Introduction
Cyberbullying has become a serious social issue in the world today. It is a growing problem deeply rooted in the society and affects the life of social media users in innumerable ways. Cyberbullying is the deliberate use of technology and the social media to cause harm to other users. Cyberbullying in the social media is an established phenomenon that poses a significant threat to the future lives of our youths with the growing use of technology. There is an extensive knowledge that helps us understand the problem of cyber bullying and which also provides us with the required information to interpret the rising cases of cyber bullying. Howell notes that, cyber bullying is the worst of all intimidation and it badly affects the progress of the youths in the society (Prezi). The youths are the vulnerable strata of the society because they are the most social media users.
Research Question
Cyberbullying is an issue that is being addressed by almost all nations of the world. The major research question in my proposal is to identify cyberbullying in the social media, its prevalence, causes, and effects. The working thesis of this research proposal is that cyberbullying in the social media has adverse effects on the users. Moreover, it is widespread among the youths who are the vulnerable population because they spend most of their time socializing on social media platforms (Boulton et al 150).
Objectives
Review of Relevant Literature
Cyber bullying is a social issue that affects most youths around the globe. It is done with the use of various social media platforms. Cyber bullies utilize technology and electronic tools such as cell phones, computers, and tablets to intimidate their victims in social media platforms that include MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Instagram. According to Ockerman, Constance, and Michelle, cyberbullying is the use of technology in a hostile way to harm other users (8). In addition, the same definition can be found in the article by Nordahl, Tanya, and Crystal. Therefore, cyber bullying in the social media is harmful to the users, and social media sites should be monitored (380).
In another research by Agarwal and Saranya reported that cyberbullying takes place on the social media where most adolescents use this platform for socialization (40). Moreover, Xiao and Yee found out that cyberbullying affects millions of youths in the world today (38). Most teenagers have become the biggest targets of cyberbullying in the social media. They assert that cyber bullying has adverse effects on the lives of the youth today (Xiao and Yee 41). For instance, there are many cases of suicide and self-injury due to cyber bullying. A good example is the case of Megan Meier, a 13-year-old girl who committed suicide after cyberbullying in the social media (Dean). Megan hanged herself in her closet because she could not take the social media bullying anymore. She trusted someone she never knew, and this proves that cyberbullying can be catastrophic.
Dilmac has echoed that cyberbullying in the social media is a crime, and so, there is the need to implement that fight against policies in our institutions where e-learning is posited (Dilmac 1320). The current policies have not been effective enough to curb social media bullying. Therefore, to help eradicate cyber bullying in the social media strict cyber security laws should be enacted to curb the issue. Moreover, harsh penalties should be given to the perpetrators, and this will reduce social media bullying incidences.
Cyberbullying in the social media is a phenomenon that does not show any signs of disappearance. It is a social issue that is increasing rapidly globally due to the increasing dependence on technology. Agarwal and Saranya argue that it is time to address this social problem and its related problems with the help of research (43). They further maintain that identifying social media cyberbullying as a serious problem affecting the youth will be a step towards preventing it. The existing studies help us understand the effects of cyberbullying in the social media, especially to school going children and the youths. According to Wilson, cyber bullying has its grounds in the society, which confirms its continuing existence in a digital world (109).
Statement of Objectives
The main objective is to comprehensively understand the problem of cyber bullying that is a rampant phenomenon in our institutions. I propose a detailed analysis of cyberbullying in the social media and its effects on school going, children and adolescents. Because I will focus on using primary sources, I will choose texts written within the past few years to get accurate and reliable data on cyberbullying in the social media. In addition to the texts, I will ensure that research is conducted using a survey and questionnaires where the subjects are chosen randomly to determine whether the previous studies have helped handle the issue. Secondly, to determine who are the most affected by social media cyberbullying and how it can be handled.
Overall, this research proposal will use/investigate both primary and secondary data through gathering information online, surveys, and questionnaires. The primary sources will be from questionnaires that will be filled by the participants while secondary data will be from past studies on the topic. Moreover, the study will also investigate what other researchers may be doing to help curb the issue of cyberbullying in the social media through their research information and data. I believe that the amalgamation of past studies along with the findings of the research I will conduct will help understand cyber bullying in the social media, its effects, the most affected by the phenomenon, and how to prevent it.
Conclusion
Cyberbullying in the social media is a type of bullying that affects the youths from the privacy of their homes, and to the hallways of their schools. Social media bullying has become a social issue that is affecting the teenagers and school-going children. Several researches have been done on the issue of cyberbullying with different findings. This research proposal suggests that a comprehensive study should be done on cyberbullying on social media. If this is done, its adverse effects on the youth and school-going children can be combated. Previous studies on social media bullying indicate that it is a social issue that should be addressed. Hence, it is vital for a further study to be done so as find the best ways to combat cyber bullying in the social media.
Work Cited
Agarwal, Vivek, and Saranya Dhanasekaran. “Harmful Effects of Social Media on Children and Adolescents.” Journal of Indian Association for Child & Adolescent Mental Health 8.2 (2012): 38-45.
Boulton, Michael J., Katryna Hardcastle, James Down, John Fowles, and Jennifer A. Simmonds. "A Comparison of Pre-service Teachers' Responses to Cyber versus Traditional Bullying Scenarios: Similarities and Differences and Implications for Practice." Journal of Teacher Education 65.2 (2014): 145-157.
Dean, Michelle. “The Story of Amanda Todd”. The New Yorker. 18 Oct. 2012. Web. 9 Jan. 2016.
Dilmac, Bülent. "Psychological Needs as a Predictor of Cyber Bullying: A Preliminary Report on College Students." Kuram Ve Uygulamada Egitim Bilimleri 9.3 (2009): 1307-1326.
Howell, Kalee. “Cyber-bullying”. Prezi. 21 Nov. 2011. Web. 9 Jan. 2016.
Nordahl, Jennifer, Tanya Beran, and Crystal J. Dittrick. "Psychological Impact of Cyber-Bullying: Implications for School Counsellors/L'effet Psychologique De Cyber-Intimidation : Implications Pour Les Conseillers Scolaires." Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy 47.3 (2013): 383-387.
Ockerman, Melissa S., Constance Kramer, and Michelle Bruno. "From the School Yard to Cyber Space: A Pilot Study of Bullying Behaviors among Middle School Students." RMLE Online 37.6 (2014): 1-14.
Wilson, Barbara J. “Media and Children's Aggression, Fear, and Altruism.” Future of Children 18.1 (2008): 87-118.
Xiao, Bo Sophia, and Yee Man Wong. "Cyber-Bullying among University Students: An Empirical Investigation from the Social Cognitive Perspective." International Journal of Business and Information 8.1 (2013): 34-48.
