As technology continues to develop and young people find new ways to communicate, the issue of cyberbullying continues to grow. Cyberbullying can spiral out of control, resulting in very real mental health issues and even suicide. This frank but thoughtful volume provides tips on how to stay safe and comfortable online while still being able to have fun and communicate with friends. It offers helpful resources on reporting bullying behavior, blocking potential threats, and knowing where to go to find safe spaces online and in social situations where online bullying overflows into real life.

Verbal bullying is a type of psychological and emotional abuse, and can often have an even greater impact than a bully who uses their fists to inflict damage. What can a young person do in the face of name-calling and insults that seem harmless to many outsiders? Through this comprehensive volume, readers will learn how a bully becomes a bully, what constitutes verbal bullying, and where to seek help. It includes valuable resources from anti-bullying organizations and specifically addresses verbal bullying against members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Sometimes the most painful type of bullying is the kind that is inflicted upon a young person by peers or classmates. Social alienation or bullying behavior by acquaintances can have a huge impact when you just can't leave the environment where it's taking place. This can happen in school or at events where a certain social circle is present. Backing away and combatting the bullying can result in further isolation. This helpful volume delves into what a young person can do to recognize bullying behavior, develop a coping strategy, and find someone who can help.

Bullying continues to be an issue for many teens, both in school and online. One type of frequently ignored bullying is that which takes place in the home, often at the hand of a parent, sibling, or other relative. That makes this type of bullying easy to overlook but it is still potentially very damaging. This engaging volume digs into the often misunderstood situations in which a young person might find themselves the victim of a bully within their own home. It includes tips for finding help and knowing who to talk to when the trouble at home becomes too much.

As young people continue to share more of their lives online, social media opens up increasing opportunities for international dialogue, but it also means they run the risk of encountering the problematic parts of a virtual community, such as cyber mobs, bullies, and trolls. This thoroughly researched volume takes a deep dive into these issues, examining the reasons they happen, common ways to identify them, and tips for protecting oneself from becoming a victim. Full-color photographs, quotes from experts, sidebars, and discussion questions help readers develop a comprehensive overview of online issues and take precautions in their digital life.

As social media and other internet platforms develop and connect users in increasingly unique ways, the opportunities for cyberbullying to occur on those platforms develop as well. The demographics for cyberbullying are diverse too, including everyone from young teens to celebrities who are more used to public scrutiny. In this collection of articles, readers will discover how news coverage of cyberbullying has evolved, and how law enforcement, app developers, and even advertisers are involved in combatting this serious and sometimes deadly trend. Media literacy terms and questions will enhance readers' connection to the text.

Written by an expert in media, popular culture, gender, and sexuality, this book surveys the common archetypes of Internet users—from geeks, nerds, and gamers to hackers, scammers, and predators—and assesses what these stereotypes reveal about our culture's attitudes regarding gender, technology, intimacy, and identity. The Internet has enabled an exponentially larger number of people—individuals who are members of numerous and vastly different subgroups—to be exposed to one other. As a result, instead of the simple "jocks versus geeks" paradigm of previous eras, our society now has more detailed stereotypes of the undesirable, the under-the-radar, and the ostracized: cyberpervs, neckbeards, goths, tech nerds, and anyone with a non-heterosexual identity. Each chapter of this book explores a different stereotype of the Internet user, with key themes—such as gender, technophobia, and sexuality—explored with regard to that specific characterization of online users. Author Lauren Rosewarne, PhD, supplies a highly interdisciplinary perspective that draws on research and theories from a range of fields—psychology, sociology, and communications studies as well as feminist theory, film theory, political science, and philosophy—to analyze what these stereotypes mean in the context of broader social and cultural issues. From cyberbullies to chronically masturbating porn addicts to desperate online-daters, readers will see the paradox in popular culture's message: that while Internet use is universal, actual Internet users are somehow subpar—less desirable, less cool, less friendly—than everybody else.