Cyber bullying

Social media is a place where people of all ages generally teens go and express themselves and socialize with people all around the world. People go on to find out the latest news to find out all the gossip, but what if the gossip they are hearing is hurting someone? What if out there right now there are kids hearing awful things about one another over the internet? Well it is happening what this is known as is cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet (social media), interactive and digital technologies.

This is becoming a serious problem in the world which is trying to be stopped but how can it be stopped how can you stop people saying these things without taking their freedom of speech? Social networking sites make cyber bullying easy and more public than bullying through any other form of bullying. In 2009 a study found out that 17.3% of middle school students have been victims of cyber bullying. This horrible act cause these victims to often experience a decrease in grades, decreased self-esteem, and various symptoms of depression.

Social media can be fun yet very dangerous cyber bullying has caused many suicides causing the suicide rate to go which is something we all don’t want to see. The sad thing is many kids don’t even realize they’re bullying kids over the internet but just by saying I hate you or you’re ugly or any other negative statement can very so hurt another feelings and cause psychological damage. The thing about cyber bullying is that it is a difficult thing to just stop in one way. However there are many organizations out there trying to help end this for example http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/. The only true way to stop it is to inform kids and to discourage them from hurting one another and treat one another with respect. 

Feelings on Social media

Many people have different views on social media and how they feel social media is affecting our society as we know it. I do not really have a personal view on social media when talking about the topic being positive or negative. Yet I would have to say I would lean to the more positive side of social media because I grew up with social media in my young life. Yet I can see and understand the negative side to social media and agree with many of the things that are said against it. I did some research and found a good website that lists many pros and cons of social media that can show both sides of someones perspective of the arguments (Pros and cons). This topic can be argued forever and will never come to one conclusion especially with the bills SOPA and PIPA coming in fighting the freedom of social media and the internet. How much can we see? How much can we access? And where does the freedom of speech come in? These bills were brought the attention of millions which only made the argument of whether it is good or bad, worse. The way I see it is social media can benefit and/or hinder our society's growth it just depends on how you see it and how much research you do on the facts of social media.

Introduction

Hello I am Giantonio Torres better known as Gio and this is my blog. My blog is about the negative and positive effects social media has on society. Before I talk a bout my blog I want to talk about me first and introduce myself as I said before i'm Gio and I am in my second semester of NOVA where I plan to get my associates degree in psychology or sociology or something around that field. I am 18 years old graduate from Woodbridge Senior High School, I have lived in Virginia for three years previously living in Georgia, North Carolina, Germany, and my birthplace of El Paso, Texas. Now more importantly about my blog throughout these next 16 weeks I will be posting one or more posts about the topic and occasionally among other things as well. The topic about social media affecting society has always been an interesting topic to me since I live in the age of technology and social media. As well as hopefully trying to major in one of the degrees said above sociology this topic would help me greatly understand people more and how people act towards things which social media is about. So basically that sums everything up and hopefully you guys enjoy my blog.