Computer Ethics-Cyberbullying Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Computer Ethics-Cyberbullying - Thesis Example It is defined as â€Å"the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others† (Owens, 2010). Cyber bullying involves using technology, such as cell phones and the Internet, to harass another person. Cyberbullying is more dangerous than traditional bullying for the following reasons: (1) it is location independent; (2) it offers the ability to bully without a face-to-face confrontation (Meech, 2007); (3) it is difficult to trace or discover because of problems in identification; (4) it can be rapidly scaled to a large audience in a short time; and (5) there are neither codes of conduct nor procedures currently in place to deal with it (Owens, 2010). Cyberbullying is more unethical because as the world evolves, technology has become pervasive and a key component of our continued existence as a cohesive society. It is difficult to envision lives being lived without cyber-interaction especially among the youth. It is therefore vital for people to practice respect of each other in the virtual community just as much as in the physical world. Cyberbullying breaks this communal respect that is being nurtured online. Today’s youth need to be taught that even when no one can see what they are doing online, their actions affect other people. Furthermore, even if they can’t see those results, they need to know that the consequences are not only present and real but can also be catastrophic. A good example of cyber-bullying is the Amanda Marcuson case (Harmon, 2004). Amanda, a new eighth-grade student, reported her classmates for stealing her pencil case. But at the end of the day when she went home, the girls that she had reported begun sending her insulting instant messages on her home computer. Amanda’s mother took her away from the computer to watch a basketball game with the rest of