This diploma thesis deals with the context of two current topics - cyberbullying and behaviour on social networks, in the population of the second grade of primary school, thus in adolescents. In the literary-review part the developmental connections of cyberbullying in adolescence, signs and forms of cyberbullying, its occurrence, cyberbullying actors and risk factors associated with it are presented. The thesis also deals with communication on the Internet and description of social networks. Present researches of cyberbullying and social networks are presented. The empirical part deals with the combined research carried out in 43 pupils at the secondary school. Cyberbullying was measured using a questionnaire and then profiles were analysed on Facebook and Instagram. Key words: Cyberbullying, Social networking sites, Facebook, Instagram, Internet communication, Adolescence

Cyberbullying is a common form of harassment and aggression engaged in by today's youth. This phenomenon is affecting primary-school-aged children as technology devices are now made available to elementary school students in rural settings. Based on the framework of Bandura's social cognitive theory, this mixed methods project study included a survey to quantitatively investigate the associations between parental knowledge of the phenomenon of cyberbullying and children's grade levels, and a focus group to gather qualitative data from school principals regarding their perceptions of the extent and impact of cyberbullying in 4 rural elementary schools in Massachusetts. Due to highly skewed survey responses, basic assumptions for chi-square analyses were not met; therefore, frequencies were examined along with the qualitative data that were coded and analyzed for patterns and themes. The 4 principals reported ongoing concerns at the school level that cyberbullying was clearly affecting the school day, school resources, and peer relationships. Survey responses from 162 parents indicated they were not fully aware of the dangers of cyberbullying at all grade levels. In concert with the literature review, these findings were applied to the development of a 12-month online cyber training curriculum for parents and students. Social change implications include minimizing the effects of cyberbullying in schools by training parents to understand social media sites and associated dangers for their children.

This dissertation investigated online aggression in emerging adults to understand the contextual power of anonymity and social modeling. Emerging adults are characterized as undergoing a period of identity exploration, instability, self-focus, transition, and possibility (Arnett, 2004). Given the importance of identity development at this stage of the lifespan, this research explored religiosity/spirituality and political ideology; two pivotal belief systems that are introspectively evaluated and molded in emerging adults as they separate their identities from their world views (Barry & Nelson, 2004). Furthermore, this dissertation sought to apply religiosity/spirituality and political ideology to the previously established link of anonymity and social modeling and their joined impact on online aggression (Zimmerman & Ybarra, 2016). Behavioral temptation to aggress and participant responses following interaction on a mock blog was recorded and analyzed in situations of anonymity and positive or neutral social models. Aggressive social modeling influenced blog posts and behavioral temptation to aggress. Religiosity/spirituality and political attitudes moderated aggression in blog posts.

Denna kvalitativa intervjustudie syftar till att definiera fenomenet elektronisk mobbning, att utreda ansvarsfrågan samt att kartlägga organisationernas arbete och eventuella samverkan. Resultatet baseras på intervjuer med BRIS, Friends, LunarStorm och Playahead som analyserades utifrån symbolisk interaktionism. Studien visar på hur liten skillnaden är mellan traditionell och elektronisk mobbning i hur den kommer till uttryck och vem den drabbar. Utmärkande för e-mobbning är spridningseffekten samt hur språket hårdnat i kommunikationen på Internet och andra elektroniska källor. Föräldrarna, skolan och barnen själva borde enligt organisationerna ta ansvar för att motverka e-mobbningen och de anser att lagstiftningen på området är bristfällig. Organisationernas arbete mot e-mobbning är relativt omfattande men effektiv samverkan saknas delvis. Till följd av den nya nätkulturen och att unga besitter en betydligt högre IT-kompetens än vuxengenerationen har unga i stor utsträckning lämnats ensamma att interagera på Internet. Utifrån symbolisk interaktionisms idéer kring den sociala interaktionens betydelse för identitetsskapandet och behovet av en generaliserad andre kan den vuxna frånvaron vara en bidragande orsak till problematiken kring e-mobbning. Dessutom har vuxenfrånvaron lett till att symbolspråket i nätkulturen blivit betydligt tuffare. Uppsatsens slutsats består till stor del i hur stort behovet av vuxen närvaro är i den unga nätkulturen. / This qualitative study aims to examine how cyberbullying appears, who should be responsible for prevention and measures, and how four organizations work against and cooperates round cyberbullying. The result is based on interviews with BRIS, Friends, LunarStorm and Playahead and analyzed with help from symbolic interactionism. The result indicates little difference between cyberbullying and traditional bullying. The tougher language and the quicker circulation of information characterize bullying on the Internet. The responsibility should, according to the organizations, be placed upon the parents, the school and the children. Legislation regarding cyberbullying is insufficient. In the organizations otherwise rather comprehensive work, efficient cooperation is partly lacking. The new Internet culture and the youths’ considerably higher IT-skills have led to that they to a greater extent have been left alone to interact on the Internet. According to symbolic interaktionism, satisfying development of the identity is highly dependent on social interaction and the idea of the generalized other. Therefore, the adult absence could be one of the most important explanations to cyberbullying, as well as to why the language has become more harsh and ruthless. To sum up, this essay emphasizes the need of adult presence in the new Internet culture. Title: Cyberbullying in the Internet culture – a qualitative study of the work and experiences of two Internet communities and two non-profit organizations.

Syftet med studien var att få en ökad kunskap om 15-åringars uppfattningar om kränkningar och trakassering på internet och vad de menar kan ha en motverkande effekt på att problemet uppstår. Datainsamling blev genomförd genom fyra fokusgruppintervjuer med 15-åringar från en skola i Sydsverige. Grounded theory användes för analys av intervjuerna. Resultaten teoretiserades ut i från ett genusperspektiv. Resultaten visade att Internet är en given del av ungdomarnas vardag och att kränkningar är vanliga. Både sändaren och mottagaren av en kommentar måste uppfatta den som illa menad för att det skulle vara en kränkning. Det pågår en normaliseringsprocess i synen på kränkningar på Internet och det identifierades ett grupptryck. Traditionella könsroller och stereotypa uppfattningar i synen på kvinnor och män lever vidare på internet. Tjejer utsätts i högre grad än pojkar för kränkningar rörande deras utseende. Strategier mot kränkningar på Internet måste föras på olika nivåer, dock identifierades föräldrar som nyckelpersoner. Studiens resultat ger betydelsefull kunskap om ungdomars uppfattningar av kränkningar på Internet men konkluderar med att ytterligare forskning är nödvändigt för att förstå hur kränkningar på Internet påverkar ungdomar. / The aim of the study was to gain knowledge about fifteen-year-olds’ opinion of violations and harassment on the Internet and what preventive measures can be taken to avoid such occurrences. Data was collected from interviews with four focus groups comprising of fifteen-year-olds from a school in southern Sweden. Grounded Theory was used for analyzing the interviews. The results were treated from a gender perspective. The results showed that Internet was a part of everyday life of the participants and that violations were common. Both the sender and receiver had to perceive the comments as harmful to consider it a violation. Perception of violations on the Internet, as identified by peer pressure, was undergoing a process of normalization. Traditional gender roles and stereotypical ideas of women and men still exist on the Internet. Girls were more exposed to violations aimed at their appearance. Preventive strategies against violations on the Internet must be undertaken at different levels, but parents were identified as key persons. The result of the study gave important information of the youths perception of violations on the Internet but conclude that further studies are necessary to understand how violations on the Internet affect the youth.

<p>Denna kvalitativa intervjustudie syftar till att definiera fenomenet elektronisk mobbning, att utreda ansvarsfrågan samt att kartlägga organisationernas arbete och eventuella samverkan. Resultatet baseras på intervjuer med BRIS, Friends, LunarStorm och Playahead som analyserades utifrån symbolisk interaktionism. Studien visar på hur liten skillnaden är mellan traditionell och elektronisk mobbning i hur den kommer till uttryck och vem den drabbar. Utmärkande för e-mobbning är spridningseffekten samt hur språket hårdnat i kommunikationen på Internet och andra elektroniska källor. Föräldrarna, skolan och barnen själva borde enligt organisationerna ta ansvar för att motverka e-mobbningen och de anser att lagstiftningen på området är bristfällig. Organisationernas arbete mot e-mobbning är relativt omfattande men effektiv samverkan saknas delvis.</p><p>Till följd av den nya nätkulturen och att unga besitter en betydligt högre IT-kompetens än vuxengenerationen har unga i stor utsträckning lämnats ensamma att interagera på Internet. Utifrån symbolisk interaktionisms idéer kring den sociala interaktionens betydelse för identitetsskapandet och behovet av en generaliserad andre kan den vuxna frånvaron vara en bidragande orsak till problematiken kring e-mobbning. Dessutom har vuxenfrånvaron lett till att symbolspråket i nätkulturen blivit betydligt tuffare. Uppsatsens slutsats består till stor del i hur stort behovet av vuxen närvaro är i den unga nätkulturen.</p> / <p>This qualitative study aims to examine how cyberbullying appears, who should be responsible for prevention and measures, and how four organizations work against and cooperates round cyberbullying. The result is based on interviews with BRIS, Friends, LunarStorm and Playahead and analyzed with help from symbolic interactionism. The result indicates little difference between cyberbullying and traditional bullying. The tougher language and the quicker circulation of information characterize bullying on the Internet. The responsibility should, according to the organizations, be placed upon the parents, the school and the children. Legislation regarding cyberbullying is insufficient. In the organizations otherwise rather comprehensive work, efficient cooperation is partly lacking.</p><p>The new Internet culture and the youths’ considerably higher IT-skills have led to that they to a greater extent have been left alone to interact on the Internet. According to symbolic interaktionism, satisfying development of the identity is highly dependent on social interaction and the idea of the generalized other. Therefore, the adult absence could be one of the most important explanations to cyberbullying, as well as to why the language has become more harsh and ruthless. To sum up, this essay emphasizes the need of adult presence in the new Internet culture.</p><p>Title: Cyberbullying in the Internet culture – a qualitative study of the work and experiences of two Internet communities and two non-profit organizations.</p>

Cyberbullying, defined as any behavior performed through electronic or digital media by individuals or groups that repeatedly communicates hostile or aggressive messages intended to inflict harm or discomfort on others, is a widespread problem. Bystanders play an integral role in the initiation, maintenance, and prolonged presence of such aggressive behaviors, but have thus far been overlooked in cyberbullying literature. Cyberbullying bystanders are defined in this study as those who witness cyberbullying, either within or outside their personal social network(s) and whose available responses range from inaction to intervention. Operating from a social-ecological perspective and guided by multiple goals theories, this study used focus group methodology and found that cyberbullying bystanders have an impact on perpetration and victimization by way of multiple, distinct goals, which impact their choice of behavioral response. Bystanders’ goals and behaviors served to inform the creation of a cyberbullying bystander typology inclusive of five types: the oblivious/distant bystander, the entertained bystander, the conspiring bystander, the unintentional instigating bystander, and the active/empowered bystander. By allowing a thorough, nuanced understanding of bystanders’ role in cyberbullying, the study has significant implications for communication theory and practical application in the development of prevention and intervention efforts.

What happens when an online community moves to a real space? Take the case of Anonymous. For several years now, this, loosely connected, entirely internet based group has been known for online pranks and griefing, often being labeled by the media as "hackers on steroids" or "the Internet Hate Machine". However, recently a significant portion of the group has taken up the cause of protesting what it sees as criminal injustices of the Church of Scientology. This move into the real world sparked various discussions which are relevant for online communities as a whole. What negotiations, compromises, and changes took place in order to move into the real world space? In what ways has the group succeeded (or failed) in maintaining the momentum needed for long term real-world protest and what can other online communities gain from this history?

This research set out to determine factors associated with text bullying. It examined the relationship between personality traits and the level of hostility expressed by students in reaction to sample text messages. One hundred and ninety eight girls aged 13 and 14 in Canada and New Zealand volunteered to complete a questionnaire consisting of four personality measures - the impulsivity subscale of the PRF-E, cynical distrust scale (revised), needs for power scale (revised), and the rejection sensitivity scale (adult, short). The survey also rated their proposed likely response to eight sample text messages that covered four themes and to two levels of intensity. Results using Pearson’s r correlation of .01 demonstrated a significant relationship between hostility and impulsivity. There was no significant difference in either the results of the personality measures or their level of hostility between the results of the Canadian and New Zealand participants. How these findings contribute to the current theoretical knowledge of adolescent bullying and the practical application of these findings for schools are also discussed.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 97-102).