cyberbullying research image   "I was online in a chat room and this guy was sexually harassing me by saying stuff to me and wouldn't leave me alone. i had to exit the chat room and my email." (14 year-old girl from Canada)
...identifying the causes and consequences of online harassment

 

 

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Welcome to cyberbullying.us - a central repository and information clearinghouse for the phenomenon of cyberbullying. To note, cyberbullying is also called "cyber bullying," "electronic bullying," "e-bullying," "sms bullying," "mobile bullying," "online bullying," "digital bullying," or "Internet bullying." We define cyberbullying as "willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices."

Drs. Hinduja and Patchin have published a new book entitled Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying. Please see Press Releases from Florida Atlantic University and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. It is being published by Sage Publications (Corwin Press), and is an invaluable resource for educators, parents, and others interested in learning how to identify, prevent, and respond to instances of online adolescent aggression and cruelty.

Check out our cyberbullying blog! We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Latest cyberbullying blog entries
December 4: Age- and identity-misrepresentation on the Internet
The New York Times last week asked me my thoughts on the Megan Meier case and online misrepresentation, and I thought I'd expand on my perspective here.  First off, we have to understand why this case drew so much attention.  It was because we have a vulnerable and depressed young girl basically driven to suicide by the malicious actions of an adult and her accomplices. The plot was thickened by the fact that the adult was the young girl's neighbor, and that the actions were carried out through ...

December 1: Family Online Safety Institute Conference - December 11th, 2008
I'm going to be in Washington, DC on Wednesday, December 10th and Thursday, December 11th for the Family Online Safety Institute's annual conference, where I'll be participating in a formal roundtable to discuss cyberbullying prevention and response and Internet safety issues.  I am really looking forward to this, as many top practitioners and authors in this field will be there.  It will be excellent to see and ...

November 26: Megan Meier Federal Cyberbullying Case Decided Today
Well, as you've probably heard by now, the federal jury in California found Lori Drew guilty of computer fraud (and violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act) but not guilty of felony charges of unauthorized computer access to inflict emotional distress on Megan Meier.  She faces up to one year in prison and up to $100,000 in fines for each of the three misdemeanors.  My feeling is that she'll be placed on probation, as the fact that she has a family and is a mother would serve as ...

November 18: Megan Meier Cyberbullying Case In Court Today
So, today is a big day in that the Megan Meier cyberbullying case is going to trial.  Lori Drew, the neighbor who is accused of creating and using a fake MySpace page to befriend and then break the heart of Megan by posing as a boy who had romantic interest in her.  You know the details, so I won't rehash them here.  Drew has been indicted on four counts, and the prosecutor is using the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act as the basis for their case.  Generally speaking, the prosecuting team is arguing that Drew "intentionally accessed a computer without authorization or in excess of authorization," ...

November 13: Reducing Cyberbullying: Is Your School On Track?
A couple of school districts have recently contacted me in a panic about how cyberbullying has been a major actionable issue for them since the start of the school year, but that they don't know where to even begin (apart from amending the school policy to cover "electronic" variants of harassment).  They realize that additional efforts and a multipronged approach will be most useful, but they are not sure as to what should be prioritized. So, I've been pointing them to a new, helpful resource we've recently developed: the

Latest cyberbullying headlines from around the world

Parents of the 'Net Generation' Need a Whole New Set of Guidelines
Jewish Exponent, PA - 1 hour ago
With cyber-bullying becoming a widespread problem, Estroff suggested drawing up an agreement list with a code of conduct, "just like you would in real life ...

Potlatch/Princeton News
Latah Eagle, ID - 2 hours ago
There will be discussion about cyber bullying, internet based abduction/molestation and what is being done at the state and local level for prevention. ...

Mind your netiquette
Cherry Hill Courier Post, NJ - 6 hours ago
... Ps and Qs. "(Online etiquette) is important because it minimizes your vulnerability to everything from identity theft to cyber-bullying," says Tan. ...

Morning starters: Weather, gas prices, local events
Oshkosh Northwestern, WI - 6 hours ago
Cyber-Bullying Presentation, 6:30 pm, Ripon Public Library, 120 Jefferson St., Ripon. Oshkosh Players Club, 9:30 pm, Oblio’s Lounge, 434 N. Main St., ...

Dager: Bullying in cyberspace has tragic consequences
Ventura County Star, CA - 10 hours ago
Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., introduced The Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act, an amendment to Title 18 of the US Code to punish electronic harassment. ...

Schools squelch online bullying
Daily American Online, PA - 13 hours ago
Karlie said cyberbullying is a concern, but added it is not something that is happening regularly at Meyersdale. Cyberbullying includes sending cruel ...

Hoax turned tragic
Anderson Independent Mail, SC - 14 hours ago
The prosecution’s original goal was a felony conviction, but in the nation’s first-ever cyberbullying case, it was apparently a hard sell to the jury. ...

Mat Anderson: Time online can benefit teens
Joplin Globe, MO - 19 hours ago
Much of the time when adults think of the combination of teenagers and computers, the dangers of Internet predators, cyber-bullying and pornography come to ...

AboutKidsHealth Has Been Revised
Hub Canada, Canada - 22 hours ago
Topics such as childhood obesity, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and even cyber bullying are some that top the list on AboutKidsHealth.ca. ...

Does The Lori Drew Verdict Put Us All At Risk?
Digital Download, NY - Dec 3, 2008
Drew was arrested and prosecuted, but there's no real law that covers what they're calling "cyber-bullying," so instead, last week a jury convicted her of ...