Based on news reports and conversations with educators about troubles with Yik Yak, the location-based anonymous texting app, at schools in many parts of the US, three scenarios leap to mind…. Remember that kid at school (or maybe that frat house) who felt the need or the pressure to set off the fire alarm to see what would happen, test the system, get attention or whatever social … [Read more...] about How Yik Yak is different from other social media
victimization
‘Bullying’ & ‘peer victimization’: Clearer terms, better communication
I suspect two reasons why people (mistakenly) think cyberbullying is on the rise are… Its increased visibility: Cruel words and behaviors are unprecedentedly public now, because of the social Web, so that's what's actually growing – the exposure – which is sometimes confused with the behavior itself. The confusion needs to be cleared up. The exposure may be scary, but it's a net gain because … [Read more...] about ‘Bullying’ & ‘peer victimization’: Clearer terms, better communication
Students on bullying: Important study
Having someone, especially a peer, really listen and be there for them seems to help bullying victims more than anything, according to students themselves. A new study of nearly 12,000 US students in grades 5-12 offers important insights into bullying victims' own views on what causes bullying, how it affects them, and what does and doesn't work in dealing with it. The students, surveyed by the … [Read more...] about Students on bullying: Important study
Profile of a teen online victim
David Finkelhor, one of the US's top experts in online youth victimization, called her "Jenna" at the forum in Washington, D.C., where he was presenting his research. In what he described as a fairly typical predation case…. Jenna was 13 and "from a divorced family, frequented sex-oriented chatrooms, had the screenname 'Evilgirl.' There she met a guy who, after a number of conversations … [Read more...] about Profile of a teen online victim