March 29, 2007

Children have always taunted and teased kids on the playground, but now some of those words are going high-tech into cyberspace and sticking around.

There are some things parents can do to prevent this. First, be open with your children. The best way you can find it out is by talking to them. Also check the computer's history for sites that your children are visiting. Keep the computer in a public place within the house. Finally set ground rules for communication. Teach them to talk on instant message or email the way they would talk to someone face-to-face.

"Because it's written electronic or digital, it's not going away. Forty-three percent of US teens now report that they themselves have been a victim of cyber bullying," said Symantec’s Internet Security & Safety Expert Marian Merritt. "It's a growing phenomenon."

Local delegate Rob Bell sponsored a bill that passed, which requires schools to put bullying provisions in the codes of student conduct.