For this post, I wanted to discuss one of my resources for my upcoming presentation on Cyberbullying. The article titled, “Cyberbullying” by Caralee Adams, from Instructor, Fall2010, Vol. 120 Issue 2, pages 44 to 49, talks about the issues regarding cyberbullying and what we as educators can do to prevent it.
I won’t go into too many details here, but I want to share with you five websites that the article mentioned educators should be aware of. I have included the links to the web addresses as well as a brief description about what each site does. If you know of other websites that students in the past have used to bully or intimidate another student, please share them with me. With technology moving so fast, once one site becomes “popular,” kids are looking to find the next “big thing” on line.
Web Address: http://www.wocchat.com/chatroulette
This website will enable users to video chat with random users across the internet. Last year a website called chatroullette was made popular by a local radio station, people have no idea who they will meet. According to RjMetrics, 13 percent of users are either nude or committing a lewd act (Adams, 2010).
Web Address: http://www.stickam.com
Another video chat, video conferencing website. The main difference is the users can select the rooms in which they enter. There is also a feature that will enable users to enter random rooms like chatroulette called “stickam shuffle.” Some rooms will have almost 200 people participating. This is at 9:30 on a Saturday morning. According to the article, for the most part it is a safe place, however, 3 arrests have been attributed to this site.
Web Address: https://foursquare.com
This is a site where people can talk about events in their area. This can be dangerous for children, since they will be giving information about landmarks near their home. A predator could use this information to locate or meet a child. This website can also be used on an iphone, blackberry, android, and most other smartphones or handheld devices.
Web Address: http://www.4chan.org
A bulletin board site, where people may post comments or images based on a Japanese forum: Futaba Channel. Boards vary in topics, and you do not need to register in order to participate. Originally, the site was created to share Japanese style cartoons called anime or manga. However, users quickly have begun to use it for other purposes such as bullying.
Web Address: http://www.formspring.me
This is a website where people can answer random questions, and possibly post dangerous information. It is anonymous, which can make tracking offenders difficult.
Awareness of these sites is helpful to parents and educators. Thank you. Pros and cons of online tools are becoming more a part of daily conversation between educators and school leaders to the benefit of our young people.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Great Stuff and Congrats!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe sites are great! Parents and educators need to view these and become aware of where technology is taking us in the scheme of "cyberbulling". I am looking forward to hearing your presentation. Also, sorry about the comment above it was for someone else.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff Mike. We have to remain consistantly vigilant.
ReplyDeleteCyber-bullying central great call on awareness... we must watch out for these sites and also make our cyber-students aware that these are place they may not want to go.
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