In the first few days of this class, we argued over whether the internet makes us smarter or dumber, or if society really is better off with advanced technological equipment like the World Wide Web. Personally, I grew up in a home that wasn't really tech savvy, and my skills on a laptop or computer are far from acceptable. Truth be told, I'm not a fan of technology at all, or the hype that follows it. Do I think it helps the movement of communication and knowledge? Yes. At the same time however, I think its harming it. My most biggest problem though, strictly when it comes to the internet & computer, is cyber bullying.
Stopbullying.gov defines cyber bullying as: "bullying that
takes place using electronic technology. Electronic technology includes
devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets as
well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages,
chat, and websites.
Examples of cyberbullying include mean text
messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking
sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles".
The problem with cyber bullying is that it can happen at any point of the day. Instead of those few hours in class, a person can be attacked 24-7. Whether they realize its happening or not, alone or with a group, the effects are much larger when the bullying can be constant. Another huge problem with cyber bullying, is the ability to post anonymously. People who are being abused through the internet can't even see who's saying what or why. A persons confidence, and being as a whole can be extremely effected by harassment through social media outlets.
This issue really hits home for me.
When I was a freshman here at SUNY Potsdam, my initial interests fell into Greek Life. I immediately started hanging out with houses, trying to present the best version of myself so that I could be accepted into their own tightly woven family's, and I rushed for an entire semester. Throughout that semester however, I hit a wall of devastation that hit me so hard, I nearly dropped out of college.
The site was called acbcollege.com. It was a website forum that allowed college students from across the US to post anonymous discussions about people, gossip, places, or any-other college related activity happening.
My name was the 4th one on the list under SUNY Potsdam.
Anonymous sayings of how weird, unattractive, and mean I was filled the page in front of me. People had this idea that I was a spy for the president of the school & that I was going to bring down Greek Life from the inside if I were to be accepted into a house. It's repercussions were crazy. I was shunned from every house I was interested in, I wasn't allowed into parties, and the people who I thought were becoming my friends left instantly. My name was even brought up in Potsdam's All Greek Council meeting, as a general announcement to watch out for me.
My confidence was completely shot. I remember just reading the posts over and over again. I had just gotten to Potsdam. It was supposed to be a place where I could start over from high school. Be someone completely new. And there I was crying my eyes out and thinking about dropping out come December. I had gotten so depressed one night after reading fresh posts of the day, that I requested to talk to someone from the Wellness Advocate program here at Potsdam.
That's when my luck turned around. It just so happened that the Wellness Advocate that came to talk to me was a part of Greek Life. A member of the Sigma Gamma Phi Sorority, aka Arethusa - she assured me that this would eventually blow over, and if it didn't, to screw the other houses and come meet hers. Long story short, I in-fact did meet her house, they accepted me, and I have now been a proud member since Spring 2011.
That moment of realization, that moment of panic and no sense of control however, have yet to leave my memory. I can still look at a computer and go back to that week where I discovered that I was the title of a chat forum, and that people were actually posting terrible things about me. People I either didn't know or who I thought were my friends. It was one of the worst experiences of my life, a real nightmare.
acbcollege.com was taken offline in October 2011.
Today, I write this not hating Greek Life anymore. Instead I am a strong member of it, however, I hate that people relied on cyber bullying as a way to try and keep me out. People have no idea the effects It has on those who are being attacked. And the fact that things are anonymous makes it worse. I would not wish what I went through onto anyone. It is like the whole world is against you. People feed off others on the internet, other posts, others sayings....
So excuse me as I say fuck the internet for cyber bullying, because it does bring better communication skills and a faster way for news to spread.
In the process - it also breaks people down to the point where they cant do anything but loose themselves.
