Cyberbullying: Education is the Answer

Bullying has unfortunately been a part of human society and culture since the dawn of time. Up until recently, bullying was seen as a largely physical act; one that involved pushing, shoving, and other violent tactics (often repeated) used to intimidate or gain something from someone else. As time went on, the term expanded to mean verbal attacks as well, like name calling and rumor spreading. But as technology advanced, and communication became easier than ever, what is now known as "cyberbullying" became a new way to manipulate, push around, and even directly harm others. This form of bullying, which is a huge umbrella term that can be used to refer to any number of bullying tactics using electronic communication devices, is present all around us. We as future librarians need to be prepared to handle this threat in our libraries (and, if applicable, in our schools), because the repercussions of inaction can be deadly. Students who experience cyberbullying undergo any number of troubles, including "depression, poor self-esteem, concentration problems, anxiety, stress, academic problems, school avoidance, suicidal ideation, and a range of psychosomatic problems such as headaches and sleep disturbances." (2015 Faucher, et. al.)

According to the infographic above, students who are subjected to cyberbullying are 2 to 9 times more likely to commit suicide. Education professionals have to be equipped to handle this growing problem; this is both mandatory and vital. 

The first step in preventing cyberbullying is education. Something that surprised/stood out to me this week was the concept of teaching "digital citizenship," (2012 Orech) a concept that sought to focus on the main topics of "Netiquette, Digital Citizenship, Cybercrime Prevention, and Managing Digital Tattoo (Footprint)." When students are given the information and tools needed to navigate the internet safely, and when they are aware of the pitfalls that come along with using it, they are able to be better equipped to navigate the internet gracefully. It is far more effective to teach preventative tactics to cyberbullying rather than to have to rush to do so following a crisis. 

Cyberbullying 101 [Infographic]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://choicespsychotherapy.net/cyberbullying/

Faucher, C., Cassidy, W., & Jackson, M. (2015). From the sandbox to the inbox: Comparing the acts, impacts, and solutions of bullying in k-12, higher education, and the workplace. Journal Of Education And Training Studies, 3(6), 111-125.

Orech, J. (2012). How it's done: Incorporating digital citizenship into your everyday curriculum. Tech & Learning, 33(1), 16-18.