Cyber Bullying, Outline Example

I. Introduction

a. Audience hook: Social networking sites are websites that provide a virtual community for people of the same tastes, and interests. Interested persons create their profiles in these websites and begin to connect to friends, family or interact with new friends via online activities such as, email, chat photos, events, and status updates (Li., Cross, & Smith, 2012). Example of social networking cites include; Facebook, MySpace, myYearbook, twitter, YouTube, webkinz and club penguin just to mention but a few.

b. Thesis statement: Being one of the most recent developments in information technology, social networking sites are among the top daily utilized websites by both adults and children mainly between the ages of 12 – 19, yet global society fails to acknowledge the imminent dangers of internet predators, cyberbullying, and personal privacy security caused by the use of these popular websites.

c. Main points:

i. The dangers and harm of cyber bullying caused by social networking sites (Li., Cross, & Smith, 2012).

II. There are several forms of cyber bullying in many networking sites and statistics are available supporting these victimization claims (Wolak & Finkelhor, 2006).

Show visual aid (Li., Cross, & Smith, 2012)

a. There are several forms of cyber bullying in social networking sites.

i. Harassment: it involves repeated behavior of sending nasty, mean, and insulting messages.

ii. Flaming: this is a kind of online fight characterized by instant messages or email with vulgar or angry language.

iii. Denigration: this bullying involves “dissing” someone online by posting gossips or rumors about the person with the intention of damaging the reputation of the person.

iv. Impersonation: this kind of bullying involves someone pretending to be someone else and sending or posting materials online with the intention of damaging ones reputation or friendship.

v. Pranking: this involves tricking an individual to provide embarrassing information or secretes and then sharing it online.

b. Youth research in the US interviewed different individuals on cyber bulling aspects and compiled the following statistical information (Li., Cross, & Smith, 2012)

i. Of the interview, 17 % of them admitted to have bullied an individual online. The interviewees revealed that they considered it fun or instructive to bully their victims to strengthen them.

ii. The approximate number of youths victimized by cyber bullying is about 33%.

iii. About 49% of the victims in the chat room were victimized via instant messages, while 28% via e-mail.

iv. About 41 % of the victims remain quiet of the abuse, while 38% tell at least an online friend (United States Department of Justice: Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2008).

v. The statistics reveal that about 34 % of the bullied youth feel frustrated, 22% feel sad, and 30% feel angry. Of the total percentages, bullied women feel angrier than men do.

vi. More than 50% of the participants interviewed felt that cyber bullying is bad and is just like or more badly than bullying, that occurs in real life situations (Li., Cross, & Smith, 2012).

c. Dangers and harms associated to cyber bullying.

i. People exposed to cyber bullying experience the following hurt feelings, sadness, anxiety, anger, fear, depression including other mental problems related to health, frustration (United States Department of justice, 2003).

ii. Victims of such instances may resort to behaviors like withdrawal, poor performance in academics, seclusion, bullying others and in extreme cases, suicidal acts.

III. Ways of curbing or stopping the dangers and harm of cyber bullying is for them to be careful and provide education to their peers and other individuals using the Internet (Rogers, 2010).

i. Enacting legislations to deter cyber bullying acts.

ii. Creating awareness on legislations governing cyber bullying and other forms of crime

iii. Educating people on ways of protecting themselves from cyber bullying

IV. Conclusion

i. Restatement of thesis: Cyber bullying needs to be curbed to prevent harm it causes on children and adults.

ii. Recap of main points:

i. The advent of social networking sites only accelerated the problems associated with internet crimes.

ii. The best way to curb or stop cyberbullying is by educating internet users to be careful about the information they reveal about them online.

iii. Closing comments:

i. Kids need guidance from parents on how to interact with others through the Internet.

ii. Individuals should not reveal private information in social networks since it is confidential and puts them on risk against burring and predation or invasion of their personal lives.

iii. People need to be aware of legislations governing cyber bullying and crimes.

Reference

Li, Q., Cross, D. & Smith, K. (2012). Cyberbullying in the Global Playground: Research from International Perspectives. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Rogers, V. (2010). Cyberbullying: Activities to Help Children and Teens to Stay Safe in a Texting, Twittering, Social Networking World. Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

United States Department of Justice: Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2008). National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

United States Department of justice. (2003). National Institute of Justice. Youth Victimization: Prevalence and Implications.

Wolak, M. & Finkelhor. (2006). Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later. Alexandria, VA, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.