Cuthbert

Agreed, but what are the parents doing allowing their kids to use the internet unsupervised at those ages?

My cousin used to get shit online, was about 15-16 and used to post the corniest stuff on Facebook, consistently, and get shit for it. Then he would carry on posting it. He didn't even delete the perpetrators from his friends list, I used to see them commenting & ganging up on him and want to kick their heads in but I stayed out of it cos I wanted him to stick up for himself plus there wasn't really much I could do anyway.

This will make me sound harsh, & I don't think anyone deserves to be bullied, but some people (like my cousin) really don't help themselves.

Black Francis

That was my first thought as well, where is the Parental block?

but then i kept thinking how kids always find a way around their parents so they can't shield them from everything.

In my case, my mother had no idea of the troubles i had as a teen, ONE time i asked for advice of how to deal with a bully and her advice was useless. (Never asked her again)

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Astronomer

Well, firstly, I work in an area of extremely low socio-economic status so the parents really couldn't give a fuck, which is why the teachers end up mediating it. Secondly, technology changes so rapidly that there are probably parents who don't understand the magnitude of internet safety, or more appropriately, internet savvy. Think, Facebook was founded only 10 years ago and now there a plethora of social media sites out there that have grown in immense magnitude, their kids can probably outmsart them in terms of blockage/banning/education/etc.

I just think there probably needs to be more education on building up your resilience, dealing with bullies, and acting responsibly and safely in public and networked internet spaces. It's not always about "why aren't the parents supervising them" - do you really think that parents can monitor 100% of a child's internet activity in this day and age?!

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Burning Down

To be honest, most parents don't give a flying f*ck about what their kid is doing on the Internet. Kids have access to laptops and tablets that they can also take into private areas away from parents, and then go visit website they know their parents would never approve of. My parents never exactly cared about what I did on the Internet, and that was back before tablets and whatnot (before I had my own computer in my room). Our computer was not in a more public area so I could use it for hours without being bothered. I knew better than to go into chat rooms or anything my parents wouldn't approve of - I just played games mostly (lol@ basic dial up flash games).

Cuthbert

Fair point.

Agree w/ highlighted.

As for the question, alright, no.

It is different now, but kids in that age group (you mentioned as young as 8) shouldn't be owning tablets and phones and being left to use them unsupervised that's irresponsible. And this was the case for both my cousins, dunno if other parents do it just saying I know they could basically do what they want.

People can argue you can't tell them no, because all their mates have them so they'll feel left out but ffs grow a set and tell them no.

Fiddling Rothschild

The mental aspect of it is always the worst. I presume internet bullying in that sense involves terrible torture to sensitized individuals. Who knows what playful comments may cause tremors in the brains of young fellows, which may end up halting it at a certain stage of development. My bones still quiver at the thought of swimming or dancing for example.

On the other hand, memories of minor physical instances like the forceful push to the ground or the beating on the backside from an headmaster muster only a slight shrug with a secret sense of superior pride. What really does hurt is the sense of betrayal from a fellow pupil - giving away your petty games to the headmaster to earn points, letting silly secrets out to the entire class - that sort of piffle. It means that a heavy amount of self-isolation is to follow. And some of its byproducts such as melancholy, depression, physical insecurities and an incessant self-consciousness might end up remaining with the person for years or even decades.