Almost everyone on this campus has a Facebook account. Facebook is a social networking site used to communicate with and browse pictures of friends and family. Seems healthy, right? Wrong. Everyone is aware of Facebook drama and cyber bullying, but what happens when the bullying gets taken out of school?
Girls are being referred to as “sluts” and “whores” all over the Internet, for everyone to see. Guys are being threatened, right on their own timeline. They say actions speak louder than words, and unfortunately many students have taken this saying too seriously.
Facebook drama has led to self harm, fighting, and even death. We all remember the tragic story of Alex Canava. Many of Rider’s students were close to him, and an argument on Facebook led to the horrible altercation that changed everything.
One of Rider’s students, Debbie*, has been the victim of bullying via Facebook, and like many students, she actually did something about it.
“She called me a slut and spread rumors about me,” Debbie said. “We ended up getting into a physical fight. It never would have happened if she wouldn’t have repeatedly posted negative things about me online. I wish she would have talked to me first so she could’ve known the truth about our situation.”
Talking badly about others publicly is bad for all parties involved. Bullying via Facebook is considered cowardly, so the one doing the bullying is at risk for being looked down upon. On the other hand, many may agree to the accusations of the one bashing the other. This will look bad on the person being bullied. It isn’t fair to the victim, but most teens thrive off of drama, especially when it is viewable by all.
The worst part is that absolutely no one will drop the drama and argumentation. This nags at those involved until finally they meet face-to-face, where everything just escalates. Unless this is the rare occasion where an agreement is made, there will be yelling and anger involved. But worst of all is when the fight becomes physical.
Physical fighting it detrimental and very dangerous. Not to mention it’s illegal. A physical fight seems so pointless, since it only started because of drama that made its way to Facebook where everyone was able to see it. Beware of the things posted on Facebook daily.
Facebook was intended to be a fun place of communication, not a battlefield. Unfortunately, it has become a weapon. It has become dangerous because teens have stopped being cautious. If everyone is aware of the things they say on a site where everyone can see, Facebook could be restored to the safe sharing site it was intended to be.