Cyber bullying an issue for sport
Issue: Volume 30 Number 4
Cyber bullying is becoming a significant threat to the safety and wellbeing of a whole generation of young people. The United States and the United Kingdom have already been addressing the issue for many years, but it is seen as a relatively new and emerging phenomenon in Australia.
Young members of generation Y (often referred to as the ‘always on generation’ or ‘net generation’) are the first to have grown up with a completely digital world. For these ‘digital natives’, technology is not learned, it is intuitive and, for many of them, being connected is as important as food, water and air. As a result, it is this group that are most likely to be exposed to negative uses of technology, examples of which are email harassment, stalking and ‘sexting’ (sending of explicit images and text, usually by mobile phone).
What is cyber bullying?
Cyber bullying involves harassment, insults and humiliation via technology such as email, mobile phones, social networking sites, instant messaging programs, chat rooms and websites. It most often occurs between people known to each other and can be particularly hurtful. Unlike traditional school bullying, which is usually confined to school, cyber bullying has no such boundaries. In the past, once a victim of bullying was at home, they were inaccessible, but by virtue of new technology a bully now has practically unlimited access to their victim: 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The invasiveness of the technology deprives children of their privacy and this alone has a significant psychological impact.
While research on cyber bullying in Australia is scant, we know from overseas research and anecdotal experience that females are represented in slightly greater numbers as both offender and victim. This follows from the fact that it is usually females who engage in verbal bullying and males in physical bullying. As females are more likely to be involved in name calling and psychological bullying at school then the move to technology is an obvious outcome.
Perceived anonymity created by the internet’s impersonal interface encourages bravado in many young people, and the fact that they may not be able to see their victim’s reaction reduces their awareness that what they are doing is causing real harm. Very few young people who engage in online bullying and harassment are aware that they may be breaking the law and leaving themselves open to prosecution, if a report was made to the police.
Reports of cyber bullying in Australia are increasing and, as young people’s technological abilities grow ahead of their maturity, the wider community must take responsibility to encourage acceptable use of technology. Failure to do so will result in more and more cases of cyber bullying and, ultimately, a generation of young people with a skewed sense of reality.
How does it affect sport?
Clubs and other sporting organisations and are not immune from these problems and they need to think clearly about how they can manage the possible consequences. Organisations need to consider how they can monitor communication between members, such as coaches and athletes. How would an organisation react if, for example, an athlete used a social networking site like Facebook to post photos which have undesirable and possibly damaging consequences for the organisation? Other key considerations include issues of privacy, physical and psychological safety, and the preservation of a club’s reputation and a sport’s image.
It is crucial for organisations to be aware of all issues relating to the misuse of technology and ensure that they send a very clear message to their members and the local community that such behaviour will not be tolerated. Club requirements regarding technology use can be included in codes of behaviour, member protection or related policies, guidelines and duty statements.
The reporting process for notification of the misuse of technology must be clear, concise and simple. Research has shown that young people will often not report online abuse for the fear of getting in trouble and losing their ability to remain connected (for example, by being banned from using the internet by parents). Clubs must undertake to treat complaints promptly, seriously, sympathetically and confidentially, and to investigate complaints impartially.
Each sporting organisation should also provide its members with advice on how to be safe online. Taking a proactive approach — rather than reacting after an event — is always preferable. Don’t think that young internet users are immune from inappropriate or even criminal online behaviour. Cyberspace is not divided into age-appropriate areas, it’s one big world, and the methods that cyber bullies can use to hurt others are only limited only by their imaginations and their access to technology.
The internet is not a private space: it is a public place, and needs to be acknowledged as such. Cyber safety is an issue that affects the whole community, and as such, solutions must come from a wide range of groups and organisations. The ‘not my problem’ approach, which leaves others to deal with trouble, is unhelpful and alienating. Working cohesively and collaboratively with and within the wider community will result in a far better outcome.
