We all remember it, though we say we don't. Those in school still see it everyday, maybe are victims, または even perpetrators, of it. In workplaces, schools, colleges, sports organisations- this happens in all walks of life, for all manner of reasons.

I am, of course, talking about bullying. We've heard the stories of teens driven to suicide によって bullies, people forced out of jobs によって abusive employers, coaches victimising players. Tragic stories, definitely.

This is not the bullying I am talking about today. We move, for this soapbox, from the real world to the cyber world. Today, we talk about Cyber-Bullying.

The Interweb. A fantastic resource for all things bright and beautiful, a wealth of knowledge at the touch of a button, a place where one can literally find everything and the キッチン sink.

Most people use the Internet at least once a week. Others use it more, as several Fanpoppers can attest to. Its great, watching 動画 and speaking your mind.

However like all good things, this one has to be sullied. The last few years have seen an upsurge in Cyberbullying.


Cyberbullying is, in effect:

"Cyberbullying" is when a child, preteen または teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed または otherwise targeted によって another child, preteen または teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies または mobile phones. It has to have a minor on both sides, または at least have been instigated によって a minor against another minor.

Could あなた be a cyberbully? Well, have あなた ever:

___Signed on with someone else’s screen name to gather info?

___Sent an e-mail または online greeting card from someone’s account?

___Impersonated someone over IM または online?

___Teased または frightened someone over IM?

___Not told someone who あなた really are online, telling them to “guess”?

___Forwarded a private IM conversation または e-mail without the permission of the other person?

___Changed your プロフィール または away message designed to embarrass または frighten someone?

___Posted pictures または information about someone on a Web site without their consent?

___Created an Internet poll, either over IM または on a Web site, about someone without their consent?

___Used information found online to follow, tease, embarrass または harass someone in person?

___Sent rude または scary things to someone, even if あなた were just joking?

___Used bad language online?

___Signed someone else up for something online without their permission?

___Used an IM または e-mail address that looked like someone else’s?

___Used someone else’s パスワード for any reason without their permission?

___Hacked into someone else’s computer または sent a virus または Trojan horse to them?

___Insulted someone in an interactive game room?

___Posted rude things または lies about someone online?

___Voted at an online bashing アンケート または 投稿されました to a guestbook saying rude または mean things?

These are all methods of cyberbullying.

Why this article? What has this got to do with Fanpop?

Hmm. ファンポップ seems to be a world apart in relation to social networks, in that there seems to be none of the usual cruelty to other users that one seems to find elsewhere.

However, and there is ALWAYS a however, its seems to me that recently, there has been a lot of negativity directed towards certain users. I'm not going to name names, people, this is not a witch hunt. I'm not saying don't express an opinion, but don't viciously attack someone for no reason.

I merely want to make a statement. To me, cyberbullies are the biggest cowards in the world. They hide behind アイコン and usernames to cause pain. They can't even face their victim.


So, 次 time あなた feel like being nasty, stop and look at what あなた are doing. Or, are あなた a true coward?

Authors Note:
I would like to point out that the ファンポップ Four does a fantastic job of keeping the website 安全, 安全です and friendly for all users. For that, the ファンポップ Four really deserve giant inflatable props.