Q: Should schools be responsible for punishing students who cyberbully other students outside of school?
A: Honestly, yes. It's a school's job to provide a safe environment for its students. School is what's bringing these kids together for situations like these to begin in the first place. A lot of people that I know, both friends and bullies, I only know because I met them in school. I doubt a school would take the physical bullying from one student to another off-campus lightly, so online should be no different. Bullying is bullying, no matter where it is.
Q: What role can parents play in reducing cyberbullying?
A: One thing is for sure, I strongly believe that parents should not invade the privacy of their children. If your child doesn't feel that they can come to you when something is wrong, that is no reason to break their trust even more so by monitoring their conversations. You need to make sure that they know you are there for them. Make conversation with them directly instead of digitally eavesdropping on them. If you actively support your children and listen to the things they have to say, they will trust you, and they will come to you, but if you break that trust, you are not likely to ever get it back. Once that trust is established, it is so much easier to learn about your children's problems, and in turn, easier to solve them.
Q: What are the positive and negative aspects of the freedom to be anonymous on the Internet?
A: Anonymity is a great feature in many websites for many people, from those who are shy or like to keep their privacy, to those who want to state their opinions without fear, but like many good things, they can be abused. Bullies can use it to harass others without repercussions, and others can use it to mislead people. Knowing how to practice online safety is a good skill to have in these situations.
