I'm concerned that your second to last paragraph, which appears
to be the counterargument, is somewhat unclear. For example,
you begin by stating that it is permissible to form groups. This is
a good beginning for a counterargument because you are
presenting a logical other side to restricting Internet
use. However, then your argument describes again the dangers
of online bullying and from there goes on to explain how bullies
can avoid detection and punishment. Are these statements your
rebuttal argument? If so, then they should appear in the next
paragraph, along with your other restatements about the toll
bullying takes on victims.
Your counterargument, on the other hand, should include one or
two more sentences about the usefulness of the online world and
social networks. In this way, the reader can see that there is
something worth arguing over. That is, without the
counterargument, the reader might believe that this is simply a
law-and-order issue. With the counterargument, the issues
become more nuanced.
I noticed that your conclusion is somewhat brief. You restate the
problem, and then you state that there is much work to be done,
and this is fine, but the conclusion is an opportunity to say
something more. In it, you can restate your supporting
arguments, for example, so that the reader remembers them. In
addition, you can add some food for thought that is more
concrete than your concluding sentence. What do you see as the
future for social media use in the schools? Among children in
general? Which tool do you think is most promising for fighting
this problem? Do you think bullies can be made to see the
damage they do? You could address some of these questions to
give your conclusion a more speculative and also a more
conclusive tone.
Summary of Next Steps:
• Separate the rebuttal from the counterargument and check
what I wrote.
• Add two or three sentences to your conclusion.
How can schools help prevent cyberbullying?
Today, children use most of their time interacting online, forming a virtual space where
they connect and sadly bully each other. Contemporary technologies have provided simple means
of communication and, at the same time, presented challenges (Basak 157). Cyberbullying is the
intentional abuse, intimidation, defamation, or harassment of other individuals through
contemporary methods of communication, usually for a long time. It is perpetrated commonly
through the internet using means such as e-mail, social networking platforms, videos, or diverse
portals (Beale and Kimberly 8). Often, the perpetrator, known as a bully, acts in disguise so that a
targeted victim fails to understand who an attacker is. Mainly as it concerns cyberbullying among
young children and teenagers, the victims and the bullies know one another in the real world. The
victims constantly have a clue about who could be behind the acts. Cyberbullying typically begins
from individuals within close settings such as schools, residences, villages, or ethnic societies. It
is scarce for the perpetrators to be strangers. Accordingly, modern technologies like the internet
have introduced a new form of bullying that has adverse impacts on the mental health of younger
teens (Chang 501). Because of the mental health problems that might result from cyberbullying,
schools must implement better security measures to protect their students while interacting online.
Several adverse outcomes are associated with cyberbullying, while the effects of this vice
reflect what happens whenever a child gets bullied. Most victims who receive a barrage of
offensive messages experience sharp declines in their school performance, reduced selfconfidence, deviations in interests, and despair (Scott 1). However, cyberbullying may similarly
negatively impact a child's well-being. Every time a child uses the internet, including in the safety
of their own homes, they are exposed. Associated with making it challenging to react to it as a
learning institution, this implies that the perpetrators can get their victims at that spot where they
hope their safety is assured and may even cause a victim to think that the act of bullying is
unavoidable. Online bullying appears to be more dangerous. Online bullying appears to be more
dangerous. Hinduja and Patchin (334) assert that suicide rates among teenagers have steadily been
on the rise. Between 2000 and 2015, adolescent suicide cases rose by 21 percent. There is a
significant correlation between these suicides and cyberbullying (Hinduja and Patchin 335).
According to scholars, 15.5 percent of adolescents in grades 9 to 12 reported that they were
continuously bullied online. As a result, these teenagers began to entertain suicidal thoughts. 17.7
percent of these teenagers entertained suicidal thoughts for a prolonged period. Regrettably, 14.6
percent made a concrete plan, while 8.6 of the bullied adolescents attempted suicide. Of these
attempts, 2.8 percent of the attempted suicides were intervened by professional medical officers
(Hinduja and Patchin 336). While cyberbullying victims face an existential threat, the bullies
continue to walk away with minimal punishment. Nikolaou (34) argues that there is a great need
to fortify anti-bullying policies so that cyberbullies can receive harsher punishments. When this is
achieved, cyberbullies will be significantly discouraged from victimizing others.
Unfortunately, when young individuals mention something online that they would not have
stated physically, the problem is further complicated because cyberbullying permits the message
to be spread further. For instance, in a matter of simple clicks, a humiliating picture or offensive
post is sharable on a website for an entire learning institution to view. In the most severe cases,
online bullying may lead to suicidal thoughts that lead to self-harm (Scott 3). Of course, such is
the aftermath of mental health challenges that emanate from cyberbullying. Thus, school
administrators need to quickly formulate measures and policies that can deal with the menace
effectively. When cyberbullying is handled, students can continue enjoying online interactions
without fear of being victimized.
Schools and guidance counselors can choose from several approaches to cyberbullying. In
his work, (Scott 3) notes that anytime that cyberbullying happens in school settings, the
administration has the mandate of ensuring that the learners remain safe by coming up with school
policies. As it is, schools already react to bullying using anti-bullying policies and processes
(Chibbaro 1), but online bullying, as stated, comes with fresh challenges. Some new solutions exist
that teachers and school staff can apply to battle against cyberbullying. Support and reassurance
need to be extended to someone who has been bullied (Landstedt, Evelina, and Susanne 393).
Victims should be told they did the correct thing by speaking about it. A child must be encouraged
to seek assistance from parents, school counselors, or even teachers. They need to know that
support exists for them. The second is assisting a victim in keeping relevant evidence for
investigation. Screenshots of web pages and messages should be well-kept. Finally, it is best to
inform the victim. Offering advice meant to secure that it does not repeat itself is essential. This
may encompass replacing passwords, and contact information, blocking profiles on social
platforms, and reporting any form of abuse on the web. It is also vital that the young victims are
told not to engage in any form of retaliation or respond to messages from bullies. Also, they should
be asked to ensure that personal information is kept as private as possible while engaging online
(Landstedt, Evelina, and Susanne 395). The claim regarding cyberbullying should be thoroughly
examined. When the bully is identified, he or she should be made to retract the abusive remarks or
posts, and complete records should be kept as part of the investigation. Abuse on social media
networks should be reported to the respective websites. Lastly, schools need several policy
documents that they may refer to. These encompass Acceptable Use Policies, Anti-bullying
policies, and policies focused on disciplinary matters. In fact, most states demand that schools
develop these policies, and many include the terminology "electronic bullying" in their rules that
react to cyberbullying (Scott 4).
Prevention of cyberbullying in schools is a focus area for counselors and administrators
(Froeschle et al. 30). This is an accomplishment that is not easy. Nonetheless, the perfect means
of averting it is handling it as an entire school community matter and handling it as an additional
type of bullying within the institution's policy on anti-bullying. It is the responsibility of school
counselors to ensure that all students are aware that bullying is unacceptable behavior that cannot
be justified in any circumstance. Several issues can be driven home to the learners, such as teaching
them the rights and responsibilities of the online space and ensuring that they are mindful that the
internet is not private. Stakeholders in schools must keep the positive utilization of technology,
talk over, and inform the students concerning excellent etiquette and individual safety concerns
(Froeschle et al. 32). Another vital message is encouraging a telling environment so that students
can report issues of cyberbullying any time that they note it. Making this demands that the school
publicizes various means of reporting online bullying to offer confidence to bystanders. Policies
on anti-bullying similarly need to be regularly updated and adjusted to respond to cyberbullying
as it changes. This will offer the school some robust grounds regarding the investigation and
sanctioning. More than anything else, the school should inspire the students to become friends and
enhance a positive and supportive setting within the school which will guarantee that cyberbullying
does not bloom (Landstedt, Evelina, and Susanne 393).
Schools also have the mandate of ensuring the safety of social media spaces. The safety of
these spaces can only be guaranteed if the schools are ready to initiate technical policies to deal
with the situation. Therefore, school administrators must embrace the utilization of artificial
intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to deal with cyberbullying events (Raza et al.
625). The system can quickly flag insulting and targeting messages when these tools are deployed.
[Are these systems effective? Do they present any dangers like, for example, false
identification of perpetrators?] The benefit derived from this action is that the intended message
does not reach the targeted victim. Due to this, a potential victim is saved from the adverse effects
of cyberbullying. Furthermore, detecting the bullying messages helps discourage bullies from
future attempts to victimize their peers. Thus, when these systems are finally deployed,
cyberbullying will become an issue of the past.
It is everyone's right and freedom to form any group they see fit, no matter what
methods they use to do so. [What are some positive aspects of this right?] School administrators
must understand that the change from face-to-face to online communication has presented a unique
and possibly risky dynamic for social interactions, which only worsens due to the fast
technological changes (Chibbaro 1). Cyberbullying may be as dangerous as physical bullying since
victims are susceptible to attacks 24/7 and lack a safe space. Besides, perpetrators of the vice
cannot see the faces of those they are targeting and consequently may not comprehend the actual
outcomes of their acts, reducing significant feelings of individual responsibility. Concerning the
second counterargument, the assertion offers bullies a chance to do different things, such as
creating fake profiles. Asking victims to delete their social networking platforms can offer them a
feeling of seclusion from the world, considering that the current environment is concentrated on
the internet and technology. Therefore, no form of bullying, conventional or online, should be
tolerated or excused.
In conclusion, cyberbullying as a new form of bullying has presented avenues for teens to
engage in undesirable conduct. The negative impacts of the vice include issues such as mental
health challenges among affected youths. School counselors have work cut out for them in
identifying the best responses to prevent online bullying.
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