In cyberbullying cases, it’s easy to be complicit
UVic researcher says many don’t know how to help
Cyberbullying makes bystanders out of everyone who clicks and looks, whether they are children, teens or adults, a University of Victoria expert said Wednesday.
Brett Holfeld, a researcher in the University of Victoria psychology department who has been studying the phenomenon of cyberbullying for 10 years, was commenting on news that the Oak Bay High School’s Junior A boys basketball team had been withdrawn from city playoffs after an online bullying incident.
Holfeld said online communication can make everyone who views a cruel post or picture complicit in the incident.
“The bystanders group is probably the most important group in the cyberbullying picture,” Holfeld said. “But what are the most appropriate ways for kids to respond to these types of situations?
“There should be people in position who are at least aware of the technology, aware of the types of things kids do online.”
Earlier this month, the basketball team — made up of Grade 9 and 10 boys — went from league leaders to out of the playoffs after one boy took what the district superintendent called a “highly inappropriate” picture of a teammate and posted it online, resulting in harassment and abuse of the boy.
Most of the team didn’t take part, but knew about the picture, so school officials decided to cancel the team’s season.
Oak Bay principal Dave Thomson has refused to comment, but according to Greater Victoria School District superintendent Piet Langstraat, the incident had a serious effect on the boy whose picture was taken. Langstraat credited the teen for having the courage to remain at Oak Bay High.
He said counselling has been arranged for the boy, as well as for the instigator.
“I’m also concerned about the kids who are doing the bullying,” he said Wednesday. “They, too, need support or counselling to see what is causing them to behave this way.”
Holfeld said such followup work is crucial, since without it, any punishment will fail to have any good effect.
He also said the school has to reach out beyond the victim and bully to the rest of the team and other students.
“There are probably lots of other kids who saw this online,” Holfeld said.
“But the kids who see these kinds of things don’t even know how to help, or the people they do tell aren’t even assisting to resolve the situation.”
Holfeld said it’s important for schools, parents and other authorities to put in place clear, wellknown mechanisms, procedures and guidelines on how to react when they encounter a cyberbullying incident.
“I don’t think there is a right way or a wrong way to do it,” Holfeld said. “But they should have a clear process in place and everyone should know about it and they need to assess whether it’s working.”
Holfeld agreed that publicity about victims such as Amanda Todd, the 15-year-old girl from Port Coquitlam who killed herself in 2012 after she was harassed online, have raised awareness of cyberbullying.
But children are still handed cellphones and given access to computers without good oversight.
“You see children at younger and younger ages having cellphones, playing on computers or with tablets,” Holfeld said.
“When you are teaching your kid to ride a bike, you don’t just give them a bicycle and expect them to figure it out,” he said. “Why should it be any different with technology?”
Holfeld acknowledged, however, that it can be tough for parents if they haven’t grown up with the technology.
“They don’t have a good understanding of the technology themselves.”