Cyberbullying, Whose responsibility is it?

Cyberbullying is one of the nagetive sides of the digital age. Its being worse than f2f bully lies in:

1) You have no way to escape from the virtual bullying online group;

2) Because it is 'invisible' in our physical world, parents,teachers and school officials are not aware of this kind of bully going on in some teenagers' lives.

Most of time, the students who are being bullied try to keep it with themselves. They do not share this "humiliation" with family or teachers untill they could not take it anymore one day. The worst consequence for this could be individual commiting suicide or all of sudden a bloody campus massacre might happen.

It is serious thing in this digital-native generation. No one seems to be able to survive without cell phone. When Dad Banned Text Messaging, we understand this family's frustration in this situation.

What are the appropriate actions should parents take for this?

• Parents firstly should have the knowledge of how to identify the symptoms when the kid is being cyberbullied;
• Parents should report the cyberbullying case to the kid's school and the relevant institutions
• Student should keep all the evidences that the cyberbully is provable

The question here is whose responsibility for these young people to be safe online?

Harassment occurred off campus so jurisdiction unclear

• Schools have the authority to suspend or expel students for bullying fellow students over the internet, in text messaging or by other electronic means.
• Anti-bullying programs are to be brought to schools and to integrate anti-bullying education into school curriculum.
• Students should have the awareness of the consequences of cyberbullying and to be educated on the appropriate online behavior.
• See ISB High School Cyber-safety Week