Cyber Bullying Research Paper

Protecting Teenagers from Cyberbullying

Introduction

According to the Cyberbullying Research Center (par 1), cyberbullying is defined as a repeated harm that is wilfully inflicted on people through the use of cell phones, computers, and other electronic devices. The electronic devices provide an avenue through the various digital platforms for bullies to find and harass their targets. It is a current social issue that has been associated with numerous negative consequences on the part of the victims, including alterations of personalities and even extremes such a suicide. Children and young people are the most vulnerable targets of cyberbullying because of their weak psychological developments (Modecki, Kathryn, et al., p 603). Instigators

Young people, mostly teenagers, are affected in different ways when they are exposed to these kinds of behavior or abuses. Reports show that 70% of students have experienced cyberbullying while engaging with their electronic devices such as cell phones and laptops. Online social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are the main sources of the vice. 80% of teenagers use cellphones on a regular basis, giving them unlimited access to social media (Cyberbullying Research Center, par 5).

Many of the teenagers who are bullied online tend to remain silent about the issue. Research shows that 1 in 10 victims of cyberbullying will inform their parents or an adult that they trust (Cyberbullying Research Center, par 7). This kind of trend has become a challenge to researchers who want to know the exact psychological damage that the vice can cause to youths.

The advancement of technology is making the current situation worse because more and more teenagers are getting access to the digital platform (Baldry & Anna, et al., p 2). Even younger children are allowed by their parents to own cell phones, making them vulnerable to cyberbullying. Sometimes, cyberbullying becomes so severe that it causes young people to commit suicide. Therefore, appropriate action needs to be taken to prevent further escalation of the

Therefore, there are various ways that the society can help protect young people from becoming victims of cyberbullying. First of all, the parents need to control the use of social media by their children (Cross, Donna, et al, p 9). They should restrict the use of cell phones, especially its online use, and make sure that the children do not misuse them when they are using them. Furthermore, parents should keep computers in a central place at home and create rule on how and when it should be