O fenómeno do cyber-bullying

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Battling the online bullies

Cyber-bullying used to involve sending threatening texts or e-mails, but the class of 2008 are finding social networks to be a fertile, and occasionally dangerous breeding ground, as Ian Hardy found out.
It does not take much for a teenager's cyber universe to spin out of control.
A fight at school, an online misunderstanding, and within minutes he or she can become the victim of a cyber-bully campaign, thanks to the fact that millions of children are connected by computers and gadgets.
"Cyber-bullying is when one child or teen targets another for embarrassment, humiliation, fear, blackmail. Something designed to hurt the other using an interactive technology," said security, privacy and cyberspace lawyer and executive director of WiredSafety, Parry Aftab.
"That's made a big difference because kids have learned that they can use the internet as a weapon."
Cyber-bullies can hide behind anonymous internet accounts, and they do not need big muscles, just the ability to type.
Yet the consequences can be far reaching.
"It's more harsh over the internet because they don't have to see your reaction when they say those mean words to your face. So over the internet you're more likely to say the meanest possible things you can say, and then you don't even regret it, " said cyber-bully victim Abby.

in BBC News - Technology