We all remember it, though we say we don't. Those in school still see it everyday, maybe are victims, অথবা even perpetrators, of it. In workplaces, schools, colleges, sports organisations- this happens in all walks of life, for all manner of reasons.

I am, of course, talking about bullying. We've heard the stories of teens driven to suicide দ্বারা bullies, people forced out of jobs দ্বারা abusive employers, coaches victimising players. Tragic stories, definitely.

This is not the bullying I am talking about today. We move, for this soapbox, from the real world to the cyber world. Today, we talk about Cyber-Bullying.

The Interweb. A fantastic resource for all things bright and beautiful, a wealth of knowledge at the touch of a button, a place where one can literally find everything and the রান্নাঘর sink.

Most people use the Internet at least once a week. Others use it more, as several Fanpoppers can attest to. Its great, watching চলচ্ছবি and speaking your mind.

However like all good things, this one has to be sullied. The last few years have seen an upsurge in Cyberbullying.


Cyberbullying is, in effect:

"Cyberbullying" is when a child, preteen অথবা teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed অথবা otherwise targeted দ্বারা another child, preteen অথবা teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies অথবা mobile phones. It has to have a minor on both sides, অথবা at least have been instigated দ্বারা a minor against another minor.

Could আপনি be a cyberbully? Well, have আপনি ever:

___Signed on with someone else’s screen name to gather info?

___Sent an e-mail অথবা online greeting card from someone’s account?

___Impersonated someone over IM অথবা online?

___Teased অথবা frightened someone over IM?

___Not told someone who আপনি really are online, telling them to “guess”?

___Forwarded a private IM conversation অথবা e-mail without the permission of the other person?

___Changed your পরিলেখ অথবা away message designed to embarrass অথবা frighten someone?

___Posted pictures অথবা information about someone on a Web site without their consent?

___Created an Internet poll, either over IM অথবা on a Web site, about someone without their consent?

___Used information found online to follow, tease, embarrass অথবা harass someone in person?

___Sent rude অথবা scary things to someone, even if আপনি were just joking?

___Used bad language online?

___Signed someone else up for something online without their permission?

___Used an IM অথবা e-mail address that looked like someone else’s?

___Used someone else’s গুপ্তশব্দ for any reason without their permission?

___Hacked into someone else’s computer অথবা sent a virus অথবা Trojan horse to them?

___Insulted someone in an interactive game room?

___Posted rude things অথবা lies about someone online?

___Voted at an online bashing মতামত অথবা পোষ্ট হয়েছে to a guestbook saying rude অথবা mean things?

These are all methods of cyberbullying.

Why this article? What has this got to do with Fanpop?

Hmm. ফ্যানপপ seems to be a world apart in relation to social networks, in that there seems to be none of the usual cruelty to other users that one seems to find elsewhere.

However, and there is ALWAYS a however, its seems to me that recently, there has been a lot of negativity directed towards certain users. I'm not going to name names, people, this is not a witch hunt. I'm not saying don't express an opinion, but don't viciously attack someone for no reason.

I merely want to make a statement. To me, cyberbullies are the biggest cowards in the world. They hide behind প্রতীকী and usernames to cause pain. They can't even face their victim.


So, পরবর্তি time আপনি feel like being nasty, stop and look at what আপনি are doing. Or, are আপনি a true coward?

Authors Note:
I would like to point out that the ফ্যানপপ Four does a fantastic job of keeping the website নিরাপদ and friendly for all users. For that, the ফ্যানপপ Four really deserve giant inflatable props.