Amy Seery MD Via Christi Family Medicine Residency

September 2013

Bullying in the Digital Age

Objectives

Is avoiding technology the answer?

Is this really affecting my child?

How does cyberbullying occur?

Is cyberbullying really that harmful for

anyone?

What if my child is the victim? Or the bully?

Do we need this technology?

Cultural Inertia

Exposure, Not Saturation

“Just Ignore It!” WRONG!

Class

School

City

State

Nation

Worldwide

Bullying defined…

Overt Physical (hitting, kicking, gym aggression,

having personal items stolen)

Verbal (name calling, mocking, teasing)

Relational Social exclusion, spreading rumors Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying defined…

"Cyberbullying" is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones.

Adult involvement is “cyber-harassment” or “cyber-stalking”

Stopcyberbullying.org

Bullying has changed…

Cyberbullying is different from “traditional” face-to-face aggression because of the anonymity of the mediums used.

The distance between the perpetrator and the victim prevents the perpetrator from seeing the harmful consequences of their actions or to experience any sympathy/empathy for their victim.

Broken Feedback Loop

Escalation Phenomenon

Does this really include my child?

Mean 24.4

Victims Bullies

Ryan Halligan, 13 years old

October 2003 He was repeatedly sent instant

messages from middle school classmates accusing him of being gay, and was "threatened, taunted and insulted incessantly"

Bullying on the internet "amplified and accelerated the hurt and pain he was trying to deal with, that started in the real world".

Growing Up Online (Chapter 6: "Cyberbullying"). [Television production]. Boston: PBS. January 22, 2008. Event occurs at 0:08:16–0:08:30. http://www.pbs.org/frontline/video/share.html?s=frol02n3b7q4e. Retrieved

2010-10-27.

Megan Meier, 13 years old

October 2006 Witnesses testified that the

women intended to use Meier’s e-mails with "Josh" to get information about her and laterhumiliate her, in retribution for her allegedly spreading gossip about Drew's daughter

Steinhauer, Jennifer (November 26, 2008). "Verdict in MySpace Suicide Case". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/us/27myspace.html?_r=1&hp. Retrieved 2010-10-27.

Jesse Logan, 18 years old

July 2008 She had sent nude pictures of

herself to a boyfriend. When they broke up, he sent them to other high school girls. The girls were harassing her, calling her a slut and a whore. She was miserable and depressed, afraid even to go to school.

Celizic, Mike (March 6, 2009). “Her teen committed suicide over ‘sexing’". Today Parenting- MSNBC. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29546030. Retrieved 2010-10-27.

Jaheem Harrera, 11 years oldApril 2009 "There is name-

calling, there is teasing, but I will tell you that it is almost always done outside the presence of adults. There is a code of silence among the students."

Time Magazine. Bullying: Suicides Highlight a Schoolyard Problem By Paige Bowers Wednesday, May. 20, 2009

Seth Walsh, 13 years oldSeptember 2010 The bullying took

every form. "It was eye to eye, over the telephone, personal, over the Internet. He spent a lot of his life frightened."

Time Magazine. The Bullying of Seth Walsh: Requiem for a Small-Town Boy By Bryan Alexander / Tehachapi Saturday, Oct. 02, 2010

Tyler Clementi, 18 years oldSeptember 2010 His roommate had

secretly recorded a video of Clementi kissing a guy; the video went up on YouTube. On Facebook, Clementi offered a final status update:

"jumping off gw bridge sorry."Jonathan Lemire, Michael J. Feeney And Larry Mcshane (1 October 2010).

"He Wanted Roomie Out Rutgers Suicide Complained Of Video Voyeur Before Fatal Fall". Daily News (New York): p. 2. Retrieved 2010-10-27.

Rhianna Lynn Morawitz, 14 yr old

September 21st 2011- Freshman at NE High

"We never even thought in a million years this would happen. It was a complete shock," Morawitz said.

"We knew she was being bullied and that some crap was going on at school. . . . We tried to make the school aware of it. They knew what was going on, but they didn't do anything about it."

The How…

A continuum of cyberbullying:

Ignored

Disrespected

Spreadin

g Rumors

Stalking

Physical Threats

1. Instant Messaging/Text Messaging

Harassment

2. Stealing Passwords / Impersonation

3. Blogs / Online Journals

4. Sending Pictures or Videos through E-mail and Cell Phones

Revenge Pornography

Minors involved = illegal

Taken without consent = illegal

Taken by the subject and handed

over freely ≠ illegal

5. Memes

6. Internet Polling

7. Interactive Gaming

8. Sending Malicious Code / Spyware

9. Sending Porn to Online Accounts

10. Targeting the victim for harassment by a third party

(aka: cyberbullying-by-proxy)

The Harmful Effects of Cyberbullying

People who bully others-

Abuse alcohol and other drugs in adolescence and as adults.

Get into fights, vandalize property, and drop out of school. Engage in early sexual activity. Have criminal convictions and traffic citations as adults. In

one study, 60% of boys who bullied others in middle school had a criminal conviction by age 24.

Be abusive toward their romantic partners, spouses or children as adults.

Are more likely to-

People who witness bullying- Have increased use of tobacco, alcohol or other

drugs. Have increased mental health problems,

including depression and anxiety. Are more likely to miss or skip school.

Emotional Reactions to Being the Cyberbully

Did not feel anything 41% They felt they were funny 25% Guilty 21% Powerful 9% Popular 6% Better than others 4%

Mishna F, et al. Cyber Bullying Behaviors Among Middle and High School Students. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 2010. Vol 8, No 3, 362-374

The Why…

Anger, revenge, frustration, jealousy Vengeance for the wronged friend Entertainment Boredom Ego booster Readily accessible Revenge of the Nerd- victim becomes the

bully Impersonal nature of a screen

So what’s happening to the cyberbullying victims?

Don’t tell…

58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that happened to them online.

Cyberbullying is rarely reported Fear of retaliation or worsening of the bullying A major barrier is fear of losing internet or

phone privileges.

Kowalski R, et al. Electronic bullying among middle school students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 41, S22-S30. 2007.

isafe.org

Digital Isolation

One of the most damaging effects is that a victim begins

to avoid friends and activities, often the very intention of the cyberbully.

Digital isolation becomes physical / social / emotional isolation In general, peer harassment

leads to:

Hinduja S, et al. Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Suicide. Archives of Suicide Research. 14:206-221, 2010.

• Depression• Decreased self-

worth• Hopelessness• Loneliness• Lower GPA / Grad

rates• Poor sleep patterns

• Emotionally labile• Withdrawal • Avoidance of

media• Lying• Poor health (up to

3 yr)• Use of violence in

confrontations

Cyberbullying & School Violence

Suicide

CDC: suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death among 10-24 year olds in 2010.

Even though suicide rates have decreased between 1990-2000 among young people, there has been an upward trend in 10- to 20-year olds from 2000-2010.

Baldry A, et al. Direct and vicarious victimization at school and at home as risk factors for suicidal cognition among Italian adolescents. Journal of Adolescence. 26(6). 703-716. 2003.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2007. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 56(35), 905-908.

Suicide and Bullying

Youth who are bullied are at an elevated risk for suicidal ideation, attempts, and completion of suicides.

Among boys who were frequently bullied (at least once per week) 4% had severe suicidal ideation versus 1% in boys not bullied.

In girls, of those bullied 8% had severe SI versus 1% in those not.

Of those who bullied others at least once per week both boys and girls showed 8% increase of severe SI.

Kaltiala-Heino R, et al. Bullying, depression, and suicidal ideation in Finnish adolescents: School Survey. British Medical Journal. 319(7206). 348-351. 1999.

Suicide and Cyberbullying

Youth who experienced traditional bullying or cyberbullying, as either offender or victim, scored higher on suicidal ideation scales.

Cyberbullying victimization was a stronger predictor of suicidal ideation than bullying or cyberbullying offending.

Hinduja S, et al. Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Suicide. Archives of Suicide Research. 14:206-221, 2010.

Helping Victims and Bullies as a Parent

Making a difference

Recognize the importance of online relationships for children and adolescents

Counsel and demonstrate internet safety and responsibility

Encourage efforts by schools and lawmakers

Ask about your child’s screen time Talk about your child’s “online life” Talk about suicide with your child Encourage open communication

between your child and their teachers, physician, and other trusted adults

Be a Role Model

Start Asking

Privacy vs. Protection

Is it okay to “snoop”? Play-date analogy

Use parental monitoring software and site filters Do NOT rely on these methods only

An opportunity to reward good behavior

Keep passwords for emergencies Check your child’s internet History

A Special Privilege With Rules Talk about allowable and unallowable sites

BAN Ask.fm and sites that promote negativity Set a time limit for use Discuss the rules of posting

Will this hurt the feelings of others? Could this show strangers where I live or go to

school? Will I get in trouble at school?

Consistently apply firm consequences for inappropriate on-line behavior

Media Agreements

Risk Factors for Victimization

Sexual Orientation Race Disability Mental health Poverty

Depression

Victim

Responding to Inappropriate Posts

Use the right words (Avoid “me” & “you”) NO- “I don’t like what you posted about

me.” YES- “That post doesn’t belong on

Facebook

Using assertive language is most effective!

A Slowly Changing Industry Facebook is making changes. Links

provided allow children to respond to posts or images that they don’t like in a constructive manner

When Cyberbullying Occurs Keep evidence of cyberbullying.

Record the dates, times, and descriptions of instances when cyber bullying has occurred. Save and print screenshots, emails, and text messages. Use this evidence to report cyberbullying to web and cell phone service providers.

Block the person who is cyberbullying.

Report the cyberbullying to social media sites

and internet service providers Cyberbullying behavior usually violates the

terms of service

Police Involvement

Cyber activities that include the following are crimes and should be reported to police:

Threats of violence or extortion

Child pornography or sending sexually explicit messages or photos

Taking a photo or video of someone in a place where he or she would expect privacy

Stalking and hate crimes

School Responsibility

K.S.A. 72-8256 Introduced 2007 Amended in 2008 to include Cyberbullying March 2011- first week of Oct is Bullying Awareness Week Additional amendments to strengthen this law “died in committee” June

2012

USD 259 P1464 PUPIL BEHAVIOR – REGULATIONS Bullying occurs in all forms including, but not limited to, appearance,

status with a peer group (social power), intellectual, socio-economic, gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, etc. Bullying in any form is prohibited on school property, in a school vehicle, or at a school-sponsored activity or event. In addition, bullying is prohibited while utilizing school property. Bullying includes Cyberbullying.

The Schools Are Learning! What doesn’t work:

Zero-tolerance policies Conflict resolution with peer mediation Group treatment for student who bully Simple, short-term solutions

What does work: Role playing, practice scenarios as part of year-long

curriculum Acknowledging bullying outside of school affects school

performance and attendance Protecting students that report cyber bullying Strict monitoring of digital media use Helping to educate parents

When Schools Fail…

School Violence Hotline 1-877-626-8203

If a child is bullied because of their race, ethnicity, or disability and local help is not working to solve the problem- Contact the U.S. Department of Education’s Office on Civil Rights

Federal Involvement

No federal laws currently against “bullying” Only Harassment / Discrimination

protection▪ Qualifiers for Federal protection:

Severe, Persistent, Pervasive

Hostile environment(Student’s participation is limited)

Race/EthnicColorSexDisability*Religion

Changing Legal Definitions D.D. v. R.R.

In this cyberbullying case, D.C., a 15 year old student, and his parents brought a hate crime, defamation, and other claims against another student, R.R., and his parents concerning the posting of threatening and derogatory comments on the student, D.C.'s, web page. One comment referred to R.R.'s desire to "pound your head in with an ice pick". The court denied the special motion to strike under California Code of Civil Procedure § 425.16. The Court of Appeal found that the defendants statements were true threats and were not protected speech and not a public issue. This case demonstrates that some instances of cyber bullying may not necessarily be protected under Freedom of Speech.

D.C. v. R.R., 182 Cal. App. 4th 1190 (2010)

Provider/Family Resources www.stopbullyingnow.com www.stopcyberbullying.org www.ncpc.org provides information about

stopping cyber bullying before it starts. www.wiredsafety.com “Growing Up Online” Frontline- PBS,

purchase DVD or view on-line at: www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/view/

Amanda Todd, 15 yr

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej7afkypUsc October 10th, 2012

Thank you

Questions?

Baldry A, et al. Direct and vicarious victimization at school and at home as risk factors for suicidal cognition among Italian adolescents. Journal of Adolescence. 26(6). 703-716. 2003.

Bandura A. 2002. Selective moral disengagement in the exercise of moral agency. J Moral Edu 31:101-119.

Celizic, Mike (March 6, 2009). “Her teen committed suicide over ‘sexing’". Today Parenting- MSNBC. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29546030. Retrieved 2010-10-27.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2007. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 56(35), 905-908.

Growing Up Online (Chapter 6: "Cyberbullying"). [Television production]. Boston: PBS. January 22, 2008. Event occurs at 0:08:16–0:08:30. http://www.pbs.org/frontline/video/share.html?s=frol02n3b7q4e. Retrieved

2010-10-27. Hinduja S, et al. Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Suicide. Archives of Suicide Research. 14:206-221, 2010.

Kaltiala-Heino R, et al. Bullying, depression, and suicidal ideation in Finnish adolescents: School Survey. British Medical Journal. 319(7206). 348-351. 1999.

Kowalski R, et al. Electronic bullying among middle school students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 41, S22-S30. 2007.

Kowalski R, et al. 2008. Cyber Bullying. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Jonathan Lemire, Michael J. Feeney And Larry Mcshane (1 October 2010). "He Wanted Roomie Out Rutgers Suicide Complained Of Video Voyeur Before Fatal Fall". Daily News (New York): p. 2. Retrieved 2010-10-27.

Mishna F, et al. Cyber Bullying Behaviors Among Middle and High School Students. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 2010. Vol 8, No 3, 362-374.

Pornari CD, et al. Peer and Cyber Aggression in Secondary School Students: The Role of Moral Disengagement, Hostile Attribution Bias, and Outcome Expectancies. Aggressive Behavior. Vol 36, pg 81-94. (2010)

Steinhauer, Jennifer (November 26, 2008). "Verdict in MySpace Suicide Case". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/us/27myspace.html?_r=1&hp. Retrieved 2010-10-27.

References

KSDE Bullying Prevention. Statement from the Kansas State Board of Education. Access from http://www.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=KGbmh5hB-fY%3D&tabid=4732 on December 5th, 2012.

Young, R. (Writer), & Ashlock, A. (Director). (2013). Facebook Debuts New Bullying Reporting Messages [Radio series episode]. In K. McKenna (Producer), Here and Now. Boston: NPR, WBUR.

A Positive Internet Tale