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More and more people are being arrested in the UK for Twitter based harassment and bullying.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23485610
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19385197
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19059127

I was chatting to the wife about this last night. It was on the news and I said I'd posted here about it. One of the points she made is that parents aren't really aware of what's going on. The kid is in their bedroom, quietly surfing the web, they aren't out on the street getting into trouble. So it's automatically assumed that all is ok.

Channel 4 news was interviewing a lad last night who is well aware of the bully and has been subject to it, however he is able to play the game and let it ride over him. They showed his mother the conversations and she was dumbfounded at what was being said, even more so that 64+ people had liked one of the offensive comments.

It's easy to bet parents up over this, but they are responsible for a big chunk of what goes on by getting around age restrictions for their kids. Facebook has an age restriction, but how many parents have set up an account for their kids even though they are under age? One of my inlaws set up a Facebook account for my step granddaughter, who was only 7. For crying out loud, what type of thinking is that!?! What about the 18+ online games? How many of us have heard spotty 14 years ranting & whining over the head set?

Bullying became fotm for the media again with cases linked to the use of such arcane and wondrous child rearing devices such as X-Pads and I-stations and faceFM.

Computers, the internet and modern communication methods are somewhat misunderstood by a significant segment of the population. Parents are totally unprepared to talk to their children about what the chatbook or Spotty or the Goggle etc are all about. I assume being too lazy, tired or scared to talk about something where they have little or no understanding.

There are parents that wouldn't allow a child to view an 18 rated movie and yet let their kids onto a computer with an internet connection or even a games console and use product rated for 18 years and over only.

Bullying helps a beta/weaker individual grow and take control of their own lives. It had a wonderful impact on me. Cyber bullying is only a different form of it, but without the physical implications.

Look at GSP/a lot of fighters and boxers - turned them into a positive force. It's a lesson to learn.

 Auxellion wrote:
Bullying helps a beta/weaker individual grow and take control of their own lives. It had a wonderful impact on me. Cyber bullying is only a different form of it, but without the physical implications.

Look at GSP/a lot of fighters and boxers - turned them into a positive force. It's a lesson to learn.

If it's a joke, it's not funny.

Yes bullying helps a beta to grow........what the feth???

People aren't wolves...

There's a difference between hardship and bullying.

 Auxellion wrote:
Bullying helps a beta/weaker individual grow and take control of their own lives. It had a wonderful impact on me. Cyber bullying is only a different form of it, but without the physical implications.

Look at GSP/a lot of fighters and boxers - turned them into a positive force. It's a lesson to learn.

Wow. This is perhaps the douche-est thing I have ever read on Dakka, and that is saying something. Bravo, sir.

It's heartening to see this thread isn't full of victim blaming.

Only half of it.

Many parents need to take a more active hand in guiding their children through the cesspool that is the internet.

This does not excuse the simply vile behaviour of many such cesspool dwellers.

 Auxellion wrote:
Bullying helps a beta/weaker individual grow and take control of their own lives. It had a wonderful impact on me. Cyber bullying is only a different form of it, but without the physical implications.

Look at GSP/a lot of fighters and boxers - turned them into a positive force. It's a lesson to learn.

 curran12 wrote:

 Auxellion wrote:
Bullying helps a beta/weaker individual grow and take control of their own lives. It had a wonderful impact on me. Cyber bullying is only a different form of it, but without the physical implications.

Look at GSP/a lot of fighters and boxers - turned them into a positive force. It's a lesson to learn.

Wow. This is perhaps the douche-est thing I have ever read on Dakka, and that is saying something. Bravo, sir.

Going by his avatar (also the douchiest on Dakka) it's the kind of attitude you'd expect. "No pain no gain, brah!"

Cyberbullies...bah in my day you had old fashioned bullies..shove your head in a toilet, chase you down the railroad tracks real bullies!

Cyber bulling is just lazy bullies, unplug go to their house and egg the crap outta the place! T-p the trees..set their lawn gnomes on fire!

(And don't listen to a word I say..its crazy old geezer talk. )

fishy bob wrote:

 curran12 wrote:

 Auxellion wrote:
Bullying helps a beta/weaker individual grow and take control of their own lives. It had a wonderful impact on me. Cyber bullying is only a different form of it, but without the physical implications.

Look at GSP/a lot of fighters and boxers - turned them into a positive force. It's a lesson to learn.

Wow. This is perhaps the douche-est thing I have ever read on Dakka, and that is saying something. Bravo, sir.

Going by his avatar (also the douchiest on Dakka) it's the kind of attitude you'd expect. "No pain no gain, brah!"

Am I a bad person for wanting to cyber bully the feth out of him/her now? I guess that's a bit much for someone who left a gakky comment.

 Cheesecat wrote:

fishy bob wrote:

 curran12 wrote:

 Auxellion wrote:
Bullying helps a beta/weaker individual grow and take control of their own lives. It had a wonderful impact on me. Cyber bullying is only a different form of it, but without the physical implications.

Look at GSP/a lot of fighters and boxers - turned them into a positive force. It's a lesson to learn.

Wow. This is perhaps the douche-est thing I have ever read on Dakka, and that is saying something. Bravo, sir.

Going by his avatar (also the douchiest on Dakka) it's the kind of attitude you'd expect. "No pain no gain, brah!"

Am I a bad person for wanting to cyber bully the feth out of him/her now? I guess that's a bit much for someone who left a gakky comment.

No, he said he approves of cyber bullying, so go right ahead.

 curran12 wrote:

 Auxellion wrote:
Bullying helps a beta/weaker individual grow and take control of their own lives. It had a wonderful impact on me. Cyber bullying is only a different form of it, but without the physical implications.

Look at GSP/a lot of fighters and boxers - turned them into a positive force. It's a lesson to learn.

Wow. This is perhaps the douche-est thing I have ever read on Dakka, and that is saying something. Bravo, sir.

I think the avatar was kindof a giveaway....

I try not to judge people by their avatars, lest someone judge me by mine and become disappointed when they discover I am not in fact an editorial chimp.

Well, the avatar is only part of the puzzle.

It also helps that the poster is from New Jersey

 d-usa wrote:
Well, the avatar is only part of the puzzle.

It also helps that the poster is from New Jersey

And with initials of T and D.

Its almost like kids never committed suicide before the internet.

 d-usa wrote:
Well, the avatar is only part of the puzzle.

It also helps that the poster is from New Jersey

"People in glass houses...." etc. etc.

Say the man wearing a pair of glasses with YOLO on them.

 azazel the cat wrote:

FoWPlayerDeathOfUS.TDs wrote:

 azazel the cat wrote:

curran12 wrote:

 SheSpits wrote:
Cyberbullyiing......Really how hard is it to not go on the internet or go to another page. Just stop talking to that person. If it leaks over to REAL LIFE then talk to the person who started it. If they do not stop ignore it. Really how hard is it. Coming from a male id just go to the root of it and end it there. Being a female i would assume it would be much more diffecult to deal with. But they should do what they do best,talk about it with some one.

Woooow.

Spoiler for very bad language, used for an example and education purposes. Mods, if this is not okay, please delete it and let me know.

Spoiler:

"Listen up, [expletive du jour], I'm going to fething pound on you tomorrow after school. And if you run away, I'm going to make sure that me and five other people pound on you when we catch you -and we will catch you. I'm going to punch you in the fething mouth if you say anything, and I'm going to keep at it until you lose your front teeth. Would you like that? WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE THE LITTLE BITCH WITH NO FRONT TEETH? I'm on your facebook. If you delete me I'm going to punch your fething teeth out. And if I see you post about this, I'm going to hurt you. Maybe break your little bitch arm. Then I'm going to post your phone number all over your facebook and let everyone know that you like having your mouth fethed like a little bitch, you like that you little bitch? Yeah, I thought so, I'll see you after school tomorrow. Have a great little bitch day."

So, SheSpits, would you care to suggest what your expected outcome of trying to reason with that would be? Also, please tell me how someone would avoid that, day after day. And if you can't avoid that, then please tell me how you would cope with experiencing absolute terror and powerlessness like that every single day. Be honest, tell me if you think you could ignore that. (and if the mods do delete my example, then simply consider that it was just that awful.)

Here is an idea- contact the police. If someone said that to your face, the same thing would be in order.

Okay, so you thought about that for almost one second. That's a start.

Now, play out the rest of your "solution". Using the information provided in the example, I want you to tell me how you think the next day will turn out. The next week, and next month, as well. Honestly. As an exercise, please type up a short paragraph (100 words sould suffice) of what will follow after contacting the police. No single-sentence platitudes, please.

It's actually wonderful advice: if given to an adult. To a kid, it's horrible. A kid will be frightened that "telling=violence". So feel free to give that advice to an adult-that counts as a serious threat and charges can be pressed. It's not quite the same when kids are involved. Know your audience when giving advice (directed at the poster who said to call the cops. Lots of people involved in quotes, don't want the wrong one thinking it was directed at them). Again: cop call=correct for adults. Cop call=piss poor, worthless advice to a child. If you can't understand the difference, I can't hurt my brain dumbing it down enough for you to understand. That part is a general statement that applies to all posters who would say to just call the cops and the "problem will be solved".

 Grimtuff wrote:

 d-usa wrote:
Well, the avatar is only part of the puzzle.

It also helps that the poster is from New Jersey

"People in glass houses...." etc. etc.

Say the man wearing a pair of glasses with YOLO on them.

I wear them ironically, I'm a Hipster!

What I hope I can convey to my kids is that they "talk" to me when this happens. The hard part is for kids to "tattle" so to speak. I know I had a hard time talking to my parents when I was bullied... they only found out about it when a letter was sent home stating that I was "in school suspension for fighting"... which led to an epic showdown between my pop and the principle (Its a story, I'll tell if if ya'll interested).

I want my boyz to have thick skin... life is too short to really affected by bullying... My mindset that I've cultivated is something I want them to have early... and that is, when this happen, is to have:
Zero. feths. Given.

The real problem here is all these stupid emotions people keep on having. Up your dose, folks.

 Bromsy wrote:
The real problem here is all these stupid emotions people keep on having. Up your dose, folks.

I'm proud to say that I got this reference.

 Avatar 720 wrote:

 Bromsy wrote:
The real problem here is all these stupid emotions people keep on having. Up your dose, folks.

I'm proud to say that I got this reference.

Equilibrium?

Also, people who are condoning this stuff: You suck.

 LordofHats wrote:
Its almost like kids never committed suicide before the internet.

Yes indeed. All advances ever are crap because cavemen.

In my opinion, when it comes to cyber bullying you are only the victim as long as you allow yourself to be, just hit block.

The stance of my local police force (I live in the UK) is block the person trying to bully you, they won't take any action unless the person is relentlessly hounding you after you attempt to sever contact and if the bully could potentially physically harm you.

 Sheokronath wrote:
In my opinion, when it comes to cyber bullying you are only the victim as long as you allow yourself to be, just hit block.

See, I'm wondering this. Say the person is on Facebook. Why on earth have they even added the person who picks on them as a friend? I'm not 100% following the train of thought that would lead someone to add (or even if you fell out with them block and/or unfriend them) them to their friend list.

Even today (hypothetically, I don't go on FB anymore) if one of the people who picked on me in school tried to friend me I'd tell them where to shove it. I would not piss on any of them if they were on fire. It boggles my mind. Seriously.

That and the mainstream media misusing the words "Troll" and "Trolling". They have zero clue what Trolling is. Trolling is a art.