Before the advent of the widespread use of the internet, bullying was confined to school grounds, classrooms, and backyards. Now, the virulence of bullying has taken on new meaning, as bullies take to the web to intimidate, harrass, embarrass, and offend others. Through email, cell phones, text messaging, and social networking sites, bullies can carry out their bullying in many cases without ever having to confront their victims, and often without consequence. Whereas the audiences for humiliation in the past was often limited to those who witnessed the bullying and perhaps talked to others about it, now, bullying takes place in cyberspace, where images and audio can be posted online for whole school communities to witness, discuss, and comment on. The social, psychological, and sometimes economic trauma experienced by victims can be devastating, and in some cases, cyber bullying has crossed the line and became a criminal act.
Because just about anyone can be the victim of cyber bullying, and because it often goes unreported, there are precious few resources available to victims, parents, teachers, and others interested in combatting this new form of bullying. This book provides, however, a thoroughly developed, well-researched analysis of cyber bullying - what it is, how it is carried out, who is affected, and what can and should be done to prevent and control its occurrence in society. The book captures the sensational, technological, and horrific aspects of cyber bullying while balancing these with discussion from perspectives about social computing, various academic disciplines, possibilities for public policy and legislation formulation, education, and crime prevention strategies. Using case examples throughout, readers will come away with a new sense of indignation for the victims and a better understanding of the growing problem and how to combat it.
From the Publisher
"As researchers in the field, the authors are able to provide a timely, up-to-date examination of cyber bullying. . . . The authors maintain a balanced, thoughtful tone as they discuss research and legal issues and offer advice for parents, schools, and students themselves. A final chapter looks at bullying of older adults. The authors are careful not to sensationalize the topic, but they do include sidebars presenting personal experiences that vividly demonstrate the hazards of uncontrolled bullying. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates; community and technical college students; faculty; professionals; general readers."
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Choice
"… deserves repeated, ongoing mention as the definitive text on the topic. It will reach high school to college-level students in social issues and computer subjects alike … Any library serious about the social impact of computer use needs this in-depth coverage."
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Midwest Book Review
"[The authors'] review of case law is even-handed and informative.
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Contexts.org
