The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

E-aggression a health risk

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognize electronic aggression as an emerging adolescent health risk.
  • Electronic aggression occurs through new media technology like text messaging, social networking Web sites, blogs and chat rooms.
  • Victims may be at higher risk for behavioral problems such as drug and alcohol abuse, conduct problems at school and emotional distress.
  • The CDC encourages parents and school administrators to take a unified approach to preventing electronic aggression victims.

Teenage bullies have extended their torture from hallways and playgrounds to cell phones and the Internet. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognize electronic aggression as an emerging adolescent health risk.

Electronic aggression uses new media technology such as text messaging, social networking Web sites, blogs, chat rooms and instant messaging. The CDC said victims may be at higher risk for behavioral problems such as drug and alcohol abuse, conduct problems at school, emotional distress, as well as a greater chance of in-person aggression.

The CDC noted several positive effects of using new communication technology to easily develop new relationships, but there are risks of embarrassment, harassment and threats. The CDC reported that electronic aggression occurs most frequently in instant messaging.

New media technology creates a distance for communication, making people more at ease to criticize, said Jim Pokrywczynski, an associate professor of advertising and public relations. He said it could lead to detrimental effects because there are fewer consequences for this type of aggression.

Pokrywczynski said he covered bullying and relationship building through the Internet in one of his classes.

Now anyone can use the Internet to voice an opinion and be heard by the world. It gives people a new sense of participation, he said.

"If you wanted to speak out to a lot of people, you used to have to stand on a soapbox in the center of town," Pokrywczynski said. "But now the Internet is essentially an international soapbox so you can spread your venom to more people."

As new media technology advances, Pokrywczynski said he sees the potential for electronic aggression to get worse. He said adults, too, can become victims, but that most adults know how to deal with electronic remarks.

When cyberbullies post embarrassing photos of others online, Pokrywczynski said other disorders might come into play, such as anorexia and bulimia. He said resorting to new media for making friends could also hinder the development of traditional social skills.

To combat the issue, the CDC calls for school administrators to talk with students and staff, develop policies and programs and provide training if needed. It also advises parents to communicate with their children about how to appropriately and safely use the technology to prevent becoming victims.

Pokrywczynski said parents are the most important form of prevention and they need to make sure electronic communication does not become the alternative to making friends in person.

Gee Ekachai, an associate professor of advertising and public relations, said privacy is the most important issue. She said children need to be more careful when posting pictures and writing on others' profiles online.

"It's a lot easier to be aggressive online without thinking," Ekachai said.

In addition to aggression, she said stalking is another negative side effect of electronic communication that can hurt both young people and adults.

Liz Hauser, a freshman in the College of Communication, said she used social networking Web sites such as MySpace to connect to new people in high school. Attending three different high schools before college, Hauser said she would add students on MySpace to let them know that she would be moving to their school, which helped to make an easier transition.

"You can connect to more people a lot quicker, but it's never a true representation of ourselves," Hauser said. "You might have 600 friends and only really talk to five of them."

The CDC warns that as technology advances, users keep getting younger.

Hauser said her younger sister, who started text messaging around age 13, supports this claim.

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