According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, almost 90% of youth in the U.S. are online and 50% have a cell phone.  For the current generation of young people, e-mailing, IM-ing, text messaging, chatting and blogging are a vital means of self-expression and a central part of their social lives. 

There are increasing reports, however, that some youth are misusing Internet and cell phone technology to bully and harass others, and even to incite violence against them.  The organization, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, reports that more than 53% of young people have been the targets of cyberbullying.  In another survey, almost 80% of Internet-using adolescents indicate being aware of cyberbullying that occurs online and over one-third report that they have seen their friends bully others online.  For some of these youth, online cruelty may be a precursor to more destructive behavior, including involvement in hate groups and bias-related violence.

The impact of bullying has been well documented—studies have shown that difficulty making friends, loneliness, low self-esteem, depression, poor academic achievement, truancy and suicide are all associated with being bullied.  In addition to these risk factors, the targets of cyberbullying may be subject to additional distress due to the pervasive and invasive nature of modern communication technology: cyberbullying messages can be circulated far and wide in an instant and are usually irrevocable; cyberbullying is ubiquitous—there is no refuge and victimization can be relentless; and cyberbullying is often anonymous and can rapidly swell as countless and unknown others join in on “the fun.”

Despite the prevalence and impact of cyberbullying, many adults are unaware of the problem due to a lack of fluency in new technologies, limited involvement in and oversight of youth online activity, and strong social norms among youth against disclosure of online behavior.

This issue of Curriculum Connections provides educators with the tools to increase awareness about the problem of cyberbullying among their students.  Each lesson introduces age appropriate information and skills that encourage youth to think critically about Internet communication, develop empathy for others, respond constructively to cyberbullying and online aggression and interact safely on the Internet.  The resources in this edition of Curriculum Connections will be an important part of your school’s broader
efforts to foster an increased culture of e-safety and respect for differences among youth.