Cyber Bullying

[5ft Diva]

I just ran across the story on Megan Meiers - the girl in CA who committed suicide apparently due to cyber bullying (from an adult disguised as a teenager, of all people). This is pretty serious. I've also seen a few specials on Dateline and other shows like that about this subject. Have any of your kids actually encountered cyber bullying? How did you handle it? How have the Authorities suggested handling cyber bullying? I don't know very much about this subject and would like to know more as I feel it is as real of a threat to my kids as drugs and alcohol are.

[natickgirl]

I haven't experienced this yet. My oldest is 10, and I don't allow him to chat online, go on You-TUbe without supervision, etc., and he doesn't even know about things like My Space or Face Book. I won't let him use those kinds of sites, anyway.

Cyber bullying is as bad as face-to-face name calling, back-stabbing, gossiping, or threatening. It is real & it is common. People (children, teens, and adults) feel they can say things on-line that they would NEVER say in person--that somehow the sterility of the computer breaks down conscience & inhibitions. Some kids also think they won't be "found out" or held accountable if their comments are just floating around in cyberspace.

I hope my family never has to deal with cyber bullying, but I will speak with my kids about it nonetheless. I certainly wouldn't want them to be the perpetrators or the victims.

[Big_Sissy]

I hear that.

My understanding is that it is a lot more common, and a lot worse, among teenage girls.

[5ft Diva]

Well, I guess that's good for us, but boys I'm sure have their own areas of unsafe things going on.

[Big_Sissy]

Yep, it's called PORN! But you already knew that.

[5ft Diva]

Oh, don't remind me!