Anti cyber-bullying campaign:
Schools are being given guidance urging them to take firm action against pupils who use mobile phones and the internet to bully other children and teachers.
More than a third of 12 to 15-year-olds have faced some kind of cyberbullying, according to a government study.
Ministers are also launching an awareness campaign on the social networking sites used by many pupils...
The guide being sent out to schools in England says cyberbullying can be an extension of face-to-face bullying, "with technology providing the bully with another route to harass their target".
But it says it differs in that it invades home and personal space and the perpetrator can use the cloak of anonymity. (BBC)
How can you stop cyber-bullying? You can't. It is no more possible than stopping the other kind of bullying. And all that the government has done is pass the buck to schools. What can they do?! This isn't something that is happening in an arena which schools can control. It is on the internet - governments can't control the internet, and schools certainly can't.More than a third of 12 to 15-year-olds have faced some kind of cyberbullying, according to a government study.
Ministers are also launching an awareness campaign on the social networking sites used by many pupils...
The guide being sent out to schools in England says cyberbullying can be an extension of face-to-face bullying, "with technology providing the bully with another route to harass their target".
But it says it differs in that it invades home and personal space and the perpetrator can use the cloak of anonymity. (BBC)
Just passing the buck on this issue straight to schools and teachers is idiotic and a waste of time. They can't stop verbal or physical bullying - and that happens within the school grounds! Teachers don't have the authority to control the actions of their school kids outside of the classroom, and it is precisely this kind of authority interference which makes bullying worse.
We can't stop cyber-bullying or any other kind, but neither does that mean we shouldn't try. The adverts are a good idea, and a way to actually bring to mind the effects that it can have on those who are subjected to it. And there isn't really much else that they can do other than give advice to those affected.
The cyberbullying campaign website is here.
Source: BBC, The Times
