Beware of the Cyber Bully

Learners will practice netiquette as they communicate with others on the Internet and develop resources to cope with online bullying.

Stands for what we KNOW

Stands for Expanding our knowledge

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KKnow

EExpand Knowledge

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KEWL Chart – Cyber Security

This is what the chart looks like. You can copy it on your paper.

http://ikeepsafe.org/psa/#gotovideo

"All cruelty springs from weakness.” (Seneca, 4BC-AD65)

Bullying has become an online event as well as a physical one. Intimidation online can be just as bad, and in some cases worse, than when bullying occurs in the physical community.

 Bullies are those people who gain gratification (a sense of happiness) when they have provoked or tormented others.

They feel better by making others feel worse. Cyber bullies are those bullies who use the Internet to be mean to others.

 

E-mail provides one method of communication for these bullies.

Flame mail – mail designed to make another person mad – is used along with hate mail – mail that shows racism, sexism, or other prejudices.

Another way bullies use the Internet is through bulletin boards and chat sites to make their comments public.

Finally, some cyber bullies build websites devoted to making a person or persons feel bad.

Jaleesa and Kim are friends at Jefferson Middle School. Kim tells Jaleesa that she doesn’t want to hang out with her any more. Jaleesa is angry and upset. She uploads a photo of Kim from her cell phone that was taken at a slumber party two weeks earlier. Jaleesa sends the photo to everyone on her buddy list with a message attached: “Kim is such a ****.”

How do you think Kim felt?

What might the kids who received the e-mail think or do?

One day you like someone. The next day you don’t. Angry, you say something or post something online. It gets passed around quickly and easily. So now, everybody knows about it and everybody talks about it in school. While maybe you are mean only once, when you do it online your posting or message is repeated again and again as it gets passed around. Meanness multiplies.

When kids are intentionally and repeatedly mean to one another using cell phones or the Internet, it’s called cyberbullying. Sometimes kids can handle cyberbullying and not get too upset. Other times, it can make kids feel angry, frustrated, sad, or afraid

What should Kim do? How would you advise her?

Write some ideas on your paper.

Everyone has a right not to be bullied and the responsibility to treat others fairly.

Save copies of bullying IMs, e-mails, or text messages.

Don’t share or allow photos of yourself that could be used to embarrass you.

Show the evidence of cyberbullying to a trusted adult who can help you.

Tell someone. Don’t keep this to yourself. Tell a trusted adult about the bullying.

Don’t open or read messages by Cyber bullies.

Tell the police if threatened.

Tell your Internet Service Provider.

Tell your school if it is school related. Schools have a bullying plan in place.

Don’t erase the messages – they may be needed to take action. Instead, put them in a folder unread.

Protect yourself – never agree to meet with the person or with anyone you meet online.

If bullied through chat or instant messaging, the “bully” can often be blocked. Tell someone!

Don’t give out private information such as passwords, pins, name, address, phone number, school name, or family and friends names. This information can be used by bullies and other harmful people on the Internet.

Use Netiquette. Be polite online and others will tend to do the same. If someone does get angry or bullies you, ignore them – online Cyber bullies want a reaction just like other bullies.

Don’t send a message when you are angry – it is hard to undo things that are said in anger.

Delete messages from people you don’t know or from people who seem angry or mean.

When something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. Get out of the site, chat, etc.

What are some ways that people could be bullied online: through e-mail, chatting, bulletin boards, websites, etc.

Has anyone in the class ever been bullied online?

http://www1.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?title=Ryan_Halligan_Story&video_id=153398

Kevin sends his friend José a short video he made at home—a reenactment of a famous fantasy movie scene. José, laughing at how Kevin looks, shows it to some other boys at school. The boys laugh at Kevin too and decide to post it on a video-sharing Web site. Millions of people view Kevin’s video. Nasty comments are posted. Every day, Kevin goes online to check and sees more comments like “idiot” and “fat nerd.” Every day, he goes to school and hears more cruel comments from his classmates.

Imagine someone telling an embarrassing secret about you in front of a bunch of kids at school. Now imagine someone posting an embarrassing secret about you on the Internet.

How are these two events similar? How are they different?

When kids intentionally embarrass another kid, that’s just plain mean. Embarrassing or humiliating another kid using the Internet is cyberbullying. When José and the others posted the video online, they set up a cyberbullying situation. They made it easy for other kids in school, and kids all over the world, to join in with them and post hurtful words online—again and again.

In this true story, many people contributed to the cyberbullying. But there were many times more kids who knew about the situation but did not get involved. Kids who are not cyberbullying but who see, hear, or know about it are called bystanders. In this situation, kids in school who witnessed the abuse and kids online who viewed the video were bystanders. What would you do if you were a bystander?

What could you say to or do for Kevin?

What would you say to José?

What could you say to the other kids at school who viewed the video and left cruel comments?

How could you have involved a trusted adult?

Stop before you post photos and videos and think: Will it upset or harm another kid?

Know when you are in over your head with a cyberbullying situation and ask a trusted adult for help.

Eric gets a lot of pressure from his parents to do well in school. Other kids in school tease him because he tries so hard but still gets bad test scores. He gets instant messages and text messages during the day and at night. The word loser is in most of them. Eric thinks he knows who is behind the messages: Alexis, the most popular girl in the eighth grade. To get back at Alexis, Eric sends her this message: I’m going to kill you for doing this. Your friends, too.

How do you think Eric feels?

What about this situation is making him feel this way?

How do you think Alexis felt when she got Eric’s message?

Cyberbullying can make you feel angry, frustrated, sad, or fearful—especially when you don’t know who is sending the harassing messages. Sometimes kids use language that says they want to hurt someone. When this kind of language comes in the form of an electronic message—an e-mail, instant message, or text message over computers or cell phones—it’s hard to tell whether it is serious or not. No matter how a message is sent, words that say you intend to hurt someone are taken very seriously by schools, parents, and the police.

What should Alexis do?

What could Eric have done instead of sending the message to Alexis?

What should the other kids who knew about the messages Eric was getting have done?

Everyone has a right not to be cyberbullied.

Save copies of bullying IMs, e-mails, or other threatening electronic messages.

When cyberbullying includes threats, a line is crossed and should be reported to trusted adults immediately.

No one wants to feel like a rat, but sometimes it’s important to tell trusted adults so they can help prevent cyberbullying situations from getting worse.

Most kids say they would report cyberbullying if they didn’t have to identify themselves. Brainstorm ways for students to anonymously report cyberbullying to your school.

Sondra is planning a slumber party to celebrate her birthday. Her parents have set a limit of eight girls, so Sondra can’t invite everyone she’d like. Two girls who are left out overhear the plans. Angry, they plan their revenge.

The girls make a “We Hate Sondra Jones” Web site. They say that anyone invited to the party should not go. They tell everyone in school the site’s address. The girls invite everyone to add new reasons why they hate Sondra and to spread ugly rumors about her.

When Sondra hears about the site, she gets a sick feeling in her stomach. Unable to ignore it, she checks the site often. Each day she finds a new nasty comment or joke about her. She feels hurt and powerless to defend herself. Sondra is too embarrassed to go to school and tells her parents she is sick.

If you were Sondra’s friend, what advice would you give her?

For the tenth day in a row, Andrew opens an e-mail that says, “I’m getting closer.” He doesn’t recognize the sender’s address. He wonders if someone at school is trying to scare him. On the other hand, it could be a stranger. Whatever the source, Andrew is scared. The next afternoon, Andrew is home alone. The e-mails come every few minutes. “I’m hiding in your house using a wireless Internet connection. You’ll never find me. But I’ll find you.”

Frozen with fear, Andrew can’t think what to do. If he called you for advice, what would you tell him?

While going into cyberspace can be fun, some online experiences may make you feel embarrassed, upset, depressed, or afraid. It can happen to anyone—even when going into cyberspace sitting comfortably inside your own home or favorite library. When it happens, it’s best to take action.

Both Sondra and Andrew are the targets of cyberbullying. Whether bullies are face to face or in cyberspace, they feel powerful when they bother other people. They may use hurtful words or threaten. Often the cyberbully is someone you know face to face. Perhaps the bully finds it easier to be mean and nasty online, when he or she can’t see the other person’s reaction. Online or off, bullying is meant to make you feel uncomfortable. Either way, it’s upsetting.

Bullying should not be tolerated, whether in school or in cyberspace. Trust your uncomfortable feelings—they mean something is wrong.

Here is what to do about it:

Sign off the computer. Leave the chat room or Web site. Block the bully’s messages. Save and print the bully’s e-mails or your

message logs. Never reply to a bully. Talk over how to handle the situation with a

friend. Report your experience to a parent,

teacher, or other trusted adult.

If you witness cyberbullying, you can help by supporting the target and letting the bullies know that their behavior is not acceptable.

Let’s take a look at the Netiquette page.

Use Meaningful Subject LinesTell the person what you are sending to them so they know what to expect when the message is opened.

Don't Type With ALL CAPSThis is known as online screaming, and is considered to be rude.

Think Before You Type It’s easy to be misunderstood in Cyberspace – be clear about what you want to say. Don’t send a message when you are angry – it’s hard to undo things that are said in anger.

Use Emoticons to help others understand what you mean.

E-mail Netiquette

Think About AttachmentsDon’t send something as an attachment if it can be copied and pasted into the email text. Don’t send really large attachments. Don’t send attachments with viruses. And…be careful of attachments you download.

Don't SpamDon’t send out messages that aren’t wanted!

Don't Pass Around E-HoaxesUse your favorite Internet Search engine to learn the truth about the latest e-hoaxes, urban myths, chain e-mail and pervasive riff-raff circulating on the Internet. Don’t mislead others and cause alarm or stress.

Don't Pass Around Chain LettersThey are annoying.

E-mail Netiquette

Many of the same conventions that apply to newsgroups and e-mail are also relevant in chatrooms. You're still just typing your thoughts and sending them to people, but in a chatroom, they're just a little quicker to respond.

Avoid Using ALL CAPSIt’s still considered yelling.

Decide What Tone the Conversation Has Before PostingDon't use offensive language or nicknames. Always avoid making personal attacks and calling names.

Don't "Flood" the ChatroomFlooding is repeating messages over and over, or filling the screen with gibberish, in order to impede communication in the chatroom.

Be Nice to NewbiesIf someone stumbles into your chat, who is obviously new to this medium, show them some patience and help them get the hang of it.

Most of these "netiquette rules" are really just common sense. Give people you meet online the same respect you would give someone in person.

Emoticons stand for emotion icons. They are used to convey emotion in writing. When emailing, IMing, or Chatting, writers use emoticons to show when joking, upset, or angry. They are useful so that someone doesn’t take something written the wrong way.

Emoticons are made of a sequence of characters on your keyboard. The most common emoticon is the smile. It is used to tell people – don’t take what I said seriously or I meant it as a joke or in good humor.

A smile is made up of a colon for the eyes, a dash for the nose, and the right parenthesis for the smiling mouth.

:-) Standard Smiley – Shows you are kidding around or in a good mood.

:-( Frown – Shows you are upset about something

;-) Winking

:-D Laughing

:-/ Undecided or confused

:-Q Shows Confusion

:-O Shows surprise or realization of an error

Directions: This chat is out of hand! Can you spot all the Netiquette mistakes these chatters are making?

Find the errors, reword items in a nice manner and put in Emoticons to help people know when the chatters are joking, etc.

Remember, Emoticon is short for emotion icon ☺ :-) :-(

Jake: Hi Mallory: Hi Beth: HEY Y’ALL, HOW YOU DOING? Mallory: You idiot? Don’t you know better? Jake: XDJFEWajskdfl;wijk Diane: what was that? Jake: XDJFEWajskdfl;wijk Jake: XDJFEWajskdfl;wijk

Mallory: Ok, that is just getting plain annoying.

Jake: XDJFEWajskdfl;wijk Alex: As the moderator of this chat, I will be

forced to kick you out if you keep this up. Diane: Jake, I got your email off your profile.

Make sure you read what I sent you!

Mallory: I read that email you sent me. What were you thinking? Do you really believe that junk? I mean who honestly WANTs to go to school all year? You find someone to agree with you and I’ll show you a real freak!

Beth: Look, I’m outta here. As a newbie I feel stomped upon. You guys should learn some manners.

Mallory: Yeah right, so says the dummy who didn’t know caps were shouting.

Diane: Mallory you are so out there! Jake: DJSKFLWN K – bye

End of Chat

Jake: HiMallory: HiBeth: HEY Y’ALL, HOW YOU DOING? Don’t use all caps – it’s

considered shouting. 

Mallory: You idiot? Don’t you know better? Take some time to learn some netiquette. You should be nice to new chatters. Don’t be too critical – if joking using emoticons.

 

Jake: XDJFEWajskdfl;wijk Don’t type gibberish in chatsDiane: what was that?Jake: XDJFEWajskdfl;wijkJake: XDJFEWajskdfl;wijkMallory: Ok, that is just getting plain annoying.Jake: XDJFEWajskdfl;wijk 

Alex: As the moderator of this chat, I will be forced to kick you out if you keep this up. Moderators can kick you out of chats for not following netiquette. It is best to participate in moderated chats for safety reasons.

 

Diane: Jake, I got your email off your profile. Make sure you read what I sent you! 1. NEVER fill out a profile with personal information. This is dangerous. 2. Emailing people without permission can be considered spamming and is annoying.

 

Mallory: I read that email you sent me. What were you thinking? Do you really believe that junk? I mean who honestly WANTs to go to school all year? You find someone to agree with you and I’ll show you a real freak! This is an inflammatory statement and can lead to harassment, etc. Be careful of what you say and how you say it online. You can disagree without insulting. Use emoticons!

 

Beth: Look, I’m outta here. As a newbie I feel stomped upon. You guys should learn some manners. This new chatter is leaving after having others be rude and ignore. Remember to be considerate of new chatters.

 

Mallory: Yeah right, so says the dummy who didn’t know caps were shouting. Again, an inflammatory statement. If joking use emoticons.

 

Diane: Mallory you are so out there!Jake: DJSKFLWN K – bye gibberish!

Complete Exit Ticket

1. Bullying means to use mean language or actions towards others

2. Bullies intend to cause fear or avoidance from others for their victims

3. Bullies are found in both the physical and cyber communities

4. Online bullying can be just as intimidating as face-to-face bullying

5. Using netiquette is an effective way to prevent online bullying

6. Resources for reporting bullying incidents include trusted adults, the ISP provider, school personnel, and the police if it involves illegal activity, direct threats, etc.