Stuck in the Web
Online Safety
Statistics
- 93% of people ages 5-15 used the internet in 2013
- Only 20% of people ever report cyberbullying(those who witness it)
- 95% of people ignore the bullying
- Around 1 in 3 teens experiance cyberbullying
- 73% of teens have a social networking account
- 25% of people are continuously bullied online
- Over 50% of people never report cyberbullying to their parents
- Suicide is the 3rd most common form of death in America
7 Online Safety Tips
1.Personal Information
Never give your name,home address,school name, or telephone number to anyone online. This information could be used against you.
2.IRL?
Don't meet anyone in real life without a parent's permission. Not everyone is who they say they are online.
3.Pictures and Videos
Think carefully about uploading a photo or video of yourself. These items can be downloaded by others.
4.Password Protection
Obviously, you should never give out passwords to anyone. If you think you may forget a password then write it down and keep it somewhere safe (such as on a phone with a passcode). Also, for the best safety, use capital letters, numbers and creativity when making a password.
5.Don't "friend" people you don't know
This goes especially for social networking sites. Friends usually can see your posts which sometimes can contain personal information.
6.Read your posts!
Sometimes messages can be unclear across the internet (after all you aren't hearing anyone), so reread posts and see if they're clear. If this isn't done then it can be taken as cyberbullying.
7.Respect
Respect other peoples' beliefs and feelings. It can be taken as cyberbullying if you don't.
News Stories
Cyberbullying Gang 10/15/13
Two girls have been arrested in the death of a 12-year-old central Florida girl who authorities say committed suicide after being bulled online for nearly a year, a sheriff said. The girls are 12 and 14, and they have been charged with felony aggravated stalking, Polk County authorities say. Officials have said Rebecca Sedwick was "terrorized" by as many as 15 girls who ganged up on her for months using online message boards and texts. On Sept. 9, authorities say, Rebecca climbed a tower at an abandoned concrete plant and hurled herself to her death.
(newser.com)
Cyberbullying Filmmaker Commits Suicide 10/17/12
Canadian authorities have opened a probe into the death of Amanda Todd, a 15-year-old who posted a YouTube video describing years of bullying, then apparently committed suicide little more than a month later. She was found dead in her British Columbia home town.Authorities are not officially calling it a suicide, but have ruled out foul play and say the death was not suspicious.
Amanda described in the video how the photo led to cyberbullying and bullying at school—and then depression and anxiety, drug and alcohol use, self-harm, and even a suicide attempt. She told one specific story of being beat up by a girl after she "hooked up" with the girl's boyfriend. "She threw me to the ground and punched me several times," Todd wrote on a cue card she held up in the video. "Kids filmed it. I was all alone and left on the ground." She said she "wanted to die so bad." She drank bleach and was rushed to the hospital; students continued to bully her over the incident and suggest she drink bleach again. (newser)