Please use the main ideas and concepts of school bullying and cyber bullying to explain this case.

Question

In a high school, a senior female student, Lindsay, whose family has political and business connections, uses internet social media to create a “campaign” to discredit a sophomore female student (Daphne). Daphne is not aware, but everyday Lindsay posts comments denigrating Daphne about her performance at school, as well as her looks. Most of students in Daphne’s class know about it and make comments about it, but nobody says anything or tells her about them. She is kept in the dark until one day one of her friends shows her Lindsay’s posts and the many replies they have received from other students, which build up in the attacks. Daphne’s friend also shows her the pictures Lindsay has uploaded of Daphne’s including one that depicts Daphne showing the school’s athlete’s uniform. Daphne is obviously devastated. She has asked Lindsay to stop the comments and attacks, but Lindsay first denies being the author and later flatly refuses to close the account related to the “campaign.” Only Lindsay can close the account. Daphne talks to her mother and she decides to talk to Lindsay’s mother. Lindsay’s mother refuses to believe her daughter is doing that and when Daphne’s mother shows her the social media and the fact that the owner of the account is Lindsay, she refuses to do anything. That is, until Daphne’s mother shows her Daphne’s picture wearing the school uniform that was posted by Lindsay. With that Daphne’s mother tells her she will take the case to the school principal and the school district, which have strict policies about bullying and particularly about using school symbols for bullying. The penalty is expulsion from the school. Lindsay’s mother agrees to closing the account, and so does Lindsay.

Answer 1

In order to provide full answer, responses need to first address the main elements of bullying in general, specifically the repeated behaviors and the imbalance of power, as well as the long-term effect on the victim’s mental health. Next, the responses need to describe the setting in which the bullying is taking place, the school, and how power is used to exert aggression on peers. However, the most important point that needs to be addressed is the different elements that make cyber bullying particularly dangerous, like the wider audience the bullying has, the different electronic devices that can be used, and the fact that the attacks may remain visible for a long period of time.