Idea Transcript
A Letter to the Editor about Online Bullying By 5A Yeung Yin Shun, Christy Dear Editor, I am writing to express my views on online bullying, which I think has become a serious problem recently. I think parents, students and schools should work together to tackle the problem before it is too late. As electronic technology has become an inseparable part of people’s lives, netizens can voice their opinions to the world simply by texting messages or posting videos on the Internet. Within a nanosecond, their opinions can be viewed on all platforms. Because people can remain anonymous on the Internet and it is difficult to trace who those messages are sent by, they may say or do something that they would never do to other people face-to-face. Netizens, especially teenagers, use the Internet as a platform to say something daring or do something illegal which they cannot do in their daily life. Cyberbullying is now and has been for years, one of the maladies afflicting cyberspace. Victims suffer and lose their self-confidence. There is little they can do but endure the unendurable and they also have to suffer the insufferable. To deal with cyberbullying, different parties must work together. First and foremost, parents can take actions to protect their children. They can keep the computer in a common area at home and not in their children’s bedroom, so they can know what their children are doing online. Parents not only can talk regularly with their children and let them know they can come to them for help, but also check if their children display any signs of anxiety and depression. Moreover, parents must build trust with their children; offer comfort and support to their children who are bullied. Moreover, they can teach their children not to disclose their personal information online, such as their full names, addresses and telephone numbers. Next, students need to protect themselves. Students who are bullied should not reply to the bullies but to keep the evidence of cyberbullying. They can save the abusive text messages or a screenshot of a webpage, and then report them to a trusted adult. If they do not report such incidents, cyberbullying will often get worse. They need to inform their parents or social workers immediately when being bullied. Bystanders can also help to report cyberbullying and stop passing on nasty messages and images. Last but not least, schools can help by educating students about cyber safety and providing workshops and talks. They need to let both victims and bullies know that the
school will help. Teachers should assure the victims that they will be protected and help bullies to understand the consequences of their actions. In conclusion, cyberbullying is a problem that should not be overlooked. Teachers, students and schools must all join the battle against cyberbullying. Yours faithfully, Christy Yeung Tsuen Wan