The use of social media has entrenched itself deep into people’s daily lives that it has become the cause of many social problems in recent years. According to the statistics (PEW Internet Research Center, 2011), it shows that an astonishing 95% of social media-using teens have witnessed cyber bullying yet they chose to ignore it. Therefore, the rise of cyber bullying in teenagers has become one of the many concerns by governments around the world. Cyber bullying can be defined as the use of electronic media to intentionally spread negative connotations about a person or an organisation (Media Literacy Council). It can come in many forms such as posting negative remarks on social media pages, creating hate accounts or even sexually harassing someone via the many social media platforms such as Facebook. Although there are laws implemented and many students are educated since young about cyber bullying, these solutions are only useful in the short term. It is not just one man’s effort but also, the cooperation from the society and the parents.
Cyber bullying can diminish a person’s self-worth and depriving one the environment to properly grows as a person (especially when it happens during adolescence). Very often, the remarks posted online condemn a person for not conforming into a social norm so as to make one feel out casted by the society. Since humans are all social creatures, nobody likes to be out casted. Thus, the victim has to make changes in order to fit in even though he or she may not be comfortable with it (Hindu, 2010). It also creates an environment of constant negativity on the victim’s life because there is a constant worry about not being the “same” as what society wants.
Many cyber bullies have the same assumption that there will be no implications for what they post online because they can simply remain anonymous. Yet, that is not true in recent times because there are plenty of ways to track a person down such as using their IP address. Unlike the conventional forms of bullying, the victim cannot simply avoid the bully by just staying away from a place. However, because of our heavy reliance on social media that practically everyone is a user online, there is simply no place for the victim to stay away at all.
The most common way to prevent a crime from happening in Singapore is the implementation of hard laws to deter potential criminals from striking. A ‘Protection from Harassment Bill’ (2014) is passed to help combat cyber bullying. The Bill further emphasizes that cyber bullying is an offence and there will be penalties for committing the crime. This method is useful as seen from the conflict between one of Singapore’s bloggers, Xiaxue and the anonymous Facebook group named “SMRT (Ltd) Feedback”. The SMRT defamed Xiaxue for bribery, insulting her chastity and her family members. Eventually, Xiaxue (2015) applied for the ‘Protection from Harassment Act’ against SMRT to prevent them from writing any more negative remarks against them. Currently, there is no more negative remarks written against Xiaxue from SMRT but that does not mean that SMRT cannot prey on someone else to be cyber bullied. Does that mean that every time SMRT starts bashing another person online, he or she have to go through the same act again to protect their interests? Therefore, this bill only works as a safety net to deter potential bullies from targeting more victims but it does not completely eradicate the issue of cyber bullying as a whole.
Another solution implemented is the use of education to teach students from young that cyber bullying is morally incorrect. In Singapore, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has implemented a series of curriculums that are to be incorporated to subjects such as English, Chinese and Civics and Moral Education (CME) (Sim, 2012). This method attempts to inculcate proper values into students since young: to teach them what is morally correct and not. However, this method is only effective when students treat this type of lessons seriously. Some students feel that it is merely a waste of time attending, which defeats the purpose of implementing it in the first place. This is evident because subjects like CME have been implemented since 1959 yet Singapore still has the second highest amount of cyber bullying happening.
It is important that students understand that cyber bullying is undesirable. Although MOE did introduced a series of curriculum but it is not strongly emphasised, which led to students thinking that it is redundant. Therefore, in order for it to work, MOE can show greater emphasis by introducing more school events surrounding moral values including lessons against cyber bullying to engage the students. As much as education is important, parents play a part in teaching their children how to differentiate what is right or wrong. Parents should monitor the usage of social media of their children and teach them that why they shouldn’t write nasty remarks online about someone else.
The problem of cyber bullying is not one that can be easily solved in the short term even with the use of laws and education. Support from parents and the participation of school events would certainly improve the situation but these are not completely feasible if there are victims speaking up about being cyber bullied. It is only when someone is being bullied, then actions will be taken. The major difference between cyber bullying and the conventional is that is no direct physical contact between the bully and victim. It may have ripple effect when false information are being spread to strangers which may potentially spoil the first impression be it for friends or work. Thus, when people truly understand the implications of cyber bullying and that we should be kinder to people around us, cyber bullying would be completely eradicated.
References:
Sim, J. (2012, May 1). Educating Values-driven Citizens. Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://singteach.nie.edu.sg/issue36-hottopic/
Yang, C. (2014, September 20). Students in Singapore alerted to cyber bullying in revised cyber wellness curriculum. Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/education/story/students-singapore-alerted-cyber-bullying-revised-cyber-wellness-curr
Protection Order Against SMRT Ltd (Feedback). (2015, February 6). Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://xiaxue.blogspot.sg/2015/02/protection-order-against-smrt-ltd.html
A new Protection from Harassment Bill to be introduced to strengthen the laws against harassment. (2014, July 2). Retrieved March 1, 2015, from https://www.mlaw.gov.sg/news/press-releases/a-new-protection-from-harassment-bill-to-be-introduced-to-streng.html
Cyber Bullying. Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://www.medialiteracycouncil.sg/online-safety/Pages/cyber-bullying.aspx
New Law Takes on Cyber bullying in Singapore. (2014, August 26). Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://nobullying.com/new-law-takes-on-cyberbullying-in-singapore/
Cyber bullying Statistics. (2011, January 1). PEW Internet Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the Classroom. Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://www.internetsafety101.org/cyberbullyingstatistics.htm
Hinduja, S. (2010). yber bullying and Self-Esteem. Cyber Bullying Summary. Retrieved March 4, 2015, from http://www.cyberbullying.us/cyberbullying_and_self_esteem_research_fact_sheet.pdf
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