CyberBullyingCyberBullying

A Lesson in A Lesson in CYBERWORLDCYBERWORLD

Culture, Customs, Culture, Customs,

Language, and SafetyLanguage, and Safety

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

MCPS Public Service Announcement

CYBERBULLYINGCYBERBULLYING

CyberbullyingCyberbullying occurs occurs when an individual is when an individual is embarrassed, embarrassed, humiliated, threatened humiliated, threatened or targeted by or targeted by another person or a another person or a group of people using group of people using Internet email, instant Internet email, instant messaging, social web messaging, social web sites, blogs, mobile sites, blogs, mobile phones, or other phones, or other technology methods.technology methods.

JFA-RAJFA-RAStudent Rights RegulationStudent Rights Regulation

Harassment and intimidation (bullying) Harassment and intimidation (bullying) means means conduct, including verbal, physical, or written; or an conduct, including verbal, physical, or written; or an intentional electronic communication that creates a intentional electronic communication that creates a hostile educational environment by substantially hostile educational environment by substantially interfering with a student’s educational benefits, interfering with a student’s educational benefits, opportunities, performance, or with a student’s opportunities, performance, or with a student’s physical or psychological well-being; and is motivated physical or psychological well-being; and is motivated by an actual or perceived personal characteristic such by an actual or perceived personal characteristic such as race, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual as race, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or disability; or is orientation, gender identity, religion, or disability; or is threatening or seriously intimidating and occurs on threatening or seriously intimidating and occurs on school property, at a school activity or event, or on a school property, at a school activity or event, or on a school bus; or substantially disrupts the orderly school bus; or substantially disrupts the orderly operation of a school.operation of a school.

CYBER BULLIES’ TECHNOLOGYCYBER BULLIES’ TECHNOLOGY

E-mailE-mail Cell phonesCell phones Pager text messagesPager text messages Console games (PS3, Xbox, Wii)Console games (PS3, Xbox, Wii) Instant messagingInstant messaging Defamatory personal web sites (Blogs)Defamatory personal web sites (Blogs) Defamatory Bulletin Gossip sitesDefamatory Bulletin Gossip sites Defamatory online personal polling web sitesDefamatory online personal polling web sites Chat rooms Chat rooms

CYBER BULLYING TYPESCYBER BULLYING TYPES

““Flaming’:Flaming’: Online fights using electronic messages with Online fights using electronic messages with angry and vulgar languageangry and vulgar language

““Harassment”:Harassment”: Repeatedly sending offensive, rude, and Repeatedly sending offensive, rude, and insulting messagesinsulting messages

““Cyber stalking”:Cyber stalking”: Repeatedly sending messages that Repeatedly sending messages that include threats of harm or are highly intimidating. include threats of harm or are highly intimidating. Engaging in other on-line activities that make a person Engaging in other on-line activities that make a person afraid for his or her own safetyafraid for his or her own safety

““Denigration”:Denigration”: ‘Dissing’ someone online. Sending or ‘Dissing’ someone online. Sending or posting cruel gossip or rumors about a person to posting cruel gossip or rumors about a person to damage his or her reputation or friendshipsdamage his or her reputation or friendships

CYBER BULLYING PREVALENCECYBER BULLYING PREVALENCEIn the 2003-04 school year, i-SAFE America surveyed studentsIn the 2003-04 school year, i-SAFE America surveyed students

from across the country on a new topic: from across the country on a new topic: Cyber BullyingCyber Bullying

It is a topic that not many adults were talking about but one that is all too It is a topic that not many adults were talking about but one that is all too familiar with students. familiar with students.

42% of kids have been bullied while online. 1 in 4 have had it happen more 42% of kids have been bullied while online. 1 in 4 have had it happen more than once.than once.

35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly 1 in 5 have had it happen 35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly 1 in 5 have had it happen more than once. more than once.

21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages. 21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages.

58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than 4 out of 10 say it has happened more than once. More than 4 out of 10 say it has happened more than once.

53% of kids admit having said something mean or hurtful to another person 53% of kids admit having said something mean or hurtful to another person online. More than 1 in 3 have done it more than once. online. More than 1 in 3 have done it more than once.

58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful 58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that happened to them online.that happened to them online.

Based on 2004 i-SAFE survey of 1,500 students grades 4-8 http://www.isafe.orgBased on 2004 i-SAFE survey of 1,500 students grades 4-8 http://www.isafe.org

CYBER BULLYING EVENTCYBER BULLYING EVENT

Who May Be Involved: Principal Superintendent/OSP Education Field Officer (EFO)

School Counselor Information Assurance Officer Police Attorney (School or Private) Internet Service Provider

Megan MeierMegan Meier

DARDENNE PRAIRIE, MO., Nov. 21 — Megan Meier died DARDENNE PRAIRIE, MO., Nov. 21 — Megan Meier died believing that somewhere in this world lived a boy named Josh believing that somewhere in this world lived a boy named Josh Evans who hated her. He was 16 and owned a pet snake. She Evans who hated her. He was 16 and owned a pet snake. She thought that he was the cutest boyfriend she ever had.thought that he was the cutest boyfriend she ever had.

Josh contacted Megan through her page on MySpace.com, the Josh contacted Megan through her page on MySpace.com, the social networking Web site, said Megan’s mother, Tina Meier. social networking Web site, said Megan’s mother, Tina Meier. They flirted for weeks, but only online — Josh said his family They flirted for weeks, but only online — Josh said his family had no phone. On October 15, 2006, Josh suddenly turned had no phone. On October 15, 2006, Josh suddenly turned mean. He called Megan names, and later they traded insults mean. He called Megan names, and later they traded insults for an hour. for an hour.

The next day, in his final message, said Megan’s father, Ron The next day, in his final message, said Megan’s father, Ron Meier, Josh wrote, “The world would be a better place without Meier, Josh wrote, “The world would be a better place without you.” Sobbing, Megan ran into her bedroom closet. Her you.” Sobbing, Megan ran into her bedroom closet. Her mother found her there, hanging from a belt. mother found her there, hanging from a belt. She was 13She was 13..

Source: The New York TimesSource: The New York Times

Can’t Take It BackCan’t Take It Back

What to Do About What to Do About CyberbullyingCyberbullying

Do not respond to harassing Do not respond to harassing messages.messages.

Save all harassing messages.Save all harassing messages.

Change your account.Change your account.

Tell a trusted adult.Tell a trusted adult.

Call police if the contact involves Call police if the contact involves threats of violence, stalking, child threats of violence, stalking, child pornography, sexual solicitation, pornography, sexual solicitation, obscene calls or text messages.obscene calls or text messages.

RecommendationsRecommendations

Parents, guardians, and school staff needs to have open communication with their children/student about Internet safety.Parents should question their children about their Internet contacts and activities.Encourage children to report any incident that makes them uncomfortable to a trusted adult.Parents, guardians, and school staff should measure their responses to any disclosure.

CYBER BULLYINGCYBER BULLYINGLEGAL ISSUESLEGAL ISSUES

School Safety and Security, Information Assurance Officer, Law Enforcement should be contacted if School staff becomes aware of:

Death threats or threats of other forms of violence to a person or property

Excessive intimidation or extortion

Threats or intimidation that involve any form of bias or discrimination

Any evidence of sexual exploitation

When To Contact Law When To Contact Law Enforcement/Cyber TiplineEnforcement/Cyber Tipline

You find child pornography on the You find child pornography on the computercomputerYour student has received sexually Your student has received sexually explicit images or communication.explicit images or communication.Your student has been sexually Your student has been sexually solicited by someone by someone solicited by someone by someone first met onlinefirst met online

After contacting law enforcement, keep your computer After contacting law enforcement, keep your computer turned off to preserve any evidence. Do not copy or turned off to preserve any evidence. Do not copy or print any images or text unless specifically directed to print any images or text unless specifically directed to do so by law enforcement.do so by law enforcement.

SextingSexting

Sexting (v): To trade images with dirty Sexting (v): To trade images with dirty messages, nude or sexually explicit messages, nude or sexually explicit photos, often in reference to teenagers. photos, often in reference to teenagers.

SextingSexting

A national survey last fall found 20 percent A national survey last fall found 20 percent of teenagers said they have sent or posted of teenagers said they have sent or posted online nude or semi-nude pictures of online nude or semi-nude pictures of themselves, and 39 percent said they have themselves, and 39 percent said they have sent or posted sexually suggestive message sent or posted sexually suggestive message

http://www.welt.de/english-news/article3476001/US-judge-rules-for-teen-girls-http://www.welt.de/english-news/article3476001/US-judge-rules-for-teen-girls-in-sexting-case.htmlin-sexting-case.html

Sexting CasesSexting Cases

Spotsylvania, Va., two boys, ages 15 and 18, Spotsylvania, Va., two boys, ages 15 and 18, were charged with solicitation and possession of were charged with solicitation and possession of child porn with intent to distribute after an child porn with intent to distribute after an investigation found they sought nude pictures investigation found they sought nude pictures from three juveniles — one in elementary from three juveniles — one in elementary school. school. In Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Juvenile Court In Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Juvenile Court Judge Thomas O'Malley struggled to figure out Judge Thomas O'Malley struggled to figure out what to do with eight teens, 14 to 17, caught what to do with eight teens, 14 to 17, caught trading nude cellphone pictures of themselves. trading nude cellphone pictures of themselves. He says the father of one of the girls found the He says the father of one of the girls found the images. images.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2009-03-11-sexting_N.htmhttp://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2009-03-11-sexting_N.htm

Teen committed suicide over ‘sexting’Teen committed suicide over ‘sexting’

March 6: 18-year-old Jesse Logan took her March 6: 18-year-old Jesse Logan took her own life after a nude picture of her was own life after a nude picture of her was passed around by e-mail. passed around by e-mail.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29546030/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29546030/

REPORTINGREPORTING

CALL THE CYBER TIPLINECALL THE CYBER TIPLINE

1-800-843-56781-800-843-5678

OROR

MONTGOMERY COUNTY POLICEMONTGOMERY COUNTY POLICE

Pedophile SectionPedophile Section

240-773-5400240-773-5400

For more information go to:For more information go to:

www.netsmartz.orgwww.netsmartz.org

www.netsmartzkids.orgwww.netsmartzkids.org

www.netsmartz411.orgwww.netsmartz411.org

www.cybertipline.comwww.cybertipline.com

www.iSafe.orgwww.iSafe.org

QuestionsQuestionsand and

AnswersAnswers