My views on Cyber bullying and do we have a choice?

Quote by Theladyisaminx
I have just read a thread that mentions bullying in the forums and chat rooms. I have heard of bullying on facebook something I have never used.
After years at school being bullied as I wouldn't conform to a group of girls that thought they could control me both physically and mentally, I could stop the mental abuse as I wouldn’t let them control my mind but I couldn’t stop the physical.
For this reason I can never understand the term cyber bullying.
Bullying for me means you have no control to get away, at school I had no choice I had to go to school. I could have changed schools but thought at 12 it could happen anywhere. I could have told my parents but I never wanted them to worry about me at school, my mum had recently lost her mum and was coping with enough. I never wanted her having the added upset of worrying about me at school. So for 4 years I endured it, the constant pokes beside me, the tugging of my hair, the tripping over down the corridors.
At school I felt a victim of a system I had to get through I know I am not the only one it has happened to.
I learnt on leaving school never to put myself in a position when I don't have a choice to walk away.
I saw an incident last night in the chat rooms and I searched for a op in the end I asked a friend who I knew was in the pool to ask if anyone had a contact for a op as one was needed. The argument then when back and forth for ages other people joined in and nasty things were said.
I did wonder why the people that it was aimed at just didn't walk away but stayed being hurled abuse at and then hitting back. Eventually an op was located and the situation dealt with.
In situations like these I would have walked away not given the abuser the satisfaction of a response. In the years of my children using the internet I have told them the same thing.
Some people in life it seems get pleasure out of feeling in control of others.
I guess over the years I have learnt to take no notice, it isn’t worth my time or thought when someone wants to try and intimidate me, I have better things to occupy my mind than to have such people have control of it.
I do however feel that calling it cyber bullying has diminished the physical pain that some of us had to endure when we had no choice within the situation we are in.
I personally don’t see it as bullying and have told my children this over the years it is I believe cyber intimidation and they can only try and intimidate you if you allow them to. You have a choice block, delete them or walk away form the pc.

Quote by bluexxx
I think in some respects it depends on the nature of what is being said/done online as to how much I would consider it bullying.
I would certainly say that sending offensive or threatening material to someone via the internet, that could easily be acted upon irl -- "I know where you live and I'm going to kill you", sort of thing is certainly harassment by anyone's standards and if persistent I would consider bullying. Some forms of stalking too, would fit this bill.
But something that's abusive in a location (ie this chatroom) where the offender can be reported easily and communications are anonymous, well no, personally I wouldn't take that seriously and I would never lose sleep over it. Just laugh at the sad fuckers and move on :thumbup:

Quote by flower411
Seems to me that if you feel the need to stop posting on a forum or feel you should leave a chatroom ...... you have been bullied into doing something you didn't intend to do .

Quote by Paddy
But bluexx - Reap and Reward! - You're probably the biggest offender here - make sweeping statements - at time's offensive !
Scroll back a bit Lad - Indeed to your earlier days ! and read ( I hope that my post is not deemed as bullying)
I'm simply stating the obvious - Bullie's exist in both the Chatroom and the Forum - it's evident! - I'm not accussing you of being one, but Glasshouses and Stones don't mix!