The Villain We Can’t See Bullying is a huge problem in schools across the nation. Because of bullying, students are failing classes, skipping school, and in more severe cases, committing suicide. To make matters worse, bullying has transcended the physical plane and cyber bullying has taken its place. Children, no matter the age, can be targeted no matter the distance, no matter the time. In addition, bullying can be done anonymously. Anonymous social media accounts attack, harass, and threaten everyday under a disguise of zeros and ones. The fear used to be seeing the person. Now, not knowing the harasser is the problem. “But at the same time, anonymity online empowers the worst among us. Anonymity allows Gamergate, the loose collection of gamers on Twitter, to threaten the lives of women technologists. It allows a mob to harass “Saturday Night Live” cast member Leslie Jones. It permits a group of misogynists to threaten the life of the …show more content…
There are many: Yik Yak, Curious Cat, Ask.fm, etc. These apps allow for complete anonymity. No matter the topic. It can be used to ask personal questions and can be done so without fear of judgement, but this also allows the cyberbullies to prosper. Anonymity is so dangerous because of this, the innocent people who use anonymity for personal reasons are overshadowed by the bad. “Research in social networking has found benevolent comments online are not alone but coexist in cyberspace with many impulsive and illogical arguments, personal attacks, and slander.” (So-Hyun, Kim 74) The people who write nice comments and follow the Golden Rule (treat everyone how you want to be treated) are pushed aside by the abusers of social media’s freedom of speech. Where do we draw the line? Do we tolerate the people who use anonymity for their racist agenda or do we get rid of anonymity as a whole because of one bad apple? There is always that one kid who abuses his