Mute the meaness: an opinion on why cyberbullying has to stop

As soon as you open up your phone, I’d bet you open up a social media platform. On that application, billions of people share their experiences with life: the good, the bad and the ugly. Unfortunately, the ugly part is not often self-created. A recent trend in cyberbullying has increased with the access to social media.

In high school, a huge problem is cyberbullying, the act of being mean to and making fun of someone through the internet. In a school with over 1,000 students, not everyone will always get along. Different types of cyberbullying are cyberstalking, harassment and trickery.

Trickery involves putting someone’s private information out on the internet all while with no identity which we call “Keyboard courage” is someone’s ability to say things over the internet that they would not say to someone in person. With the ability to say things anonymously online, individuals are not required to take responsibility for the consequences of their actions.

Counselor Dion Charity helps students feel comfortable at the high school and views cyberbullying as a detriment to a young adult’s developing character.

“As a counselor and as a parent, I’ve seen cyberbullying and it’s very unfortunate for our students, parents and everybody involved,” Charity said. “I don’t see it as social media. I call them algorithms just because it’s technology, people have what we call ‘keyboard courage.’” 

On popular platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, people unleash their keyboard courage. Cyberbullying isn’t always done through posting mean words or unflattering photos, but also through commenting, sharing posts and direct messages. When students are being bullied, cyber or not, it affects their focus, attitude, effort, and energy, in all aspects of their daily lives.

 “When students suffer at this school, that means they lose the opportunity to learn,” Charity said. “That’s what really breaks my heart.” 

Around the school, people like to make social media pages and post about people that they know nothing about. Behind these accounts are random kids hiding their identities. It’s upsetting knowing people can make one post and ruin someone’s day.

Furthermore, it’s unnecessary for an individual to even do that. There is no benefit to someone who brings other people down. There’s no greater purpose in being mean, nor is there any excuse to do so.

“I am a big person of belonging and not just trying to fit in,” Charity said. “All these pages do is deter that opportunity to build connections and make people feel loved here at Northview.” 

Northview students shouldn’t be scared to open up their social media platforms. The internet is supposed to be a place to share your life, message other people and have fun. Freshman Jaden Bryant finds that the opposite happens when someone is being cyberbullied.

“[The cyberbullying pages] are absolutely wrong and not okay in this type of environment, it makes me feel insecure about my normal day activities,” Bryant said.

Freshman Jailyn Merrit has an active social life and spends a lot of time on social media and sees a lot of people become victims of social media. 

“I feel very sad and it’s pitiful that [cyberbullies] act that way,” Merritt said. “The only way we can help people involved who are innocent is reporting the accounts until they are gone.”

When or if you see one of these accounts, please do your best to either report it or show an adult. Cyberbullying is not acceptable, and we should not encourage or allow it to continue.