The internet has brought a wide range of opportunities and advancements, but with it comes opportunities for people to hide behind a screen and spread hate anonymously.
Cyberbullying poses a very relevant danger as social media continues to become more popular. It can range from simply making fun of someone to posting and shaming people. Even in East Grand Rapids, cyberbullying has been present, as social media accounts, which started as a joke for the school, have slowly turned into a platform to blackmail students and instigate schoolwide fear.
“We understood the accounts to be very harmful to students who were depicted and the photos that were shared were not flattering nor approved by the students to be shared. It crossed a line of bullying,” Craig Weigel, the principal of East Grand Rapids High School, said.
Fortunately, the school administration dealt with these accounts and encouraged students to understand the dangers of cyberbullying and how to be kind.
Most students and adults understand that cyberbullying has its dangers, so why do people continue to shame others?
For one, the ability to bully anonymously has only made the appeal to cyberbullying even stronger.
“It’s a lot easier to do bullying-like behaviors online when you’re behind a screen rather than face to face,” Lauren Ahlers, the high school wellness coordinator, said.
In general, these bullying-like behaviors tend to stem from the bully’s own problems, whether it be to help them cope with low self-esteem or the illusion that it will help them fit in better with their peers. At the root of cyberbullying is the control that comes with it, as hurting others makes the bully feel powerful and in control of emotions they feel they might not be able to control.
In addition, many cyberbullies choose to remain ignorant of the consequences that might come from their actions. The National Council on Crime Prevention reported that in a survey of teenagers, 81% said that they believe others cyberbully because it’s funny. Because they don’t see their victims’ reactions in person, cyberbullies may not realize how much damage they’re doing or can easily choose not to think about it.
“There are two types of teasing. One is when your friend is in on the joke, and that’s playful teasing and everyone’s laughing together. A lot of the bullying behaviors are where we’re not laughing together and we’re laughing at someone. Cyberbullying, at least in recent times, has been downplayed as ‘oh that was playful teasing’ but playful teasing means that both parties find it funny,” Ahlers said.
Cyberbullying can have drastic effects on victims, especially on the victim’s mental health.
“When you think about the dangers of cyberbullying, there’s one danger to mental health as it relates to depression and suicide, and there’s another when you think about self-esteem and self-image,” Ahlers said.
The effect on mental health also varies depending on the severity of cyberbullying and depending on the person. For some, they’ll feel shame, embarrassment, and regret. Others can feel anxiety, depression, lower self-esteem, or even suicidal thoughts. Some victims also often feel isolated. These feelings may only be in the short term, but in the long term, even once cyberbullying ceases, these negative emotions can become chronic and strenuous to remove. Although cyberbullies don’t always intend to make people feel bad, it’s evident how deep cyberbullying can cut under the skin.
Another danger of cyberbullying is the fear created by it. This fear isn’t just present in victims, but friends of victims and anyone scared of being the next target.
“The need to constantly check social media is a danger because, with accounts that are put up that share pictures that we don’t want to be shared, it’s hard not to be a contributor to cyberbullying yourself by following these accounts because you’re nervous that you might be featured on such a site,” Ahlers said. “It can lead to anxiety and constant checking as well as feeling nervous whenever phones are out because you don’t know who is taking your picture or what they’re going to use that for.”
Even though the administration aided in stopping cyberbullying accounts within the high school, peers also had their own impact in stopping cyberbullying and promoting kindness. Students can stand up to cyberbullying when they notice it’s harming other students, which creates a lack of validation for bullies.
“I think that we have the capacity within this school with how well we perform in so many areas that take so much courage. It takes courage to do well on an academic test. It takes courage to do well on an athletic surface. I would argue that the courage to stand up is within us and that more people are doing good and perhaps sitting silently that could make a greater difference in this community,” Heather McKinney, the vice principal of the high school, said.
For students struggling with cyberbullying, there are resources available and people who want to help.
“It takes courage and bravery to reach out to others but that goes back to your connections as well as knowing who your safe people are and who your safe adults are,” Ahlers said. “I think there are many things to identify throughout the high school. The counseling department is a great place to look to for support, as well as the Zen Den, and our administrators up in the front office. We want to make sure that we can support you.”
The dangers and risks for students as a result of cyberbullying can’t be underestimated, but there are ways to combat it and promote kindness, similar to what students at the high school have done. It’s important not to let fear drive you, either as a victim or as a standby, and to speak up when you see cyberbullying, bullying, or any type of harm towards students.
“I would encourage people not to let fear drive them. If you let fear drive you, I don’t think you are going to be as happy as you could be,” McKinney said.
