Cyberbullying: My Views as an Outside Observer

                As someone who has not participated in any of the popular social media platforms, I can’t say that I can give a direct opinion on how I feel about cyberbullying. The high school I attended was fairly small, having 80-90 students per class, and did not have excessive amounts of bullying or division between cliques. The school also did not adhere overly closely to “zero-tolerance” policies, as I distinctly remember several instances of altercations where punishments were given out according to the circumstances of each individual involved.

                Based on my own experience in social aspects of the internet (mostly involving gaming and forums), I tend to have a difficult time grasping the full impact of cyberbullying on the individuals that are on the receiving end. Most of my online interactions have been under the assumption that all those involved will not take anything said personally or directly. The games I have played have had plenty of division between clans and those in them, and those divisions could potentially evolve into very heated rivalries. Regardless of the insults or accusations that might have been exchanged between warring parties, it was always assumed that they were not carried beyond those social constructs. That assumption has always held true where I have encountered individuals that were considered “enemies” in one game, in a completely different one. Despite changing relations between the groups we belong to, there have always been individuals that I have expected to remain on good terms with.

                My perception of online interactions might incorrectly bias my views on cyberbullying on social media. I have been conditioned to see interactions over the internet as separate from my actual perception and feelings. When I see something that may be offensive or insulting on the web, I generally do not take it personally, because in my mind it is “just the internet.”

                For those who have spent excessive time interacting with real-life acquaintances on social media, I can see how the situation may be different. If your experiences online are directly tied to your actual experiences in your day to day life, then the distinction is blurred or might really be nonexistent. For those people, I think the things they experience online are much different than for me, and would explain my greatly differing reactions.