We all remember it, though we say we don't. Those in school still see it everyday, maybe are victims, atau even perpetrators, of it. In workplaces, schools, colleges, sports organisations- this happens in all walks of life, for all manner of reasons.

I am, of course, talking about bullying. We've heard the stories of teens driven to suicide sejak bullies, people forced out of jobs sejak abusive employers, coaches victimising players. Tragic stories, definitely.

This is not the bullying I am talking about today. We move, for this soapbox, from the real world to the cyber world. Today, we talk about Cyber-Bullying.

The Interweb. A fantastic resource for all things bright and beautiful, a wealth of knowledge at the touch of a button, a place where one can literally find everything and the dapur sink.

Most people use the Internet at least once a week. Others use it more, as several Fanpoppers can attest to. Its great, watching video and speaking your mind.

However like all good things, this one has to be sullied. The last few years have seen an upsurge in Cyberbullying.


Cyberbullying is, in effect:

"Cyberbullying" is when a child, preteen atau teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed atau otherwise targeted sejak another child, preteen atau teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies atau mobile phones. It has to have a minor on both sides, atau at least have been instigated sejak a minor against another minor.

Could anda be a cyberbully? Well, have anda ever:

___Signed on with someone else’s screen name to gather info?

___Sent an e-mail atau online greeting card from someone’s account?

___Impersonated someone over IM atau online?

___Teased atau frightened someone over IM?

___Not told someone who anda really are online, telling them to “guess”?

___Forwarded a private IM conversation atau e-mail without the permission of the other person?

___Changed your profil atau away message designed to embarrass atau frighten someone?

___Posted pictures atau information about someone on a Web site without their consent?

___Created an Internet poll, either over IM atau on a Web site, about someone without their consent?

___Used information found online to follow, tease, embarrass atau harass someone in person?

___Sent rude atau scary things to someone, even if anda were just joking?

___Used bad language online?

___Signed someone else up for something online without their permission?

___Used an IM atau e-mail address that looked like someone else’s?

___Used someone else’s kata laluan for any reason without their permission?

___Hacked into someone else’s computer atau sent a virus atau Trojan horse to them?

___Insulted someone in an interactive game room?

___Posted rude things atau lies about someone online?

___Voted at an online bashing tinjauan atau telah diposkan to a guestbook saying rude atau mean things?

These are all methods of cyberbullying.

Why this article? What has this got to do with Fanpop?

Hmm. Fanpop seems to be a world apart in relation to social networks, in that there seems to be none of the usual cruelty to other users that one seems to find elsewhere.

However, and there is ALWAYS a however, its seems to me that recently, there has been a lot of negativity directed towards certain users. I'm not going to name names, people, this is not a witch hunt. I'm not saying don't express an opinion, but don't viciously attack someone for no reason.

I merely want to make a statement. To me, cyberbullies are the biggest cowards in the world. They hide behind ikon-ikon and usernames to cause pain. They can't even face their victim.


So, seterusnya time anda feel like being nasty, stop and look at what anda are doing. Or, are anda a true coward?

Authors Note:
I would like to point out that the Fanpop Four does a fantastic job of keeping the website selamat, peti deposit keselamatan and friendly for all users. For that, the Fanpop Four really deserve giant inflatable props.