HB 305: The End of Cyberbullying Act:
“The End Cyber-Bullying Act will expand our existing statute to include bullying actions that occur using cell phones, PDAs and on social media websites. Currently, only acts that occur using school-owned property are covered by the Act” (You stop the bullying,2013).
The issue of hate speech has been associated in cyberbullying. Hate speech is defined when someone uses a series of physical or verbal acts to create a atmosphere of fear, intimidation, harassment, and discrimination (Nielsen, 2002).
Although in school physical bullying still occurs more than cyberbullying. It has been reported that about 80% of all high school students have been bullied online. About 35% of teens have been threatened online and about 50% of all teens say they have been mean or hurtful to another teen online. Cyberbullying can lead to teen suicide( Bullyingstatisics, 2013).
Adolescents and teens are recorded to be the group most affected by cyberbullying regardless of race, though when it comes to bullying in school race and bullying does vary. Boys threatened in cyberbullying more than girls(Goldweber, Waasdorp,& Bradshaw, 2013).
One child being bullied can affect a whole community by the knowledge that 12 of 15 school shooting cases since 1990s the shooter has a history of being bullied. So others in community could be bystanders of a shoot or shootings if any type of bullying not just cyberbullying increases (Stopbullying,n.d.)
Recently there was a case in Georgia of Alex Boston who was cyber bullied and this type of bulling can happen ant any place and time. No matter where someone is cyber bullied bullying is bullying. The location might change and the words but the overall effects similar among individuals who were cyber bullied. Which are an attack of the self esteem and can lead to depression and suicide. Supported Alex Boston story but often times cyberbullying is not reported or no lawsuit is conducted and victims move or is home schooled. Anyone can be targeted in cyberbullying (Turner & Bluestein, n.d),
Current laws concerning cyberbullying aren’t strong enough and offer no help to students who are targeted. Though almost every state has a prohibiting law against cyberbullying very few cover acts committed off school property-cite education document (Turner & Bluestein, n.d).