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.

The research shows that cyber-bullies come from both in and outside of school and are not always known to the victims.

In Britain cyber-bullying figures are much higher with 22% of teenagers admitting to being bullied ‘once or twice’ in the past 2-3 months while the figure stands at a shocking 55% in Canada.

“Our figures are quite low but it could also be attributable to our low level of broadband penetration. We do not know why. There is more research to be done,” said educational psychologist Dr Irene Connor who completed the research with postgraduate student Lucie Corcoran and Professor Mona O’Moore of Trinity College.

She said the research reinforces the need for the Department of Education to update the 1993 guidelines on countering bullying. “This does not include cyber-bullying.”