Cyberbullying: Who Are the Victims?

A Comparison of Victimization in Internet Chatrooms and Victimization in School


Abstract:
Bullying is not a phenomenon exclusive to the school environment. Pupils also become victims of verbal aggression (teasing, threats, insults, or harassment) in the context of internet chatrooms. The present study addresses the following questions: (1) How often does bullying occur in internet chatrooms? (2) Who are the victims of bullying in internet chatrooms? (3) What are the determinants of victimization in internet chatrooms? A total of 1700 pupils from various German secondary schools participated in the study. Results revealed a strong relationship between victimization in school and victimization in internet chatrooms; school victims are significantly more often chat victims. Furthermore, the predictors of chat and school victimization show both commonalities (gender, self-concept, child-parent relationship) and differences (social integration, popularity, and bullying behavior).


http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/detail?vid=4&hid=124&sid=be376f1c-665b-4c19-b103-9e0b21a181a5%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=edselp&AN=S1864110509600036

Gender Swapping and Socializing in Cyberspace: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT
"Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are one of the most interesting
innovations in the area of online computer gaming. Given the relative lack of research in
the area, the main aims of the study were to examine (a) the impact of online gaming (e.g.,
typical playing behavior) in the lives of online gamers, (b) the effect of online socializing in
the lives of gamers, and (c) why people engage in gender swapping. A self-selecting sample
of 119 online gamers ranging from 18 to 69 years of age (M 28.5 years) completed a questionnaire.
The results showed that just over one in five gamers (21%) said they preferred socializing
online to offline. Significantly more male gamers than female gamers said that they
found it easier to converse online than offline. It was also found that 57% of gamers had engaged
in gender swapping, and it is suggested that the online female persona has a number
of positive social attributes in a male-oriented environment".

http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/detail?vid=13&hid=124&sid=1b0b06ac-05f9-4410-932d-5eb18a824671%40sessionmgr111&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=buh&AN=29959758  


I found this article (Quest) in which a number of people were asked to participate in certain MMORPG's with some surprising and interesting results to say the least...

•  57% of gamers had engaged in gender swapping 

I remember, certainly when I was a lot younger, when online gaming wasn't the phenomenon it is today, the game Tomb Raider became a huge success. Most other game franchises at this time would feature a generic, male, protagonist with the same repetitive roles. However, in Tomb Raider, the player would have the opportunity to be in control of a female character as the central role. It could be argued that this would appeal to both male and female.

•  a large minority of gamers (47%) spent 210 minutes or more per playing session.

 What is it that keeps the player so enthralled with constant gameplay?

• Over two-thirds of gamers (68%) said that online gaming had a “stimulating” effect, where a stimulating effect was when online gaming had either a social, challenging, and/or interactive effect on gamers.

"It provides a different environment to enjoy myself and in which to meet online friends".
(P1,male, age 32)

"Because you are in a different place in online worlds. You are free to do what you want".
(P70, male, age 25)

"I like games, always have. I like to socialize, always have. I get both in Everquest. I’m
good at games and not one woman I know in real life is. They think it is weird. So I get to play with people more like me in that way".
(P16, female, age 38) 

From hearing and reading peoples responses to MMO's, I think it has become evident that these games provide a sense of freedom, yet ironically build this feeling of security. Obviously there has been a lot of problems with identity etc, but in retrospect, I believe that being part of an online community allows the user to be free from the outside world and build an environment of their own. Then, if they decide they don't want to be part of that community anymore, they can simply delete/cancel their account, as it's only virtual.

Is World of Warcraft the future of online dating?

Recently, I touched on the subject of people forming relationships through games (Second Life) as they would any other networking site. Having done some research I have found good argument for why WoW is better than dating sites, such as eHarmony.  

The New York Times did an article on two people that met through WoW and have since developed a strong relationship away from the computer screen. The 29-year-old female gamer explains...

'Multiplayer games encourage such alliances. The beginner’s guide to World of Warcraft notes that you can go it alone, "but by going it alone, you won’t be able to master some of the game’s tougher challenges, you will likely take longer to reach the endgame, and you won’t have access to the game’s most powerful magical treasures.” Ms. Pringle thinks that is analogous to love.'

I guess the advantage of playing a role-playing game, or any game, with someone you like is that there are things to do! In WoW for example there is always a scenery, a world to explore, which is some what a reality away from the text based dating sites. It allows the user to be who they want to be without the awkward tension of 'the first date' and can conclusively lead to something more.

You can view the full New York Time article here.

"Some couples have even had their avatars marry!"....

Gaming Addictions

It is believed by many, in particular gamers themselves, that online-gaming is as much as an addiction as drinking, gambling or smoking. After scouring the web, I have found a lot of stories of how people have gained weight, lost friends and have moved away from social activity.

Here is one of many arcticle's which tells the story of a University English Professor whose life was affected by World of Warcraft...

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/aug/29/world-of-warcraft-video-game-addict

"All that tethered me to anything meaningful during this time was WoW, which I clung to for dear life,"

It's worrying to read about gamers whose addictions have basically become their reason for living. Having experienced a lifetime of gaming myself, I have never found one game have such an impact in my 'real life', although I have found that gaming is an easy way to pass time and would often play for 4-5 hours. In conclusion, should these games have restrictions on how long you are allowed to play for or when you are allowed to be logged on?

The following documentary gives a brief and accessible look at players engaging in online-gaming who tell the audience how WoW has affected them. (Notice, the demographic/representation of these gamers are very similar, i.e glasses, age, gender, etc)




 "This has become such an issue in China, that the Chinese government have passed a law requiring Warcraft have an in-game timer that restricts the play time of its users!"

Cyberbody as drag

I found this rather intriguing article that demonstrates the sexual desires or 'interface fantasy' users are enable to portray through virtual existence, in this case 'Second Life'. Linking to the theme of identity, Its become quite evident how a player could easily create an 'avatar' which does not reflect who they are in real life. This, in many cases, includes proposing a different gender to gain affection from another player. 

Source


Abstract:
Drawing on the topological approach Jacques Lacan
developed late in his career, this paper explores the
relation between a user and an avatar interpreted as prosthetic,
so that an avatar is seen as a prosthetic consciousness
and unconscious, a user’s virtual ‘Self’. Lacan’s
topological concept of ‘extimacy’ that subverts the
opposition between the inside and outside is used in
support of such an interpretation. The 3-D virtual
world of Second Life is taken as an example to illustrate
the digital projection of a user’s gender identity. The
paper suggests that Second Life is application of attachable
genitals in addition to basic male and female avatar
patterns makes the virtual process of taking a gender
identity similar to real life sexuation. This interpretation
leads to a conclusion about the fixity of the ego in the
imaginary realm (a typical human feature, according
to Lacan) and challenges the main postulates of posthumanism.


The article conlcudes that Second Life does not make us 'less human' but demonstrates
the fixity of the ego in the imaginary is essential for the human subject. 

Looking at the current control of social order online, I think that to some extent, representing yourself as a false avater/character could arguably lead to cyberbullying, as the perpentrator would almost have a virtual 'mask' to hide behind.

Key Texts - Dave Wharton

Synthetic Worlds - Edward Castronova

This book has given me an insight into how the world of gaming has grown from being a simple pleasure to becoming an economical and political phenonemon over the past decade.

• (Star Wars Galaxies) Some characters are better than others: faster, better looking. They can be bought and sold, most often on eBay. As I write this, a Jedi type character from a fantasy based on Star Wars costs over $2000.

• Typical users spend 20-30 hours per week inside the fantasy. Power users spend every available moment. Some 20 percent of users in a recent survey claimed that their fantasy world was their 'real' place of residence! 
• In Asia, people who have lost virtual items becasue of game-server insecurities and hacks have called the police and filed lawsuits. The police have made arrest; courts have heard cases; and plaintiffs have won.

Exodus to the Virtual Worlds - Edward Castronova

I decided  to study this having read Castronova's previous book. This text starts to uncover reasons for why the virtual world is becoming so popular that in the near future, our real world may start to model its institutions on games.


"Distinguishing reality from symbol is not free. In fact, bo act of cognitive processing is free. Processing is thinking, thinking requires mental resources, and therefore our processing of media is selective and incomplete. We cannot notice every detail in our environment. Moreover, we will not notice, understand, and retain media information according to how important it is judged to be by deeper motivational systems".
(p93)

Communities in Cyberspace - Edited by Marc A. Smith and Peter Kollock
I started looking through this book to find out the relationship between online communities and the real-world. The text presents strong views on the effects of cyberspace from different sources.

Here is an interesting quote I found on the 'evolving virtual world'...


"In the world of biology, changes in signaling behaviour may occur quite slowly, over evolutionary time. In the world of human interaction, changes can occur quite quickly. If excessive deception makes a signal lose meaning, it can be replaced by a more reliable assessment signal or the community may begin to punish deception".
(p54)

Victims of cyberbullying fight back in lawsuits

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Victims-of-cyberbullying-fight-back-in-lawsuits-3513480.php

When researching into cyber-bullying I came across this news story about a young girl in Georgia, Alex Boston, who had a fake Facebook page set up of her by her classmates. The page suggested Alex smoked marijuana and spoke a made-up language called 'Retardish' as well as making frequent sexual references and posting a racist video. The creators arse also accused of posting derogatory messages about her.

However, when Alex and her parents reported the page to police and school officials, they told her there was not much they could do because the harassment occurred off campus.

I found this story really interesting as it shows just how little the schools can do about this type of online bullying. Once it is outside the walls of the school it makes it really hard for the children and the parents to do anything in order to stop it, which is why this young girls parents have gone to the length of filing a lawsuit against the offenders. 

I was quite surprised to learn how little law is in place to help stop this type of abuse in some parts of the world, especially when fake Facebook pages and stuff are being set up - I'd have automatically assumed that cases like that would've been seen as stolen identity.

Twitter for jobs

I carried on researching about design jobs online and found that twitter is a great social networking site to find this information. Jobs on here are updated everyday and vary from junior to senior positions.

http://twitter.com/#!/designer_jobs

I think it is great that there are so many ways to find jobs, it makes it a lot easier for graduates to search for positions available that they would be interested in.

Cyber Bullying - We've come a Long Way, Baby. Have we really?

We've come a Long Way, Baby. Have we really?
Delivering The facts About Insidious Online Behaviour.

Abstract:
I doubt Mark Twain was referring to cyber bullying when he said: "A lie can travel around the world while the truth is putting it's shoes on." Although today, cyber-bullying confirms the accuracy of Twain's statement.


I found this journal really useful in explaining the meaning of cyber-bullying and helping to outline how new technologies are contributing to the increasing number of people falling victim to cyber-bullying everyday.  It talks about how social networking has become a part of everyday life in society and how this is fast becoming an easy way for people to 'tap into' one anothers lives.

"Before the internet made "social media" available, we were accustomed to talking to each other. Now, we can tap our phones to tap out way into someones life. It's much easier than tapping into someone's emotions - or our own for that matter. Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, Chat Rooms and Blogs make it happen..."

Secrets, Lies, and the internet enter Cyber Bullying, a relatively new fact of life allowing bullies almost unlimited power to torment, harass and humiliate their targets via e-mail, password and ID theft, chat rooms, camera, instant messaging and cell phones. Cyber bullying through proxy, a lesser known form of malicious bullying, occurs when bullies cause unsuspecting targets to do their dirty deeds. Malicious messages, defamatory words, compromising photographs and videos that inflict pain, damage reputations, de-mean, embarrass and attack the target's character and appearance, and reach thousands in overdrive, cause significant emotional distress, depression, and 'cyberbullicide'.

The journal also included a section on how to detect warning signs of cyber-bullying around you as well as ways of avoiding falling a victim to this kind of abuse.

Top 10 Cyber Bullying Warning Sign


1. Reluctance to use the computer or other electronic devices.
2. Fear of leaving home
3. Grades plunge, loses interest in school, or drops out
4. Lack of or extreme eating or sleeping
5. Change in dress and appearance
6. Appears sad or becomes angry after using computer or cell phone.
7. Stops socialising with friends.
8. Unusually depressed and/or moody.
9. Expresses an unusual interest in self-harm or suicide
10. Switches screen or closes the computer when someone walks by.


http://content.ebscohost.com/pdf27_28/pdf/2011/8RKO/01Sep11/69620396.pdf?T=P&P=AN&K=69620396&S=R&D=ehh&EbscoContent=dGJyMMTo50SeqLU4v%2BbwOLCmr0qep7NSr6a4S6%2BWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMPGptkqyqLRMuePfgeyx43zx

Harmless Joke or Cyber-Bullying?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4EjrFPAbbY&feature=related

This link is to a video made by ABC News to show how other people react when they see cyber-bullying going on around them. It's interesting to see how some people react towards the young girls, with one man even playing along with the hurtful comments.

It begs the question; how would you react if you seen the same sort of thing? would you speak up or just sit back and say nothing?

Cyber Bullying - Childnet International

This video is a campaign done by 'Childnet International' which illustrates the dangers of cyber-bullying and offers solutions to the problem. I found this video really powerful and thought it was interesting to see it from a boys perspective as most other stuff I've found focus on young girls.

Cyber Bullying - Bullied in our own bedrooms.

Vicious cyber-bullying is driving young girls to their deaths.


Abstract:
A month ago, Amy Louise Paul was a happy, lively 13-year- old who enjoyed going to school and seeing her friends. Then one of those friends turned against her.

In the past, this schoolgirl spat may have resulted in some name-calling or even a fight; Amy Louise and her mother would have preferred that.

For instead, the 'friend' set up a group on the internet called We Hate Amy Louise - 'for all of those people who hoped she would die already' - and invited her school friends to join. Which many did, adding their own malicious comments and encouragement.

This news article tells the story of young girls who have fell victim to cyber bullying. One of the young girls, Amy Louise has spoken out about just how low the vicious comments had made her feel saying; 


'I didn't believe it at first because we were friends, if it was to my face we could have argued and sorted it out between ourselves but instead she asked all her friends to write about me on the internet. It's much worse because it's more public than name-calling. When I first saw the comments she'd written I wanted to kill myself.

But what is shocking is how widespread cyber-bullying has become, with the report going on to say that; 'Statistics show as many as one in five children have been at the receiving end of abuse via the internet or a mobile phone'

There has also been a rise in suicides by teenage victims of cyber-bullying, youngsters so distraught by their torment they are driven to take their own lives. This year's Anti-Bullying Alliance survey revealed that 18 per cent of ten and 11-year- olds had been cyber-bullied while in their own home. There has also been a rise in suicides by teenage victims of cyber-bullying, with youngsters so distraught by their torment they are driven to take their own lives.' 


I find it really shocking and sad that so many young girls(and boys) out there are being harassed and bullied so much online that they would be willing to take their own lives. 


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1236481/Bullied-bedrooms-Vicious-cyber-bullying-driving-young-girls-deaths.html

Are digital media changing language ?

Are digital media changing language ?

It's natural for languages to evolve. But what should really concern us is the way computers and mobile phones are changing our attitudes toward language 

Are instant messaging and text messaging killing language? To hear what the popular media say, a handful of OMGs (oh my god) and smiley faces, along with a paucity of capital letters and punctuation marks, might be bringing English to its knees.

Although journalists tend to sensationalize the linguistic strangeness of "online lingo," quantitative analyses of instant messaging conversations and text messages reveal that abbreviations, acronyms, and even misspellings are comparatively infrequent, at least among college-age students. For example, in a study I did of college students' instant messaging conversations, out of 11,718 words, only 31 were "online lingo" abbreviations, and only 90 were acronyms (of which 76 were LOL). In a study of college students' text messaging, my colleague Rich Ling and I found a few more lexical shortenings; I yet the grand total of clear abbreviations was only 47 out of 1,473 words, which is hardly overwhelming.

Yes, young people sometimes accidentally slip a btw (by the way) into a school essay. But a recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project confirms that middle school and high school students understand what kind of language is appropriate in what context (Lenhart, Smith, & MacGill, 2008). What's more, scholars of new media language, such as David Crystal and Beverly Plester, remind us that the new technologies encourage creativity, which can spill over into school writing (Crystal, 2008; Plester, Wood, & Bell, 2008).

Sample from the text below sourced on Quest. 

http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/detail?sid=e53af874-0c36-4478-98bf-60631b677de4%40sessionmgr12&vid=1&hid=2&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=ehh&AN=36666624

The Ophelia Project - Part II: Cyberculture (1 of 2)

Cyberculture MTV news

Cyberculture – What is it really?

Cyberculture : The Key Concepts by David Bell

 http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5MFWZK0CSOQC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

The Emerging Cyberculture: Literacy, Paradigm and Paradox by Stephanie Gibson and Ollie O. Oviedo

A review on the above book which i sourced from the library. I found both articles to be helpful upon composing my report on cybercultures. 
 
http://kairos.technorhetoric.net/6.1/reviews/alexander/ 

Cyberculture by Pierre Levy

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iDdl_FwGZE8C&pg=PA159&lpg=PA159&dq=cyberculture+evaluation&source=bl&ots=-KUMmZOjIH&sig=ygh4FANcYhIx4qzFGENWfBigTSE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=CsiZT9mDKoi-8AOY2aW0Bg&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=cyberculture%20evaluation&f=false

Introducing cyberculture

Some information on Cyberculture that i found useful when composing my report.

http://project.cyberpunk.ru/idb/introducing_cyberculture.html

Key Texts - Megan Hyslop

Virtual Culture - Edited by Steven G. Jones

This was one of my key texts. I read parts of this book to try and help me gain some insight into the subject area of cybercultures. 

Quote from this book I found interesting:

"Communication can be defined in several ways: it means passage from one place to another, and it means the transmitting of a message. In terms of the highway it means an unending flow of traffic - perhaps much of it essentially aimless, a kind of search for some place or person to help reinforce our identity; it also means the signs and billboards and lights and signals - a chorus of communication such as no generation has ever before seen." (p4)

An Introduction to Cybercultures - David Bell

This was another one of my key texts. I also read parts of this, I found this more useful. I have found quotes in this book that have helped me in trying to understand what cybercultures is.

I found a quote in this book which I felt was a definition of cyberculture/cyberspace:

" Cyberspace: A new universe, a parallel universe created and sustained by the world's computers and communications lines. A world in which the global traffic of knowledge, secrets, measurements, indicators, entertainments, and alter-human agency takes on form: sights, sounds, presences never seen on the surface of the earth blossoming in a vast electronic light." (Benedikt CR: 29)

Another quote from this book where David Bell himself tries to define cyberculture I found useful:

"Cyberspace is, I think, something to be understood as it is lived - while maps and stats give us one kind of insight into it, they are inadequate to the task of capturing the thoughts and feelings that come from, to take a mundane example, sending an email."(p2)

Another quote I likes and feel is true, especially in more contemporary internet sites:

"Words on screen are quite capable of...creating a community from a collection of strangers." (Howard Rheingold)

-I think this is interesting because this is effectively what happens when you meet anybody over the internet, or if you do online gaming. The people you meet are strangers, but you feel like you know them.

Carrying on the idea of community: 

"bunkering in is about something really simple: being sick of others and trying to shelter the beleaguered self in a techno-bubble... Digital reality is perfect. It provides the bunker self with immediate, universal access to global community without people: electronic communication without social contact, being digital without being human, going on-line without leaving the safety of the electronic bunker." (Kroker and Kroker CR: 96-7)

Social networking to network

continuing on from my previous post...

A YouTube video that breaks down exactly what to look at on your Facebook to network your business and design.

The web as a marketing tool

Link:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/frontpage-help/using-your-web-site-as-a-marketing-tool-HA001123104.aspx

The Microsoft site gives you a breakdown into using the web as a marketing tool. I think that this revolves around identity as for example as a designer, you need to network yourself and get your identity out there to the world. The web allows this to happen quickly and cheaply. Social sites such as Facebook and Twitter are commonly used in todays world to advertise for free, allowing information to spread across the world rapidly. This goes back to previous identity articles on how much and how little information you choose to post online, as being selective can help how you are viewed.

Twitter, Blogs and Graphic Design

I have been researching the use of social networking in design to see how relevant it is in todays world. It is very relevant I have found as there as so many new ways to get your work seen that never existed years ago. I have included a few links.


Twitter for Graphic Design jobs

I was researching different social networking and wondered how they can relate the the area of graphic design, and I came across many graphic designers who you could follow if you have your own twitter. I also found that it is being used to promote graphic design businesses and jobs. Also it can be used to apply for placements etc.


There are many pages but one I found is http://twitter.com/#!/getgradesigjobs

This twitter page posts new jobs available daily and is kept up-to-date. This would save the hassle of looking everywhere for jobs. I think this is a great way to advertise jobs, but better still its a great way for graduates to find jobs.







List of Graphic Designers Twitter pages


I have found a list of most followed/top 20 designers that you can follow on twitter. I think this is a useful and easy way to keep up-to-date with new things going on in graphic design.

http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/graphic-designer-with-mass-following/

This is a list of Top Graphic Designers that are on twitter:
http://www.northorion.com/follow-top-graphic-designers-on-twitter-to-boost-your-career-0665/

Graphic Design blogs


I have had a blog saved in my bookmarks for quite some time that I look at. Its a blog by designer david Airey, I have found it useful because he shares his tips for students and his blog is big and there is lots to read that is very interesting.

http://www.davidairey.com/

20 Social Networking Facts

I was researching social networking and came across some interesting facts that I thought I would share with you.

20 Social Media Statistics

These figures reveal the huge black hole that our time disappears into when we visit Facebook, Twitter or YouTube or other social media sites.

1. One in every nine people on Earth is on Facebook ( This number is calculated by dividing the planets 6.94 billion people by Facebook’s 750 million users)
2. People spend 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook
3. Each Facebook user spends on average 15 hours and 33 minutes a month on the site
4. More than 250 million people access Facebook through their mobile devices
5. More than 2.5 million websites have integrated with Facebook
6. 30 billion pieces of content is shared on Facebook each month
7. 300,000 users helped translate Facebook into 70 languages
8. People on Facebook install 20 million “Apps” every day
9. YouTube has 490 million unique users who visit every month (as of February 2011)
10. YouTube generates 92 billion page views per month (These YouTube stats don’t include videos viewed on phones and embedded in websites)
11. Users on YouTube spend a total of 2.9 billion hours per month (326,294 years)
12. Wikipedia hosts 17 million articles
13. Wikipedia authors total over 91,000 contributors
14. People upload 3,000 images to Flickr (the photo sharing social media site) every minute
15. Flickr hosts over 5 billion images
16. 190 million average  Tweets per day occur on Twitter (May 2011)
17. Twitter is handling 1.6 billion queries per day
18. Twitter is adding nearly 500,000 users a day
19. Google+ has more than 25 million users
20. Google+ was the fastest social network to reach 10 million users at 16 days (Twitter took 780 days and Facebook 852 days)

link: http://www.howellpenny.com/2011/12/social-media-facts-and-figures/