Digital Tools Used by Bullies

Back in the 1960's and 1970's, the major buzz toted about life in the 21st century would be better, easier and greatly improved with modern conveniences. In 1963, I remember going to the World's Fair at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, New York. They had the "World of the Future" pavillion. It was so cool looking at all the modern gadgets to come in the future.

Too bad no one could anticipate modern technology not being able to do away with the same old social problem of bullying. Now the bullies have a new tool to add to their arsenal of terrorizing other kids. This article is a small example of bullying in the digital age.

When 'digital bullying' goes too far by Leslie Katz

Year: 2005

Two years ago, Ryan routinely spent two to three hours a night instant messaging with classmates. Then he noticed a pattern: "It made me feel terrible."

Kids, the 13-year-old said, spent the better part of their evenings insulting one another online. "They'd start getting really mad at you, and sometimes it wouldn't even make sense," said the Manhattan teenager, who asked that his last name not be used. "It made me really cautious about what people were really saying behind my back. Leaving IM and walking around, I still was thinking about it. It felt really horrible."

Ryan--whose experience disturbed him so much he avoided instant messaging for nearly two years and now uses it only occasionally--is far from alone.

According to a recent survey by U.K. children's charity NCH, one in five kids has been bullied via digital phone or computer. Bullying by text message was the most common form of abuse reported, with 14 percent of children interviewed saying they had received upsetting messages on their mobile phones. The interactions run the gamut from disconcerting to downright terrifying.

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