Social+Media+and+Cyber-bullying+Influence+on+Suicide

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Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide. There is increasing evidence that the behavior of using social media affects and changes people’s lives, especially in teenagers. According To Givton, suicide has been identified as not only an individual phenomenon, but it is also influenced by social and environmental factors (1). = = =**Social Media**=

Over the last decade the internet has become increasingly influential in the lives of the world’s citizens, particularly young adults (2). With frequent use of the internet reaching over 90% of young people in some countries (3) a new form of bullying has occurred. The role of social media and its potential influence on suicide related behavior relatively new and evolving phenomenon that society is only beginning to access and understand (4). In most cases, social media does not have specific regulations to what a person can or cannot post. Although there are some sites like Facebook, which does not allow you to post statuses or comments that contain inappropriate content, most social media sites have no limitations.

=Cyber-bullying=

Smith describes cyber-bullying as an aggressive intentional act carried out by a group of individual, using electronic forms of communication, repeatedly and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend his or herself (5). There are a number of reported negative impacts of being cyber bullied that have been shown across studies and these are often similar to those found for victims of cyber-bullying including depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, and self-harm (6). According to a 2012 study, cyber-bullying has become more common than traditional bullying.

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=Effects of Cyber-bullying=

The effects that cyber-bullying can have on those targeted may be influenced by a number of factors, such as the means used to cyberbully, and the frequency, length, or severity of attacks. Stopbullying.gov reports that “Youth who are bullied have a higher risk of depression and anxiety”.

Symptoms include:
 * changes in eating and sleeping patterns
 * loss of interest in activities
 * increased health complaints
 * increased feelings of sadness and loneliness

=Suicide=

Suicide is defined as the act of intentionally taking one's own life. Suicidal people often communicate with ambiguity, being in a state between dying by killing oneself and seeking the attention and help of others (7). Social Media platforms such as chat rooms pose a risk for vulnerable groups by influencing decisions to die by suicide. There has recently been a trend emerging in which people use social media to leave suicide notes or hints. There are various suicide cases that have been linked directly to cyber-bullying as the cause. [|Puresight.com] lists only some of the millions of suicide cases caused by cyber-bullying.

=What Is Being Done About It? =

"In light of cyber-bullying concerns, sites like Facebook are now giving users the appropriate tools to better communicate their feelings and alleviate the concerns and conflicts that arise with feeling bullied on the Web. Users can now simply click “This post is a problem” to report harmful material, whether it is textual or an image. This is just one example of how social networks are beginning to adapt to an easier, user-friendly approach to reducing and ultimately eliminating cyber-bullying so their communities are safe for teens.The need for additional change is apparent (8)". If more social media sites offered this option to its' users, the chances for someone being cyber-bullied would decrease. A new technology, [|ImageVision], was designed specifically to indicate any signs of cyber-bullying. The technology scans for inappropriate language, or words linked to bullying.



=References =

(1) Gvion Y, Apter A. Aggression, impulsivity and suicide behavior: a review of the literature. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2011

(2) Kaplan A, Haenlein M. Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Bus Horiz. 2010

(3) Livingstone, S. & Haddon, L. (2009). EU Kids Online: Final Report. London School of Economics, London.

(4) Luxton DD, June JD, Kinn JT. Technology-based suicide prevention: current applications and future directions.

(5) Smith, P.K., Cowie, H., Olafsson, R.F. & Liefooghe, A.P.D. (2002). Definitions of bullying: A comparison of terms used, and age and gender differences, in a fourteen country international comparison. Child Development

(6) Bonanno, R.A. & Hymel, S. (2013). Cyber bullying and internalizing difficulties: Above and beyond the impact of traditional forms of bullying. Journal of Youth and Adolescence

(7) Farberow NL, Shneidman ES. The cry for help. McGraw-Hill; New York, NY

(8) “Social Networks Adapt to Prevent Cyberbullying.” The Social Media Monthly, 9 Aug. 2012, thesocialmediamonthly.com/social-networks-adapt-to-prevent-cyberbullying/.

=Media References =


 * “The Top Six Unforgettable CyberBullying Cases Ever.” NoBullying - Bullying & CyberBullying Resources, 27 Mar. 2017, nobullying.com/six-unforgettable-cyber-bullying-cases/.


 * Rivers, Dan. “Cyberbullying prompt teen's suicide.” CNN, Cable News Network, 7 Aug. 2013, www.cnn.com/videos/bestoftv/2013/08/07/pkg-cyberbullying-rivers.cnn.