Teen Cyber Bulleying is Spreading

Teen Cyber Bullying is Epidemic

http://www.news.google.com/news?hl=en8q=teen+cyber+bullying8sourceid=navident-ff8rlz=183GGGL-en
http://www,kidglue.com/2010/02/04/protect-your-child-from-cyber-bullying/
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?idABC=38828208page=1
http://www.pewinternet.org/presentations/2008/Teens-Online-Stranger-Contact-Harrassment.aspx

Parents: Cyber bullying led to a teen's suicide

The parents of a 13 year old girl who's suicide was a result of a cruel cyber hoax are pushing for stronger laws to protect children. Tina and Ron Meier said that their daughter met a stranger on My Space named Josh Adams. They got to knw each other online and they really hit it off.All of the sudden some people spread vicious lies about Megan and Josh said that he had read the stories . He didn't want to see her anymore. She was a depressed girl and she hung herself in her own closet. Six weeks later the parents discovered that josh Evans never existed. It was a neighborhood mom posing to be Josh Evans.

Amanda Lenhart, the author of " Cyber bullying" says that one third of all teenagers have been a target of Cyber bullying.They receive private emails that are forwarded and threatening messages.
Teens have always treated each other badly; however cyber bullying has turned more and more deadly.
Phoebe Prince is the latest victim of cyber bullying. She was 14 and people were sending her hateful emails according to her classmate Jessica Chapdelaine. Someone told her to hang herself and she did. Phoebe isn't alone . There are many cases of cyber torment. According to internet safety expert Patty Aftab on "Good Morning America" some kids can't overcome this kind of bullying becasue it doesn't stay in the schoolyard...it goes home with you. The average teen is connected with technology all of the time.
She suggests:
1. teenagers should"stop,block and tell" a parent or a teacher when this happens to him.
2. If a kid is avoiding Face book or is email ask him what is going on.
3. Be proactive: talk to your kid early. Make it clear you will help him solve it quickly.
4. If bullies torment the teen, tell the teen to walk away from the computer . Take a few minutes to calm down and then block the tormentor from all of the teen's accounts.
5. Explain to him how blocking works.

What do you think? Have you experienced this with a child or with a friend's child? A neighborhood kid?Do you think that follwoing these steps is enough? or dowe need more programs to inform kids hwo to block bullies?
Le us know what you think ...
And do you think more legislation would be helpful?