Cyberbullies Get a Free Pass?
I came across this interesting article from Canada. The basis of the article is the claim from Bill Belsey, an Alberta elementary school teacher and founder of the website bullying.org (who also organized this week’s national Bullying Awareness Week campaign), who says that cellphone companies and Internet service and content providers are paying only lip service and not enough attention to their own acceptable-use policies. Thus, they are perpetuating cyberbullying and getting the free pass in responsibility.
But is it really the websites and providers? I mean, shouldn’t we be yelling at the parents? I know it takes a village to raise a child, but when did we start blaming the village and letting the parents off the hook? As much as cyberbullies may be getting a free pass online, I think it’s parents that are TAKING, not getting, a free pass on responsibility and parental duty… why?
Because it seems that parents don’t really care about cyberbullying until their child is a victim. Otherwise the bullies would be stopped at home and kids wouldn’t get bullied online as much and there wouldn’t be any lawsuits. Not enough parents are monitoring their child’s Internet activity. And not enough care enough to stop cyberbullying at the top – with the bully.
It’s so easy to take this small step (using computer monitoring software) that will prove to be a big leap in the battle against cyberbullying. Our PC Pandora monitoring software will give you all the information you need to stop cyberbullying in your home. It’ll show you exactly what your kids do online, where they go, who they talk to and – most importantly – how they treat others and represent themselves. If your child is a victim or the bully, you will know and you will have the evidence you need to act appropriately.
Here’s the article:
Cyberbullies get a free pass: Advocate
By Meagan Fitzpatrick, Canwest News ServiceInternet and telecommunications companies are dodging their responsibilities to help eliminate cyberbullying, according to the man behind this week’s national Bullying Awareness Week campaign.
Bill Belsey, an Alberta elementary school teacher and founder of the website bullying.org, said in an interview that cellphone companies and Internet service and content providers are paying only lip service and not enough attention to their own acceptable-use policies.
“If they’ve got these policies, they don’t usually, if ever, uphold them,” said Belsey. “They put it out as a public relations gesture, but really, no one holds them accountable.”
The Internet and wireless technology have opened up a whole new world for bullying, especially for young people who are heavy users of instant messaging, text messaging, e-mail and social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace.
In some cases, the behaviour is leading to tragic consequences.
On Wednesday, opening arguments began in the landmark trial of a Missouri woman who is accused, along with her daughter and another young girl, of orchestrating an online hoax that eventually ended in the suicide of their teenage neighbour. A fake MySpace account allegedly was created in the name of a teenage boy and used to befriend and flirt with 13-year-old Megan Meier – and to then reject her. Among the cruel messages she received was one saying the world would be better off without her. Shortly afterward, Meier hanged herself. Lori Drew is charged with conspiracy and unauthorized access to protected computers, a statute normally used to prosecute hacking.
Cyber bullying was one of the themes of Bullying Awareness Week, an initiative Belsey started six years ago, two years after launching bullying.org, his first website dedicated to the issue of bullying. He also hosts cyberbullying.ca and bullyingcourse.com, an online course he created for parents and educators.
He plans to launch yet another website in the near future, this one dedicated to corporate responsibility and cyberbullying.
Belsey says he frequently hears from students and parents who say they have contacted service and content providers with complaints about cyberbullying and were either were brushed off or got no response at all.
“My point is really simple – if you have these policies, enforce these policies. Don’t pay lip service, and support kids and parents when they need it,” he said.
In a statement provided to Canwest News Service, a spokeswoman for Facebook said the website does uphold its policies.
“When users register on our site, they agree to our Terms of Use which state that they cannot ‘intimidate or harass another.’ Facebook does not condone cyberbullying on the site and will disable accounts that are found to be intimidating others in any way,” said Elizabeth Linder.
Spokespeople for Bell, Telus and Rogers, three of the country’s largest telecom and Internet service providers (ISPs), all said they uphold their policies and encourage customers to report any threats or other concerns to police.
“We work with law enforcement to do that enforcement. Cyberbullying is an offence and should be reported to the police,” said Nancy Cottenden, a spokeswoman for Rogers. “We co-operate fully with law enforcement when they are investigating a situation of this nature.”
Bell, Telus and Rogers support a number of initiatives and organizations dedicated to the safe use of technology and the protection of youth and they also point to their online security features, including parental controls, as proof they take the issue seriously.
“As an industry, the ISPs do a lot of work together and individually to deal with the issue,” said Jacqueline Michelis, a spokeswoman for Bell.
Belsey acknowledges that companies are working on the issue but he also lodged a complaint about some of their marketing practices, citing a Rogers cellphone commercial that he says does more harm than good for the cause.
In the advertisement, a group of young people is driving in a car. One snaps an unflattering picture of another on her cellphone and instantly uploads it to her Facebook page. She tells the young man all her friends will see the photo, laugh, and make comments about it. “You’re laughing at me?” he says with concern. “No, with you,” she replies sarcastically.
“They’re using cyberbullying as a way to market their phones,” said Belsey.
Rogers disagrees the commercial is an example of cyberbullying.
“This is not about one child bullying another,” said Elizabeth Hamilton, a spokeswoman for Rogers Wireless. “It’s about how friends behave together when they’re having a good time in their everyday life.”
Teenagers are a huge customer base for these companies, and it’s fine for these companies to make millions from them, Belsey said, but they should be more responsible in how their products are used and sold.
“Business is business but the way they’re marketing has got to be smartened up in a big way.”
