From M/Cyclopedia of New Media
About Me
I am a final year student at Kelvin Grove's Creative Industries Precinct, completing a Bachelor of Creative Industries (Media and Communication). I'm looking forward to learning a bunch of useful new skills via this unit.
Please send any email to: af.martin@student.qut.edu.au Alison Martin 12:45, 10 Aug 2005 (EST)
Annotated Bibliography
Cyberbullying
Topic Definition
Cyberbullying is one of the more worrying trends in adolescents' shift towards societal interaction over the internet. The internet proposes complete anonymity and, in some cases, freedom from retaliation for bullies. Traditional school-yard taunts have morphed into a new venomous phenomenon, cyberbulling, which, some researchers say, is likely to cause significantly more, longer-lasting psychological damage. Victims of abuse often have no means of reproach or retaliation against cyberbullies, who are protected by freedom of speech and privacy laws. As the incidences of cyberbullying increase, which they undoubtedly will, the debate over who's rights are more important will rage on. Five years ago, teens with internet access and mobile phones were in the minority. Now, if you don't have mobile, or MSN, you're out of the loop, in social Siberia. Unfortunately, with progess, some of us regress and abuse the system. Cyberbullying is only just being acknowledged as a major issue for youth today and as such, much of the literature is in its infancy. The internet has proved vital in sourcing current information regarding the topic. Government departments have yet to catch up with this disturbing trend. The following annotated bibliography will serve to identify important resources for understanding cyberbullying and its place in our society. --Alison Martin 11:32, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
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- The program transcript of this ABC Radio National show highlights a more local prevalance of cyberbullying. This transcipt aptly describes the difficulty authorities are having in tackling online bullying. The guest, QUT academic Marilyn Campbell, says online bullying is just as aggressive as its school yard counterpart but differs in that the written and psychological bullying has been found to be more detrimental and could in fact have more severe consequences than previously thought.
- This transcript deftly articulates the serious problems and life-changing rammifications of bullying on a pyschological level for today's children, who are never out of a bully's grasp, where even home isn't safe anymore, thanks to the internet and mobile phone technology. --Alison Martin 14:31, 10 Aug 2005 (EST)
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- Chu's article in a very recent edition of Time magazine highlights the growing ubiquity and insidiousness of a scary new type of bullying. Cyberspace has created a whole new realm for cyberbullies to access their victims. This article successfully identifies some of the more 'popular' types of cyberbullying, which often occurs when a victim is harassed via SMS, Instant Messaging, personal blogs, email and so on.
- According to Chu, this relatively new form of bullying peaks affects young people and peaks around 13 years old. At present there is little insight into online bullying but Chu says recent studies identify girls as the main cyberbully antagonists.
- Chu, and others, note the cyberbully phenomenon is mostly a result of social and technological convergence and users, parents and authorities should adhere to socially accepted boundaries and manners, as in the real world, to lower the incidence of cyberbullying. --Alison Martin 13:30, 10 Aug 2005 (EST)
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- Cooper's lengthy article weighs heavily into the debate about technology's effect on society. The way we behave consciously and subconsciously can be directly attributed to our use of television, internet, mobile phones, etc. The article touches on cyberbullying but does not add anything extremely different to the other resources. The main attraction of this article is the effects of technology on us and society in general.
- The article deftly explains our interaction with and via the internet and mobile phones in a way that makes the concept interesting and easy to read, while still appearing formal and academic. This resource will be largely useful when considering society's progression (or regression?) over the years, aided by technology like the internet, camera phones and the like. --Alison Martin 11:34, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
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- This article cites the necessity for education and parent control regarding cyberbullying as the way to combat it. The author touches on some interesting concepts, such as teaching young kids how an IP address works and how the police can track the user through an IP, however Franek addresses the concept of cyberbullying as something that will go away if kids are sent home from school with booklets about it. Unfortunately in Australia cyberbullies are not yet punishable by law, as the law is yet to catch up with technological advances and this is where the problem lies.
- Franek titled the article Rise of the cyberbully demands new rules yet he did not follow through and develop a succinct argument specifying those rules. --Alison Martin 14:07, 10 Aug 2005 (EST)
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- Hartley, J. (2002) "Communication, Cultural and Media Studies: The Key Concepts," London: Routledge, ISBN 0415268893.
- Hartley’s book is a mainstay of most MediaComm students because of its immense importance as a starting block for most any type of report. The book lists and succinctly explains many of the central concepts in media and communication studies. The term ‘Cyberdemocracy’ (p.57-58) is particularly relevant in that it discusses the transformative impact of internet technologies on society as we know it. Entries such as ‘Internet’ (p.122-125) and ‘Online'(p.168) also help to build a foundation for understanding the topic of cyberbullying.
- Hartley’s book is a fantastic and extremely useful reference guide and starting point. --Alison Martin 08:44, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
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- This article for CBC news was first aired in 2002 and brings to light the idea that cyberbullying is not merely a recent phenomenon, but rather an insidious social action that has been happening for some time. It has become increasingly more public in proportion to the amount of children with access to the internet, personal blogs, web pages, forums, message boards, email, sms and camera phones. The abuse goes further than nasty gossip, it can be threatening, derogatory, even violent attacks with obviously far-reaching access and consquences.
- Leishman profiles a number of teens, one who, after a hate web page was set up about him, was compelled to drop out of school and finish his studies at home. The author highlights one of the most cowardly aspects of cyberbullying, the anonymity of the abusers. Most people who have been bullied in cyberspace have no way to retaliate or no avenue for recompense as their attackers have no identity in cyberspace.
- The article also raises concerns about what to do when you’re bullied in cyberspace, hinting that the authorities (police, ISP’s) are almost powerless to help. One ISP representative said they were not responsible for restricting use, denying people access or deciding on behalf of the public what is appropriate and what is not, a position supported by pro-freedom of speech groups. The article is balanced and objective and provides some inherently useful insights into cyberbullies and their victims. --Alison Martin 09:22, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
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- McDougall, B. (2005) "Net bullies destroy a decent man's life," The Daily Telegraph, 14 June, p.15.
- This article, appearing in the Sydney edition, identifies the need for criminal legislation against cyberbullying, citing a malicious website about a NSW high school as a prime example for the need to keep the law relevant to the internet.
- Derogatory comments posted on the website, by a former student with a grudge, resulted in the sacking of a teacher, defamed several other teachers and racially vilified some students. The cyberbully was identified by police as the offender however was not charged as he had actually broken no laws.
- McDougall’s article is vitally important in that it raises some tricky issues social and legal issues about freedom of speech (the bully’s right to voice his opinion), protection of privacy (the victim’s to protect their integrity), defamation, and lagging state and federal legislation in Australia. --Alison Martin 13:30, 10 Aug 2005 (EST)
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- This article differs from the others in that it is written, not from a second-hand perspective, but by an academic who, along with some colleagues, was the victim of online bullying. Summerville highlights the lack of regulation in some institutions regarding online bullying. The article mirrors the call for clear definitions and authoritative regulation about cyber crimes to be included in existing legislation, in order to keep up with the constant developments in technology.
- Summerville writes that institutional policies are lagging and people are suffering as a direct result, but that it does not have to be that way. THe author concludes with a call for (in her case university) authorities to make it clear that cyberbullying behaviour is simply not acceptable, in the same way that face-to-face bullying is not acceptable.
- The article serves as an important resource in that it is not merely kids subject to cyberbullying, but also educated adults, and that the problem needs to be addressed on all leves right now, if there is to be any hope of combating the problem. --Alison Martin 11:16, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
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- This site, maintained by Dr. John Suler, takes the form of a hypertextual book 'exploring the the psychological aspects of environments created by computers and online networks' including, more importantly, the reasons why and how adolescents use the internet. The book focuses not on the issue of cyberbullying per se, but more intently on the logic behind kids' use of the internet as a social tool.
- Particularly interesting is that Dr. Suler does not mention cyberbullying as a worrisome act, in fact he is wont to mention it at all. The hypertext book deals more with the reasons kids have populated the internet in droves;
- Identity experimentation and exploration
- Intimacy and belonging
- Separation from parents and family
- Venting frustration
- As well as the functions they use to interact over the internet;
- Websites
- Email groups
- Chatrooms, instant messaging, MUD's
- Message boards
- Blogs
- This book is a fascinating look into the psychology behind the youth internet movement, although for a current, up-to-date website, it curiously bypassess the growing trend of cyberbullying without so much as a passing glance. --Alison Martin 10:04, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
