The truth behind 6 disturbing cyberbullying cases that ...

1 the truth behind 6 disturbing cyberbullying cases that turned into suicide Also browse: 100 Must Read cyberbullying Articles and The 2014 cyberbullying Statistics What is cyberbullying ? Wikipediadefinescyberbullyingas , Cyberbullyingistheuseofinformationtechno logytorepeatedly , Cyber bullyingcouldbelimitedtopostingrumorsorg ossipsaboutapersonintheinternetbringing abouthatredinother sminds oritmaygototheextentofpersonallyidentify ingvictimsand publishing materials severely defaming and humiliating them. TheNationalYouthViolencePreventionResour ceCenterestimatesthatnearly30percentof ,bullyingisnolongera problemthatisisolatedtotheplaygrounds, , advancesintechnologyhavenow extendedharassmenttocellphones,socialmed ia websitesandotheronlineavenuesthatarecont ributingtoanalarmingnumberof cyberbullying cases leading to suicide.

2 AccordingtotheCentersforDiseaseControlan dPrevention(CDC),suicideisthethirdleadin g causeofdeathamongyoungpeoplewithapproxim ately4, than14percentofhighschoolstudentshavecon sideredsuicideandnearly7percenthave attemptedit,thatiswhyyouwill,sadly,reada boutcyberbullyingcasesinthemedianowmoret han ever. Unfortunately,withoutanexample,it shardtounderstandexactlywhatcyberbullyin gisandhowa cyberbully acts. This why it is essential to share recent cyberbullying cases with the world. Inthepastdecade,therehavebeenmultiplecyb erbullyingcasesthatendedwiththevictims ,and in some cases , global attention: Cyber Bullying Stories: The Ryan Halligan Case (1989 2003) TheCyberbullyingStory.

3 ThewebsiteoperatedbyRyan sparents,JohnandKellyHalligan,early concernsaboutRyan sspeech,languageandmotorskillsdevelopmen tledtohimreceivingspecial educationservicesfrompre sacademicandphysical strugglesmadehimtheregulartargetofaparti cularbullyatschoolbetweenthefifthandseve nth ,afightbetweenRyanandthebullynotonlyende dtheharassmentat school, but led to a supposed friendship. However,afterRyansharedanembarrassingper sonalstory,thenewlyfoundfriendreturnedto beingabullyandusedtheinformation intothesummerof2003,althoughRyanthoughtt hathehadstruckafriendshipwithapretty, populargirlthroughAOLI nstantMessenger(AIM).

4 Instead,helaterlearnedthatthegirlandher friendsthoughtitwouldbefunnytomakeRyanth inkthegirllikedhimanduseittohavehimshare morepersonallyembarrassingmaterial whichwascopiedandpastedintoAIMexchangesw ithher ,2003, sdeath, JohndiscoveredafolderfilledwithIMexchang esthroughoutthatsummerthatmadehimrealize thattechnologywasbeingutilizedasweaponsf armoreeffectiveandreaching[than]thesimpl e ones we had as kids. Aftermath:Therewerenocriminalchargesfile dfollowingRyan sdeathbecausenocriminallaw sdeath, Vermont sBullyPreventionLaw (ACT117) Vermont s Suicide Prevention Law (ACT 114) , which passed unchanged in April 2006.

5 More on cyberbullying cases related to slander. Cyber Bullying Stories: The Megan Meier Case (1992 2006) TheCyberbullyingStory:InDecember2007,Tin aMeierfoundedthenonprofit MeganMeier Foundation .Thenon profitwasnamedinhonourofTina s13 year olddaughterwhohangedherself attentiondeficitdisorderanddepression ,a16 year oldboynamed communicatingonlineregularly,althoughthe ynevermetinpersonorspokeonthephone. Megan hadalifelongstrugglewithweightandself esteem, TinasaidontheFoundationwebsite. Andnow she finally had a boy who she thought really thought she was pretty.

6 Inmid October,Joshbegansayinghedidn twanttobefriendsanymore,andthemessagesbe came morecruelonOctober16,2006,whenJoshconclu dedbytellingMegan, Theworldwouldbea betterplacewithoutyou. Thecyberbullyingescalatedwhenadditional classmatesandfriendson itwasabout20minutesafterMeganwenttoherro omafterleavingthecomputerthatthemother ,three weeks before what would have been her 14th birthday. Aftermath:AccordingtotheAssociatedPress, itwaslaterthatfallwhenaneighborinformed Megan ,theaccountwascreatedbyanother neighbor,LoriDrew,her18 year oldtemporaryemployeeAshleyGrills,andDrew steenage daughter, ,thecasebeganreceivingnational ,federal prosecutedchargedherwithonecountofconspi racyandthreeviolationsoftheComputerFraud Drewonallfourcountsin2008, and vacated the conviction.

7 InadditiontotheMeganMeierFoundation,Tina alsoworkedcloselytohelpMissourilegislatu re passSenateBill818,unofficiallyknownas Megan sLaw , RepresentativeLindaS nchezofCaliforniaintroducedthe MeganMeierCyberbullyingPrevention Act. ,whichaimedtoendtheharassmentofacyberbul lyseriously butunfortunatelyitwasnot enacted. More on legislation related to cyberbullying cases Cyber Bullying Stories: The cyberbullying cases of Jessica Logan (1990 2008) and Hope Witsell (1996 2009) TheCyberbullyingStory:JessicaLoganwasan1 8 year oldSycamoreHighSchoolseniorwho sentnudephotoofherselftoherboyfriend,but theCincinnatiEnquirerreportedthatthephot owas senttohundredsofteenagersinatleastsevenC incinnati areahighschoolsafterthecouplebroke theUniversityofAlabama scyberbullyingwebsite ,thecyberbullyingcontinued throughFacebook, of another boy who had committed suicide.

8 Alittlemorethanoneyearlater,13 year oldHopeSitwellhangedherselfafterapicture ofher breasts thatshe sexted toherboyfriendwassharedamongststudentsat sixdifferentschoolsin areaofRuskin,Florida, Hope Hater Page that was started on MySpace that led to additional cyber bullying. Aftermath:TheEnquirerreportedthatJessica sparents,AlbertandCynthiaLogan,filedalaw suit againstSycamoreHighSchoolandtheMontgomer ypoliceforallegedlynotdoingenoughtokeep theirdaughterfrombeingbulliedandharassed followingthenudephotosofherbeingwidelysh ared. InFebruary2012,OhioGovernorJohnKasichsig nedHouseBill116,alsoknownastheJessica Logan Act, into law.

9 The legislation addresses cyber bullying and expands anti harassment policies. ReutersreportedthatHope sparentsfiledalawsuitinApril2011againstH illsboroughCountyschool officials for allegedly failing to take appropriate action after learning the teen had suicidal thoughts. More on cyberbullying cases related to photographs Cyber Bullying Stories: The Tyler Clementi Case (1991 2010) TheCyberbullyingStory:Itwasduringthesumm erafterhishighschoolgraduationthat 18 year sroommateduringhis freshmanyearatRutgersUniversity,DharunRa vi,usedawebcaminSeptember2010tostream theTylerClementiFoundation ,theteenager learnedthroughhisroommate sTwitterfeedthathehadbecome atopicofridiculeinhisnew socialenvironment.

10 OnSeptember22,2010,Clementicommittedsuic idebyjumpingofftheGeorge Washington Bridge. Aftermath:LessthanaweekafterClementi sdeath,RaviandMollyWei,thehallmatewhose computerRaviusedtospyonClementi, , convictedRavion15criminalcharges,andheea rnedearlyrelease20daysafterbeginninga 30 day jail sentence. The TylerClementiHigherEducationAnti HarassmentActwouldrequirecollegesanduniv ersitiesto haveanti ,the Star Representatives. Cyber Bullying Stories: The Amanda Todd Case (1996 2012) TheCyberbullyingStory:InOctober2012,ABCN ewsreportedthat thevideoAmandaToddhad postedtoYouTube Mystory: Struggling,bullying,suicide,selfharm, theBritishColumbiateenagerusesflashcards totellabout September 7, 2012, Amanda hanged herself in her home on October 10, 2012.