Just as October’s National Bullying Prevention Month gets underway, an Associated Press/MTV poll of youth in their teens and early 20s reports that the majority of them — 56 percent — have been the target of some type of online taunting, harassment or bullying, a slight increase over just two years ago. A third say they've been involved in “sexting.” Three-fourths of the young people said they consider these darker aspects of the online world, sometimes broadly called “digital abuse,” a serious problem.
Conduct that rises to the point of bullying is hard to define, but the AP-MTV poll of youth ages 14 to 24 revealed plenty of poor behavior online, and a perception that it's increasing. The share of young people who frequently see people being mean to each other on social networking sites jumped to 55 percent, from 45 percent in 2009. The most common complaints involved spreading false rumors on Internet pages or by text message, or being mean online; more than a fifth of young people said each of those things had happened to them. The poll is part of an MTV campaign, “A Thin Line,” aiming to stop the spread of digital abuse.
The following two programs offer District 204 parents and students the opportunity to learn more about online safety and cyberbullying:
"Empowering Parents in the Age of Cyberspace"
October 12
The 12th annual Keeping Kids Safe program will be presented by Detective Rich Wistocki of the Naperville Police Department on October 12, at 7 PM at the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 Eagle Street.
The program is for parents only and will address “Empowering Parents in the Age of Cyberspace.” This is a free, interactive, hands-on program for parents. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops, netbooks, iPads and smart phones.
Detective Wistocki is a sought after speaker who imparts practical information for parents regarding ever evolving computer technology. He has served for the last ten years as an Internet Crimes Investigator with the Naperville Police Department and is one of the founding members of the Illinois Attorney General’s High Tech Crimes Bureau. He is also a member of the United States Secret Service Computer Crimes Task Force.
This event is sponsored by the Exchange Club of Naperville in cooperation with School Districts 204 and 203, the DuPage Child Abuse Prevention Coalition and Prevent Child Abuse Illinois. No registration is necessary for this free program. For more information, contact Sherry Weinstein at dupage.capc@gmail.com.
"Internet Safety and Cyberbullying"
October 24
Parents are invited to bring their middle and high school children to hear Detective Rich Wistocki of the Naperville Police Department present “Internet Safety and Cyberbullying” on October 24, from 7 to 8:30 pm in the Forum Room at Metea Valley High School, 1801 N. Eola Road, Aurora. The presentation will cover the dangers of the Internet and how parents can assist with monitoring the use of technology to help keep their child safe. Detective Wistocki will share information about the latest electronic device monitoring software and GPS technology, as well as information on the current trends for teens.
For more information, contact Jennifer Rowe, Metea Valley High School, 630-375-5900.