Cyberbullying in the Media
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A quick search of the term cyberbullying in the “News” section of Google resulted in 100’s of article on cyberbullying from around the world (Canada, Thailand, UK for example) written in the last few months!
There are many conflicting reports on if cyberbullying is increasing or decreasing. Compare these titles
There are many conflicting reports on if cyberbullying is increasing or decreasing. Compare these titles
- "Amanda Todd and the greatly exaggerated cyberbullying plague: Web harassment not on the rise, researcher says." (Hamilton, 2012)
- "Study shows cyberbullying has tripled since 2013" (Ansari, 2014)
- "Cyberbullying is a Serious Problem, but Is It an Epidemic?" (Magid, 2011)
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Media cites the increase in teen suicide is due to the creations of “Burn Pages” by teenagers who were copying the 2004 movie Mean Girls. In the movie the popular girls create a Burn Book in which they write negative comments about their classmates and teachers. Teenagers across the nation were reported to create and technological version of the Burn Book on the Internet. In which they wrote negative and demeaning comments about other students. (Smith, 2013)
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Cyberbully is a made for TV movie from the ABC Family channel that tells the story of cyberbullying from the victims perspective, in this case a teenage girl. “ABC Family worked with Seventeen magazine to make the film, and hopes it will ‘delete digital drama.’” The film originally aired in 2011 and is still currently showing on ABC family. (Jacobs, 2011)
The media is thought to induce moral panic, due to focusing on youngsters as the perpetrators (Vandebosch et. al, 2013)
The media representation of cyberbullying portrays kids as “small monsters” who are just looking for an excuse to be mean, which distorts the public’s view of today’s youth. (Hamilton, 2012)
Cyberbullying is depicted as “unrelenting and inescapable” which leaves victims feeling powerless. (Hamilton, 2012)
In the eyes of the media cyberbullying equals suicide and does not take into account the mental state of the victim. (Vandebosch et. al 2013)
The media spin on a cyberbullying story can influence the public. If the media chooses to only provide interviews from the police, then the incident will be seen as a crime. On the other hand if the media chooses only to provide interviews from online personas, then the incident will be seen as an Internet only issue and not connected with traditional bullying. (Vandebosch et. al 2013)
The increase in media representation of cyberbullying can actually increase bullying as this makes it seem more “normal” as if “everyone is doing it” which makes it an accepted practice. (Magid, 2011)
Media exposed cyberbullying incidents that focus on suicide can increase the rate of suicide due to the copycat phenomenon. (Magid, 2011)
The media representation of cyberbullying portrays kids as “small monsters” who are just looking for an excuse to be mean, which distorts the public’s view of today’s youth. (Hamilton, 2012)
Cyberbullying is depicted as “unrelenting and inescapable” which leaves victims feeling powerless. (Hamilton, 2012)
In the eyes of the media cyberbullying equals suicide and does not take into account the mental state of the victim. (Vandebosch et. al 2013)
The media spin on a cyberbullying story can influence the public. If the media chooses to only provide interviews from the police, then the incident will be seen as a crime. On the other hand if the media chooses only to provide interviews from online personas, then the incident will be seen as an Internet only issue and not connected with traditional bullying. (Vandebosch et. al 2013)
The increase in media representation of cyberbullying can actually increase bullying as this makes it seem more “normal” as if “everyone is doing it” which makes it an accepted practice. (Magid, 2011)
Media exposed cyberbullying incidents that focus on suicide can increase the rate of suicide due to the copycat phenomenon. (Magid, 2011)