Cyber-bullies using social network sites

WHILE the rate of cyberbullying in Ireland is lower than in Britain, Irish children are choosing to do their bullying on social networking sites rather than by phone or email.

Research by the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, presented at the Psychological Society of Ireland annual conference in Wexford, showed that 6.3% of Irish children have been bullied ‘once or twice’, in the past 2-3 months while 5.5% have been bullied at least once a week.

The 876 children, aged 12-16, described cyber bullying as the posting of “untrue messages” or negative comments about their photo on social networking sites like Bebo.