Preventing Cyberbullying

ELIJAH LUI

Elijah Lui gives an online speech that helps the audience recognize how problematic cyberbullying is and lets them know how they can address and prevent it. Organizationally, the speech is arranged along the lines of the problem-solution pattern. Note that Elijah uses a variety of sources, from books to scholarly articles to publications posted on reputable websites, to support his arguments.

For guidelines on preparing an online presentation, see Chapter 28, Preparing Online Presentations.

On the evening of September 22, 2010, Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi updated his Facebook status: “Jumping off the gw [George Washington] Bridge sorry.” According to Lisa Foderaro’s report in the New York Times, a few hours later Clementi did just that. But what would cause Clementi, recognized as a bright student and talented musician with a promising future, to take his own life? The answer, unhappily, involves a bully with a Web cam.

Elijah begins his speech with several dramatic examples that capture the audience’s attention; these serve as appeals to pathos.

According to a May 21, 2012, report on CNN, Clementi’s roommate was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 3 years of probation, 300 hours of community service, and $11,000 in restitution for using a Web cam to view and transmit images of Clementi in an intimate encounter with another young man.

Tyler Clementi’s story is tragic, but it’s not an isolated event. On September 9, 2013, 12-year-old Rebecca Sedwick jumped to her death allegedly after being tormented by two girls on Facebook. And a few months earlier, Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old Canadian high school student, hanged herself after cell phone pictures of her being sexually assaulted were distributed by the alleged attackers.

Here, Elijah sets up the organizational pattern of the speech, indicating that he will describe a problem and offer solutions; he also previews the main points.

What is going on here? In a word—it’s cyberbullying.

My name is Elijah and I’m here today to confront the growing problem of electronic harassment experienced by Tyler Clementi and so many others. I’ll start with a look at the various forms cyberbullying takes and describe the scope of the problem. But I’m not here just to talk about one more social ill. I want to show you how you and your loved ones can stay safe—both by scrupulously guarding your personal information and by actively thwarting cyberbullies.

Elijah qualifies his source and demonstrates its credibility.

And should you or someone you know become a victim, I want you to be able to respond constructively.

He begins the body of the speech by ensuring that the audience knows what cyberbullying means.

As you can imagine from the heartbreaking story that I’ve shared about Tyler Clementi, cyberbullying poses serious mental health risks to the nation’s children, teens, and young adults. The Cyberbullying Research Center, a leading resource on the topic, defines cyberbullying as “willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices.” Cyberbullying can take many forms, including the following: posting or sending harassing messages via websites, blogs, or text messages; posting embarrassing or private photos of someone without their permission; recording or videotaping someone and sharing it without permission; and creating fake websites or social networking profiles in someone else’s name to humiliate them. Often these acts are done anonymously.

Words such as “chilling” strike an emotional chord (pathos) and serve to persuade.

Recent research paints a chilling picture of the frequency and harms of electronic harassment. According to Hani Morgan, an Education Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, the statistics vary widely, but 42% of teens in a 2011 study reported being the victims of cyberbullying. Although most of the research to date has focused on cyberbullying among middle and high school students, a 2012 study published in the Journal of School Violence confirmed that the problem of electronic harassment continues into college. Psychologists Allison Schenk and William Fremouw found that nearly 9% of university students reported having experienced cyberbullying; that means that at least 2 or 3 people listening to this speech know what I’m describing because they’ve felt it.

Translating the statistic into something concretely related to audience members makes the evidence more persuasive.

We have seen with Tyler, Rebecca, Rehtaeh, and too many others that cyberbullying has tragically cut short promising lives. But other consequences less dramatic than suicide take a serious toll on victims. The same study by Schenk and Fremouw reported more symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as difficulty concentrating, among bullied college students.

Elijah now moves from describing the problem to offering solutions.

As Professor Morgan explains, the anonymity of unsigned messages and fake user names marks cyberbullying as a dangerous evolution of a long-standing face-to-face bullying problem, but you can take steps to protect yourself. For one, you can be vigilant about safeguarding your personal information. Our school’s Information Technology office lists the following advice on its website. First, never, ever, leave your laptops unattended. Second, keep your account passwords and Social Security numbers completely private. Third, use the most secure privacy settings on your social networking sites. Finally, think carefully about the types of pictures of yourself and your friends that you post online, and restrict views of them to “friends” only. Each of these steps can minimize opportunities for bullies to harm or embarrass you in some way.

Elijah helps listeners follow along by using the signal words first, second, third, and finally.

In addition to zealously guarding your personal information, you can help combat cyberbullying by being a voice against it whenever you see it happening. Several organizations have websites that provide information you can use to be part of the solution. The Facebook Group “Don’t Stand By, Stand Up!” is a student-led organization formed soon after Tyler Clementi’s suicide. The group urges Internet users to take a stand against cyberbullying by recognizing that bullies—in all forms—rarely succeed in their harassment without the support and attention of bystanders. The National Crime Prevention Council website gives specific tips on how to thwart a bully’s attempts. The first is to refuse to pass bullying messages along to others—whether via text or photo messaging, social networking, or e-mail—and to let the original sender know that you find the message offensive or stupid.

Elijah transitions to his next point.

Despite your best efforts to keep your personal information private and speak out against cyberbullying, you may still become a victim.

Online safety expert Parry Aftab’s website, stopcyberbullying.org, advises victims to use the “Stop, Block, and Tell” method to respond to bullying behaviors directed against them. While often taught to younger children, this response makes sense in any case of cyberbullying. After receiving a bullying message you should first “Stop.” In other words, do nothing. Take five minutes to cool down, take a walk, breathe deeply, or do whatever helps to calm down the understandable anger you are feeling. Then, “Block”: Prevent the cyberbully from having any future communication with you. This may mean anything from removing him or her from your social networking sites’ “friends” list to having your cell phone service provider block the bully from being able to call or text you. The third step is to “Tell” someone about the abuse without embarrassment or shame. For example, you might call campus security or confide in a counselor at the Health and Counseling Center—particularly if the abuse has been going on for a long time and you feel that your self-esteem or relationships have been affected. Similarly, parents of younger children should encourage their children to report any bullying to a trusted adult.

Elijah signals the conclusion of the speech with a summary of the main points.

Today we’ve ventured into the very real—and very dangerous—world of cyberbullying. We’ve seen cyberbullying’s negative impact on people of all ages. We’ve also seen how you can counter this potentially deadly problem by being vigilant about protecting your personal information and speaking out against cyberbullying. And if you or someone you know experiences cyberbullying, you can react constructively with the “Stop, Block, and Tell” method.

Elijah issues a call to action.

Cyberbullying isn’t just someone else’s problem. It’s very likely something you need to guard against, now or in the future, as a student today or as a parent tomorrow. I urge each of you to make a personal commitment to do your part to combat the problem. Refuse to stay silent in the face of cyberbullying. Resolve that you will never send nor pass along cyberbullying messages of any kind, no matter how harmless doing so might seem. This act alone can make a world of difference in the life of the intended victim. And wouldn’t you want someone to take this simple step for you?

By stressing the personal relevance of the topic to the audience, Elijah leaves them with something to think about.

We must never forget Tyler Clementi, and the other young lives cut short by unnecessary bullying. Who knows? Your best friend, your younger brother, or your future son could just have easily been on that bridge that fateful September evening.

Works Cited

Foderaro, Lisa W. “Private Moment Made Public, Then a Fatal Jump.” New York Times, September 29, 2010. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B07E6D91638F933A0575AC0A9669D8B63

Hayes, Ashley. “Prosecutors to appeal 30-day sentence in Rutgers gay bullying case.” CNN, May 21, 2012. www.cnn.com/2012/05/21/justice/new-jersey-rutgers-sentencing/index.html

Hinduja, Sameer, and Justin W. Patchin. “Cyberbullying: Identification, Prevention, and Response.” Fact Sheet. Cyberbullying Research Center website. 2010.

Martinez, Michael. “Charges in Rebecca Sedwick’s suicide suggest ‘tipping point’ in bullying cases.” CNN, October 28, 2013. www.cnn.com/2013/10/25/us/rebecca-sedwick-bullying-suicide-case/index.html

Morgan, Hani. “Malicious Use of Technology: What Schools, Parents, and Teachers Can Do to Prevent Cyberbullying.” Childhood Education 89, no. 3 (May/June 2013): 146–151.

Newton, Paula. “Canadian teen commits suicide after alleged rape, bullying.” CNN, April 10, 2013. www.cnn.com/2013/04/10/justice/canada-teen-suicide/index.html

Schenk, Allison M., and William J. Fremouw. “Prevalence, Psychological Impact, and Coping of Cyberbully Victims Among College Students.” Journal of School Violence 11, no. 1 (January 2012): 21–37.

“Stop, Block, and Tell!” Stopcyberbullying.org Web site. Accessed November 1, 2013. http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/take_action/stop_block_and_tell.html

“Stop Cyberbullying before It Starts.” National Crime Prevention Council website. Accessed February 9, 2011. www.ncpc.org/resources/files/pdf/bullying/cyberbullying.pdf