People these days cyberbully because they are intimidated of the person they are cyber-bullying, they don't have the guts to stand up to the person face to face so they do it anonymously. Unfortunately, cyber-bullying could be very harmful to people and their feelings, many people get hurt and their self-esteem is crushed by the way people view them. Sometimes what people say actually affects others and hurts their emotions and there are serious consequences to what they say. Because of social media, people can easily make fun of someone anonymously and bullying of all kinds can seriously affect the mental health, academic work, and physical health of children who are targeted. Research examining the harm caused by cyber-bullying media in comparison to traditional bullying found that although most forms of cyber-bullying were rated as having a similar impact, pictures and video clips were perceived to cause much greater harm than traditional bullying. Throughout our school lives, we are continuously told to be nice to others and to stop bullying if we see it happen. However, not all bullying can be seen and sometimes we feel we are incapable of stopping it.
Cyber-bullying unfortunately continues to occur in ever-growing amounts. Today's society is heavily focused on the renowned smartphone. Smartphones make it so that the internet is accessible anywhere and nearly everywhere; this also means cyber-bullying can happen more frequently. It is imperative to work to stop cyber-bullying because it can now reach to so many people. Because of cyber-bullying people have harmed themselves and their loved ones, many people commit suicide from being cyber-bullied because what people say on the internet really affects how they see themselves. In the case of Amanda Todd, cyber-bullying took her life. Todd was 16 when she “flashed” an internet stranger on camera, and the whole situation went haywire. A picture was taken and circulated, even a Facebook page created with a picture of topless Amanda Todd as the profile. Todd had attempted suicide once and failed and when that circulated, she was bullied even more relentlessly. Six months later, Amanda Todd was found dead in the apartment she lived in, evidently a suicide. She was not only cyber-bullied; she was stalked and physically assaulted at school.
Cyber-bullying does not just happen on a screen—it can reach out and spread into the non-virtual world. Not only does cyber-bullying cause psychological damage to the victim, but it can cause physical damage as well. Amanda Todd was almost 16 years old when she died—she barely lived. Working to stop cyber-bullying can save lives and really make a difference to people who feel cornered or trapped. The victims of cyber-bullying cannot stand up for themselves and we need to stop it from happening because every day someone is bullied is another life that can be taken away.
