Cyber bullying is harassment and threatening over the computer, cell phones, or other electronics. A major concern and reason to put an end to cyber bullying is that it has led to far too many suicides and suicide attempts. One suicide is too many! This form of bullying can also lead to low self-esteem and depression. I am not only asking high school students to choose to be kind, but college students as well. As our elders, lead by example.

I am against cyber bullying for several reasons. Allowing cyber bullies to take and ruin lives is unacceptable and outrageous. For example, Tyler Clementi was a college student who was a victim of cyber bullying. His roommate had spread the link of the camera he was using to spy on Tyler and his male friend when Tyler asked for the room alone for a few hours. He jumped off a bridge after the word had been spread about being “gay”. Tyler’s personal life was out in public in seconds.

Allowing others to lower self-esteem and causing them to be depressed because of a comment is undermining and is beginning to corrupt many people. Are younger people more likely to be victims of cyber bullying psychologically because they have not yet learned to ignore the negativity that gets put towards them?

Often, people disagree because they claim bullying does not and cause a kid to be suicidal or depressed intentionally. For instance, the phrases, “I didn’t mean it in a mean way”, or “It was just a joke” are logical excuses. Death isn’t a joke, nor is depression. This reasoning would be incorrect because when you are directing a negative comment to a person like, “F**” or “S***”, there is no positive way to take it. Negative comments are not worth taking or ruining a life. Sometimes, before you direct a rude comment to others, you have to take into consideration about how you would feel if you were in the same situation.

Cyber bullying others over the internet or other electronics is a new growing way of harassing others. It has led to suicides and depression. It has led to families losing loved ones and kids missing out on life because of depression. So I ask you all that took the time to read this paper, be kind and respectful to all, encourage and treat others how you would like to be treated. Like mama says, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.”