The Brian Mudd Show

The Brian Mudd Show

There are two sides to stories and one side to facts. That's Brian's mantra and what drives him to get beyond the headlines.Full Bio

 

Cyber bullying isn't just a problem for our kids

Cyber bullying isn't just a problem for our kids - it's a major problem for many of us too:

Bottom Line: We're all aware of the cyber bullying problem as it applies to our kids. Simply put, it is more difficult to wade through adolescent life in today's 24/7 digital environment. They way the issues are often discussed and disseminated seemingly end without a conclusion however...what do I mean by that?  We talk about solutions to the issues with cyber bullying for our kids and go about our business. But that doesn't really finish the story does it? In March, I shared this story/research with you:

Social media psychology:

 According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine:

  • Social media is the most common destination for lonely people to interact with others
  • Those who are lonely/depressed are most likely to be more active on social media
  • They're likely to share more personal information publicly than the average user

So here's the concern. We've learned from other research that the average user of Facebook leaves feeling worse than when they checked it out in the first place. You can see where this can be a real issue for those who're most emotionally vulnerable.

And just as was the case prior to cyber bullying, did all of the bullies at school grow into well adjusted, productive members of society? Of course not right. So you have plenty of people who're vulnerable and plenty of adults who've been cyber bullying for quite some time. As adults however it's categorized as harassment and it's a prevalent as ever according to the Pew Research Center. Here were key findings:

  • 66% of adults have witnessed online harassment
  • 41% say they've been targets of online harassment
  • 18% say it's carried over into "physical" everyday life

Knowing everything else we know that's not surprising but it is disturbing. Many think that online harassment isn't adequately being addressed:

  • 80% say the digital platforms aren't doing enough to combat it 
  • 43% think law enforcement should be more engaged in policing online harassment

Given my endless frustrations over terror use of social media platforms, for example, I'm more than inclined to agree.


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