The IUS Common Experience Program presented a seminar on sexting and cyber-bullying.
Amy Freyn and Mary Bradley, assistant professors of education, spoke to students on the aspects of bullying.
Bradley said there are difficulties defining cyber-bullying and asked for audience opinions of what the law should say.
The presentation said some states are trying to come up with laws about cyber-bullying, but Bradley said they lack certain phrasing.
Bradley also said to students that a lot of people don’t see cyber-bullying as a big deal.
“People just say bullying has been around for a long time,” Bradley said.
She said the main reasons for cyber-bullying are anonymity, infinite audience and permanence of expression.
“People don’t realize what you put online is out there for all to see, and, even when you take it down, someone out there may already have it saved forever,” Bradley said.
She said cyber-bullying also can lead to cyber-violence.
“Cyber-violence is online contact leading to online abuse,” Bradley said. “There is also cyber-stalking which is online monitoring or tracking someone’s actions with criminal intent.”
Freyn’s portion of the presentation was focused on sexting, the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photographs through cell phones.
“Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos primarily between mobile phones,” Freyn said.
She provided many examples of real instances where teens were going to jail for sexting.
Freyn said in June there was a case in Indiana where a 19-year-old male from Maryland will be facing a maximum of 30 years in prison for sextortion.
After a 17-year-old girl flashed a webcam at a party, she later started receiving e-mails from a man that saw it.
He said he had the pictures, and, if she didn’t continue to send him naked pictures, he would post the ones he had online.
They said the Indiana State Police are working on seven sextortion cases now.
“Students don’t understand the huge ramifications when getting involved in either cyber-bullying or sexting,” Bradley said.
By CHASTITY CRUM
Staff
chilgert@umail.iu.edu