Cyberbullying and Acceptable Social Networking

A lesson from CyberSmart Curriculum

Download Student Activity Sheet(s) for printout.

Read a Letter to Educators about cyberbullying from The National Cyber Security Alliance.

Overview

Students explore a scenario in which an angry student creates a false online identity in order to seek revenge. They explore ways to resolve the situation and develop a list of tips to help other teens avoid cyberbullying situations.

Objectives

• Analyze online behaviors and predict their consequences.
• Generate multiple solutions for dealing with a cyberbullying situation.
• Create a list of tips to help teens avoid cyberbullying situations.

Materials

• Student Sheets (2)

Introduce

Ask: What are the best features of social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook? Focus the discussion on how these sites can be positive forces in teens' lives when they use them to stay in touch with friends and express themselves safely.

Ask: What are some of the problems teens can encounter on social networking sites? (Answer will vary with your students' experiences. Students may point out that some teens reveal private identity information on their profiles, that other teens may be too provocative and attract unwanted attention, and that some teens may be using social networks to bully.)

Teach 1: What's the Problem?

Distribute the student sheets. Have students read the scenario about Ian, Mike, and the social networking site.
Have students write their answers to the questions under What's the Problem? Look for responses that indicate students understand Ian's anger but may not agree that revenge was the best response, that students show empathy for Mike, and that they can predict that these types of situations can lead to serious results, including teen depression and even suicide.

Tell students that this is a true story, although the names were changed. Invite them to share their own stories. Ask: Have you ever witnessed someone pretending to be what they are not online in order to harass or embarrass someone? What do you think is the problem with doing this?

Teach 2: Think About It

Have students read the Think About It section of their student sheet. Explain to students that cyberbullying doesn't happen to all teens, but it happens often enough to talk about it.

Discuss how online harassment may affect the learning environment of a school and is, therefore, a concern of the school. If it is taking place on school grounds, such as through the school's computer network or on students' cell phones, the school may be justified in taking action.

Teach 3: Find Solutions

Have students divide up into pairs to discuss possible solutions before writing their answers. If students do not bring it up themselves, ask whether Ian should apologize to Mike. In this particular situation, the bystanders (those who witness or know about the cyberbullying behaviors but are neither the bully nor the target) are Ian's friends.

Discuss with students the responsibilities of bystanders to not encourage the bully, to support the target, and to seek the help of trusted adults when it appears that someone is being harmed.

Teach 4: Take Action

Create a Top Ten Tips List

Have students work in small groups and then synthesize their ideas for the class Top Ten Tips list. You may wish to show students the CyberSmart! Top Ten Security Tips sheet, which can be used as a model and source of ideas.

Use Web 2.0 tools, such as a wiki, to allow students to discuss their ideas, post the information they find during research, and collaborate in developing their Top Ten Tips. Then have them post their list on a class Web page, a blog, or a wiki.

Close

Ask: What are some pluses and minuses of social networking?
Ask: What can bystanders do when they are aware of unacceptable online behavior?
Ask: What are some tips you can give teens about handling online bullying?

Extend

Students will benefit by revisiting this lesson each year. For students who completed this lesson in a previous grade, have them debate the following: Electronic networks (Internet and cell phones) are turning good teens into cyberbullies.