Anger in Cyberspace
I found this new CNN article on anger online really interesting. In our new book, we talk about two theoretical concepts which are highly relevant: disinhibition and deindividuation. To be disinhibited is to be freed from restraints on your behavior. In some venues, disinhibition can be a positive thing. For example, someone who tends to […]
Cell Phones and ChaCha
In the last several months, we have received more calls and emails from school administrators about issue related to cell phones than probably anything else. The concerns about cell phones are varied. For example, students are texting on them all hours of the school day, cell phones can be used to take pictures or video […]
Focal areas within cyberbullying prevention and response
Mike Donlin, Senior Program Consultant (aka Program Manager), for Seattle Public Schools (and our good friend and esteemed colleague) recently asked us a few thought-provoking questions about cyberbullying prevention and response. They are as follows: 1. How can we consistently involve all the major stakeholders – educators, legal, the tech industry, families and youth – […]
Problematic pictures circulated via cell phones
I just read an interesting article covering a topic that is frequently brought to our attention when we speak at conferences – cell phones and sexually-explicit images of teenagers being circulated among peers. The bottom line is that we have got to figure out the best way to get kids to think hard and seriously about […]
Cyberbullying and Schools: Edweek Live Chat (Archive)
At its best, the Internet helps students find information and stay in touch with friends through everything from text-messages and blogs to social-networking and other video- and photo-sharing Web sites. But the Internet can also enable students to aggressively target and harm their peers. This chat will inform educators and parents on how to recognize […]
Tagging of personal pictures online, facial recognition, implications for youth
As most of you know, Justin and I have conducted some studies on the youth use of social networking sites. Our primary intention was to determine if and how adolescents are rendering themselves vulnerable to victimization based on the content (diary entries, personal information, pictures, video, etc.) they post within their profile pages. This content […]
Offline Consequences of Online Victimization: School Violence and Delinquency
As increasing numbers of youth embrace computer-mediated communication to meet academic and social needs, interpersonal violence directly and indirectly related to the Internet is occurring more often. Cyberbullying in particular has shot to the forefront of agendas in schools and communities due to the emotional, psychological, and even physical harm to which victims can be […]
Cell phones on School Campuses in California
In keeping with a trend we have been seeing across the country, another school board in California has decided to ban the inappropriate use of cell phones on school grounds (largely to prevent cyberbullying and the recording and online posting of fights). There is one exception – students are able to use cell phones to […]
Cyberbullying and Strain
One of the more popular criminological theories floating around these days suggests that individuals engage in deviance as a response to experiencing stressful life events or strain. For example, youth who are abused at home or who break up with a serious significant other, or who move to a new town, are more at risk […]
The Cyberbully Next Door
I was recently talking to a colleague (who is an economist at my University) and he told me of an experience that recently happened with his daughter. She was at a get-together at a hotel in our city where alcohol was being served. Somehow the police found out about the party and busted all of […]
