Cyberbullying, Death by Technology

Cyberbullying happens 24/7, 365 days a year.
It comes from anywhere, a smartphone, email, social network site, web site, or other technologically driven means. It is anonymous in many cases and it can kill. Before reviewing how cyberbullying can kill, the stage needs to be set.

We have all heard of cyberbullying, so the definition of it won't be discussed. There are numerous studies that have been done coming up with various definitions of cyberbullying.
Getting away from the "clinical" definition is often easier, so it is enough to say it is "the physical, in your face bully that you don't see.
" It is the bully who isn't necessarily the strongest or even the "geekiest.

" It can be a seven year old or a seventy year old.

It can be anyone with the technological means to communicate.
As in physical bullying, cyberbullying has a "target or victim" and the "bully or bullies." Please note that cyberbullying can and does occur in groups.
This dispels the often thought belief that a cyberbully operates alone and in the dark confines of their bedroom or office. In many cases, a group will band together to taunt their victim.

The simplest example is that of a group of girls in a school who refuse to friend someone on a social network, and then go on to describe how the "unfriended" is left out of the many events in which the group partakes. Socially ostracizing their "victim" and taunting all the while on the network.
Does this only occur at schools among youth, or, does it also occur within the business environment as well? A strong case can be made that it occurs in all levels of our environment. Consider the next time an email is circulated about a fellow employee who may have had something "funny" happen to them.

This in fact is "cyberbullying.
" As a side note, what may be handled by a parent at the school level may be handled by a lawyer at the business level.
The number of lawsuits evolving from cyberbullying is ever increasing. Beyond the actual perpetrators are those who simply watch and condone.

The group known as the "bystander". By their failure to intervene in a cyberbullying case, they in fact become part of the bullying group.
Condoning the actions of the bully only encourages their continuance and escalation.
Whether in a school or business, those involved in the "chain of communication" know that a bullying event is occurring and failing to act makes them part of the group.

Failure to report the cyberbully in some cases can be a violation of a school or company policy.

Beyond some procedural or corporate need to report, it is morally wrong not to act. That failure to act or intervene can lead to the death of the victim.

It does not have to be substantiated as to how many teens and young adults have committed suicide, or to be current in our phraseology, "bullycide." It occurs too frequently and almost on a daily basis.

Some young person commits suicide because they were bullied on the Internet.
I would suggest that the fact that they were bullied may not have been the sole reason for their action, but in many cases, it was enough to force them into making their irrevocable decision to die from suicide. What is striking when we read about these deaths is how many people saw the signs. In almost every case someone steps up and says, "I saw their posting but I didn't think they were serious." We track the youngest because it is most "newsworthy" when they die, but limited studies have been conducted for those who are much older. Would cyberbullying be a factor in those cases as well? The answer could be, "Yes.
" Could those deaths have been prevented? A more resounding, "Yes.
"