Cyberbullying: A New Form of Terror
Cyberbullying is a new form of terror defined as an intentional act of repeated aggression, using some form of technology such as the internet and mobile phone towards other people (Dooley & Cross, 2009).
Psychological Damage and Anonymity
The impact can be devastating to the victims since it leads to greater psychological damage compared to physical forms of bullying that include beating, insulting or ridicule. As explained in Dooley and Cross (2009), cyberbullying entails use of information and communication technology in supporting deliberate, repeated, as well as hostile behaviors by individuals or groups with the intention of harming others (p. 183). There has been a misconception that physical bullying is more hostile to victims. However, this is not the case since it is easier to identify the culprits and deal with them unlike in cyberbullying in which the perpetrators are anonymous. Dooley and Cross (2009) stated, “The anonymity afforded to perpetrators is an important issue” (p. 184). This reveals that cyberbullying is unfortunately increasing in popularity since it is difficult to punish the criminals. Cyberbullying is on the increase due to the popularity of the internet and online media thus is considered as the new form of terror in the error of technology.
Motivating Factors and New Outlets
The development of new technology and increase in use of social media has given room to the new form of terror via the internet and mobile phones. Before the onset of the internet, social media, mobile devices, and text messaging, the only kind of bullying that was reported was the physical form mostly reported in schools. However, bullies are using the new outlets and platforms to torment their victims. There is need for investigation on the motivating factors that cause someone to participate in cyberbullying (Dooley & Cross, 2009). According to research, many people that engage in cyberbullying are teens and young adults who usually attend school together (Dooley& Cross, 2009). There are various reasons individuals participate in cyberbullying such as to revenge or for individual satisfaction. Some individuals find pleasure in tormenting others even when their colleagues have not done anything wrong. In addition, some teens may choose to take part in cyberbullying as opposed to physical since can hide their identity.
Different Forms of Technology and Negative Consequences
Cyberbullies use all different forms of technology such as websites with negative phrases about the targeted victims and may result in negative consequences (Dooley& Cross, 2009). Bullies upload nude photos of their target on the internet to embarrass them. There have also been instances where bullies can send group texts talking against the victims and false information, giving others the opportunity to engage in the abuse. Dooley and Cross (2009) noted a male participant who was 17 years old in a focus group, encouraging his peers to send threatening phone text messages using many unknown numbers (p. 184). Victims who are in fear and feel threatened are likely to suffer psychologically leading to conditions such as stress and depression. The academic grades may be negatively affected due to cyberbullying and the inability to concentrate in school or at home. Students may also fear that their classmates or friends around them are responsible for the bullying leading to greater fear. Boyd and Marwick (2011) realized that teens do not even comprehend the severity of cyberbullying within their schools. As they interviewed teenagers throughout multiple schools, they repeatedly told them “bullying was something that happened only in elementary or middle school” (Boyd & Marwick, 2011 p. 320). Therefore, it can be considered as a new form of violence using modern technology that needs to be investigated.
The Consequences of Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying can have many consequences including suicide by some victims. According to an article in the New York Times in 2011, a 14-year-old boy, Jamey Rodemeyer committed suicide after being a victim of cyberbullying (Boyd & Marwick, 2011). Jamey was targeted because of his sexual preference and unlike most teens that are victimized, Jamey reached out for help. However, his issue did not emerge as a serious problem making it difficult for people to realize the severity of it and offer the help needed (Boyd & Marwick, 2011). Dooley and Cross (2009) interviewed one victim of cyberbullying, a girl who had received a series of multiple threatening anonymous messages in which she was severely criticized. According to Dooley and Cross (2009), “She reported that it was not the content of the messages but the anonymity of the author that was the most threatening” (184). This shows the challenge faced when trying to address the issue of harassment over the phone and the internet.
The Need for Study and Intervention
Cyberbullying is an issue that needs to be studied to enable understanding of the meaning of its effects as well as ways of preventing it. The development of modern technology has led to the emergence of new forms of bullying among the young generation. The effects are sometimes devastating sometimes leading to the death of victims when they commit suicide. Victims are always in fear and hopelessness since they are unaware of the identity of their terrorist. Sometimes the messages can use harsh language and include threats, leading the victims to feel unsafe and insecure. Extensive research is required to find possible interventions for bullies or the best form of counseling for victims.
Revising and Finalizing
As I revised the essay, I looked at various factors that can make my writing effective for the academic audience of my paper. I discovered that the topic was broad and therefore, tried to narrow it to address a specific phenomenon related to cyberbullying as a new form of terror. I also looked at the relevance of information discussed, the topic, and the purpose to the audience. I also ensured that I paid great attention to detail of the content and that every sentence was clear to the readers. I revised the mechanics in which I analyzed my spelling, use of sources, and grammar and realized some mistakes in sentence construction as well punctuation. I noticed some mistakes where I had added unnecessary commas and apostrophes and removed them. I corrected formatting issues to ensure that the work was according to the APA style and ensured proper citations where needed. In the unit 5 discussion, I received feedback that I should explain more clearly why people engage in cyberbullying. After reading the drafts of others, the textbook, and understanding the goals of the essay, I was able to make revisions on my former essay on the style of writing, paragraph development, as well as flow and ensured that it was consistent with the requirements of a scholarly essay. I developed the paragraphs to ensure the proper flow of content and its relevance to the audience. I edited the conclusion to ensure that it captured the summary of the essay and removed the citations on it according to the guidelines of writing a conclusion in a scholarly paper. I also edited the references as required by the APA style of formatting.
References
Boyd, D., Marwick, A., (2011). Bullying as True Drama. The New York Times. September. 22, 2011. From https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/23/opinion/why-cyberbullying-rhetoric-misses-the-mark.html
Dooley, J. J., Pyżalski, J., & Cross, D. (2009). Cyberbullying versus face-to-face bullying: A Theoretical and Conceptual Review. Zeitschrift Für Psychologie/Journal of Psychology, 217(4), 182-188. doi:10.1027/0044-3409.217.4.182
