The rise of cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying is the use of electronic information and communication technologies including email, websites, text messaging, web logs or blogs, three-way calling, cell phones, photographs, videos, or any other electronic means to repeatedly willfully and intentionally embarrass, intimidate, humiliate, threaten, or harass another.

Cyberbullying is a serious and growing problem among today’s young teens, but measures can be taken to prevent it. It is a mean and cruel conduct and may inflict damage to the victims. Victims of cyberbullying may choose to keep quiet about it and may be reluctant to tell others, causing the situation to worsen. Some children believe by involving an adult, it will make a bad situation even worse resulting in some form of online or offline retaliation. Others may think they just have to deal with it; it’s just the way it is.

Cyberbullying can be devastating to the victims. It can take a serious toll on social confidence, relationships with peers and family, self-esteem and on schoolwork. Children who are bullied frequently are more likely to experience depression and will most probably withdraw from the society. In some more drastic cases, victims of cyberbullying even turn suicidal.

I think cyberbullying can be prevented though. Many may think that the internet is a safe place to make friends and air your grievances, but when things gets ugly, that's when one realises the harms of it. We should protect ourselves by not divulging too much information about ourselves. If someone that you don't know begins to talk to you ignore them, the best idea is to click out of the conversation and block the user from contacting you. If someone unknown to you begins to ask questions that relate to where you go outside of your online world, immediately cease contact and don't answer any questions. Lastly, we should also learn to stand up for ourselves and not get intimidated easily by these bullies.