The Current: Preventing Cyberbullying

Time: Too early to mention, June 2, 2008

So, I just did a simply search in Google News for all current news items about "cyberbullying".

Here's a taste of some of the news articles titles:

Cyberbullying Conference at the County Center

Mom in Cyberbullying Suicide Case Launches Foundation 

Illinois Lawmakers OK Ban on Cyberbullying

Rosman High Fight Video Leads to Formation of Task Force

Arizona Youth Warned Against Online Predators and Cyberbullying

Do We Need a Federal Law Against Cyberbullying?

Teach Your Kids to be Safe While They're Online

All of these news articles were published online and in newspapers within the last month.

Cyberbullying is out there, it's current, and it's being talked about.

So, why don't YOU talk about it?

During lunch while hanging out with your friends, ask them what they think about

cyberbullying, and if they know of anyone who is/had been affected.

Use the information on our awesome blog to:

- inform your friends and family about the dangers of cyberbullying, 

- support those who have been a target of cyberbullying or those who think they

might be cyberbulliers, 

- prevent cyberbullying from occurring in the first place or from happening again, 

- and acknowledge that cyberbullying is a problem...that YOU can help SOLVE

Rock on!

Here's a link to the above news stories. 

http://news.google.com/news?client=sagari&rls=en-us&q=cyberbullying&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wn

Megan's mom aims to prevent cyberbullying

Mom in Cyberbullying Suicide Case Launches Foundation

By Kim Zetter May 30, 2008 1:24:02 PMCategories: Crime

Tina Meier, the mother of the Missouri teen who committed suicide after being bullied online has launched a foundation to educate kids and parents about cyberbullying and work on legislation to address the growing phenomenon.

The Megan Meier Foundation's web site has resources for educators, parents and teens that include a list of emoticons and their meanings to help parents understand the online language their kids are using as well as explainations about the kinds of technologies kids are using to communicate with one another. The site features the stories of other teens who have also been bullied online.

Photo: AP

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/05/mom-in-cyberbul.html

Be connected and protected...

Megan's Story - Update

So, we posted about Megan's Pledge below. 

Here's a super recent article that was in the Metro about the woman who helped make the fake MySpace website that Megan read. It was after reading this site that Megan committed suicide.

More about Megan...

Here's a post from the Tyra Banks show. Please let me write here that I'm not an avid watcher or supporter of the Tyra Banks show (America's Next Top Model is, on the other hand, a wicked show), but from time to time she discusses important topics.  So, Tyra hosted a show about cyberbullying in February, I believe, and some insightful and easy to follow information:

The Megan Pledge.

By taking this pledge:

1. I agree to take a stand against cyberbullying

2. I agree not to use technology as a weapon to hurt others

3. I agree to think before I click

4. I agree to think about the person on the other side

5. I agree not to join in cyberbullying tactics or be used by cyberbullies to hurt others

6. I agree to be part of the solution and not part of the problem

For more information, visit www.teenangels.com

 

Our business cards...cool enough to stop cyberbulliers in their tracks!

So, a member of our student nursing group designed this rad business card. Don't mind the top part being upside-down, that's just part of the template.

What do you think?

If you're asking for my two cents worth, I say it's awesome and creative.

We're looking forward to handing out the business cards to kids like you who may wish to give us a look-see.

Well, if you can't beat 'em, just ban the buggers.

This comic accompanied another blog's (http://educationaltechnology.ca/couros/613) post about this:

"Victoria has banned student access to video-sharing websites such as YouTube in the 1600 state schools, in a bid to tackle the growing problem of cyber bullying".

You can read a news article here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17397882/

Have you heard about Megan's Pledge?

This is your chance to be one in a million.

Read about Megan's Pledge here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megan_Meier_suicide_controversy

Just by searching Megan Meier in google you can find a boat-load of information. Please read information on trusted sites only. If you don't know whether you should trust a site, please post a comment and I'd be happy to help you out.

Once you've read up on Megan Meier, please click on the link below to read a current CTV News article.

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/05/15/tech-myspace-suicide.html

Links on both Wikipedia and CBC.ca are good to use most of the time.

Always exercise caution and good judgement. Ask someone you trust if you're not certain that information you read online is true or not.

Surf safe.