The Dark Side of Technology

As the world evolves,  the development and use of technology has grown as well. Technology’s main purpose is to make tasks simpler, to help individuals connect, and to find information fast; and well, to meet the demands of instant communication. In recent years, people are using the very online tools that serve us well to take advantage of others, to hurt and even damage people’s lives.

While bullying has been around for a long time, technology has changed the way kids bully each other called cyber bullying.  Bullying has now moved from the school yard or playground to a worldwide audience. Due to the anonymity of the Internet, bullies no longer have to show their faces but can hide behind their keyboards. In the past when you were bullied you had the option of getting away from it all once you got home, however given the nature of the cyber world it seems to never end. Kids are constantly bombarded by emails, text messages, Facebook posts and tweets etc. These mediums have even led to the design of more creative ways to bully individuals.

Kids feel violated and they sometimes become so overwhelmed that they end up taking their life just to get away from it all.  Unfortunately, as the world’s reliance on technology grows, the dark side of technology grows along with it. However there are strategies that parents and teachers can employ to combat cyber bullying.

If you would like to know more about the symptoms of being bullied and strategies to dealing with cyber bullying listen to The Dark Side of Technology: Healing the Effects and Preventing Cyber Bullying with Dr. Janet Froeschle who is an assistant professor in the Educational Psychology and Leadership Department at Texas Tech University.

Authored by Mia Brooms
Graduate Student Intern