Digital Smarts - Toxic Ties
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A recent study finds that the closer teens are with each other, the more likely they are to cyberbully one another. The study, “Toxic Ties: Networks of Friendship, Dating, and Cyber Victimization,” suggests that cyberbullying is more likely to happen between current and former friends and dating partners, identifying competition as the cause. Diane Felmlee, lead author of the study, writes “Friends, or former friends, are particularly likely to find themselves in situations in which they are vying for the same school, club, and/or sport positions and social connections. In terms of dating partners, young people often have resentful and hurt feelings as a result of a breakup, and they may take out these feelings on a former partner via cyber aggression. They might also believe they can win back a previous boyfriend or girlfriend, or prevent that person from breaking up with them or dating someone else, by embarrassing or harassing him or her." While this somewhat common knowledge about how the world of high school works, it is a good reminder for parents that the term “friend” is often a very loose one in the teen world.