowing who is attacking you can be maddening. A suvey carried out showed that nearly half of the children interviewed did not know the identity of their cyber-bully.

After reading this article, I feel that cyber-bullying is getting more and more serious. I feel cyber bullying should be eradicated as cyber bullying will affect the victim emotionally and physically. The devastation wrought by cyber bullying have caused suicides and even depression.

Hence, I advise parents to take note of their child's behaviour. If they find that they are reacting in a very different way like getting upset or angry after using the mobile phone or computer,they should take action iommediately and send them for counsuelling. The government should also take legislative action like making it a federal crime to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any person on the internet. The government should also introduce the " internet real-name-system", which forces the portals and news websites to record the identities of people who post content and to disclose their contact details if someone wants to sue them for libel or infringement of privacy. In such ways, I think that we are able to control cyber bullying.

Ziji