Learn why cyberbullying is different?
Cyberbullying is sometimes hard to detect for coaches and parents because…
- people who cyberbully believe they can remain anonymous so they don’t fear getting caught.
- cyberbullying is often outside of the reach of hockey organizations, because this behaviour often happens outside of hockey on home computers or via cell/smart phones.
- youth who have been bullied are afraid to report it to their parents because they are afraid they will overreact and take their technology away.
- youth who have been bullied may not always know who is bullying them.
Cyberbullying is very damaging because…
- cyberbullying can happen instantly, by simply pressing the ‘send’ button. It is often created and then forwarded impulsively, without forethought.
- the lack of face-to-face feedback makes it easier for the person who is cyberbullying to ignore the negative impact on the person who is being cyberbullied.
- negative messages can be spread to huge numbers of people at very high speed.
- cyberbullying can happen any time and any place. Because youth are connecting to technology throughout the day and night, there is no way to escape it. Home is no longer a safe place.