Cyberbullying Research Paper:

This research assignment was quite eye-opening. Cyberbullying has permeated most cultures exposed to technology. Anonimity plays a large role in providing the venue to poke fun at others without the threat of being identified. I discovered a third party that is intrumental in perpetuating this behavior. The witness to this online behavior is often integral to the excalation of cyberbullying. This party can be the cause of lasting emotional and mental issues for the victim by spreading the vitriolic opinions about this victim.

The research pointed to the need for more adult involvement is necessary to educate students on being responsible users of technology. One study pointed to the fact that focused campaigns on the awareness of cyberbullying played a major role in reducing the number of incidents reported. Parents, educators and school adminsitrators need to join efforts to educate their children on how to be respectful of others when using technology. Many students surveyed were not aware that some of the behavior they viewed as harmless is actually considered inappropriate and detrimental to others.

Presentation on Internet Addiction

In this assignment, I was paired with another classmate to look at the issue of internet addiction. We looked at the contributions of leaders in this field like Dr. Kimberly Young and Clay Shirky who analyze the beginnings of addictive behavior and how similar this addiction is to other more recognized ailments that have been officially categorized by the authoritative bodies on disorders. This presentation was interesting in that it provided a deeper discussion about internet addiction. There were varying opinions on whether it rises to the level of other addictions like drugs, gambling,alcohol, etc. There were personal examples shared and after the presentation was concluded, I felt that we were able to get the class to reconsider their opinions about internet addiction. They might not have changed their minds completely but I sensed that they were more likely to view internet addiction as something to be monitored in their own lives.