Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, texting or similar means of communicating over the Internet have given new challenges to teachers, parents and most of all, youth. We tell youth to be cautious, to use their common sense, to not talk to strangers and to keep their personal information private. And yet … [Read more...]
An Overview of Anti-bullying Legislation and Alternatives in Canada
Very few days seem to go by, of late, without Canadians hearing about the alarming consequence of bullying in some form or another. This is particularly true in relation to children and youth. A number of high profile cases have garnered much discussion over the past few years, the latest of which … [Read more...]
Legal Responses to Cyberbullying: The ‘Unsupervised Public Playground’
Should a student be suspended or expelled for posting a video on the Internet that mercilessly humiliates another student? Should a school principal be able to search a student’s cellphone much like a school locker? What should happen to those students who intentionally post information about a … [Read more...]
Unmasking Bullies on the Internet
Introduction Most of us have heard of cyberbullying and the dreadful impact it has had on young people, even driving some of them to suicide. The incidence of bullying online is likely far greater than the average Canadian might expect. As a university professor, I (Bowal) receive menacing and … [Read more...]
Legal Information and Resources on Bullying
In honour of Bullying Awareness Week (Nov 12 – 17, 2012) let’s look at some resources surrounding bullying. Bullying is an important topic to discuss in schools. The August/September 2002 issue of LawNow featured a lesson plan on bullying. It includes a case study, guidelines for a mock trial, … [Read more...]
Cyber Bullying: Bullying Through Technology
Many of today’s new technologies are designed for the sole purpose of facilitating communication between individuals. Not only do these technologies enable communication between friends and family, but a large part of their appeal is that they present the opportunity to meet new people. Among the … [Read more...]
Bench Press: Children and Cyber-bullying
From Nov/Dec 2012 Bench Press A 15-year-old Nova Scotia girl discovered that someone had posted a fake profile about her on Facebook, using her photo, slightly changing her name and posting unflattering comments and sexually explicit references. She was successful in obtaining a court order … [Read more...]
