This presentation discusses rising concerns about cyberbullying and proposes solutions from a crisis communications perspective. It provides an overview of the current state of cyberbullying, noting how embracing new technologies has both benefits and risks, with bullying being one such risk that now occurs online. The presentation reviews literature on cyberbullying and challenges in addressing it in the 21st century. It discusses how cyberbullying relates to crisis communication and suggests developing a risk communication strategy that involves educating all parties, encouraging protective behavior, and providing warnings. The presentation proposes that education is key and that mobile technologies and emerging VR/AR platforms may continue posing new challenges regarding cyberbullying.

1. RISING CONCERNS AND PROPOSED SOLUTIONS
FROM CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
Taking on the cyberbullying epidemic:
Bullies, Bullied, and Bystanders: Advancing Knowledge, Understanding, and Practice in Education
Dublin, Ireland
9-10, June 2016

2. KAREN FREBERG
(UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, USA)
@KFREBERG
&
SABRINA PAGE
(WALTER STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, USA)
@SPAGE2

3. @kfreberg & @spage2
AGENDA
▸ Introductions
▸ Overview of the current state of
cyberbullying
▸ Literature Review
▸ Challenges and obstacles in
cyberbullying in the 21st century
▸ Connection to crisis communication /
Rise of new challenges
▸ Discussions and Future Steps
▸ Q&As

4. CRISES AS “A SERIOUS THREAT TO THE BASIC
STRUCTURES OR THE FUNDAMENTAL VALUES AND
NORMS OF A SOCIAL SYSTEM, WHICH – UNDER TIME
PRESSURE AND HIGHLY UNCERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES –
NECESSITATES MAKING CRITICAL DECISIONS.”
Rosenthal & Kuzmin, 1997, p.280
@kfreberg & @spage2

5. A PANDEMIC ON
THE RISE
CURRENT STATE OF
CYBERBULLYING

6. AN OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATE OF CYBERBULLYING
‣ Embracing new emerging communication technologies has both provided new benefits as
well as risks to the global society.
‣ One of these risks is one that is seen in context numerous times offline and now online,
which is bullying.
‣ There are many circumstances in which bullying can occur in various contexts and its
impact felt not only by the individual but those around them.
‣ Recognizing the long term impact of bullying and cyberbullying specifically, this exploratory
paper examines the impact of the rising concern of cyberbullying among young teenagers
and adults.
This presentation and paper will attempt to tie in the cyberbullying literature with the crisis
communication literature to help address current challenges, offer best practices, and forecast
future implications to practice and research.
@kfreberg & @spage2

8. AN OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATE OF CYBERBULLYING
‣ TEACHING CHILDREN TO BULLY
‣ INTERNET AND RISE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING
‣ RISE OF MOBILE MESSAGING APPS FOR CYBERBULLYING
@kfreberg & @spage2

9. @kfreberg & @spage2
RISE OF MOBILE APPS FOR CYBERBULLYING
▸ YIKYAK
▸ Check ins that are anonymous
▸ Rise of use on college campuses + schools
▸ Used to engage with students proactively in some cases
▸ PEEPLE
▸ “Yelp for Peeple”
▸ Rate people just with phone numbers
▸ Can’t take down unless the person who wrote the review takes it down
▸ Recommendations instead of Ratings of people due to backlash

10. @kfreberg & @spage2
RISE OF MOBILE APPS FOR CYBERBULLYING
▸ SNAPCHAT
▸ Rising Mobile messaging app
where content “disappears”
▸ Screen shots and stories /
Google does not forget
▸ Direct messaging / Rise of
one to one and many-to-one
cyber bullying activities
▸ Indirect cyberbullying (FOMO
+ feeling lonely /not part of
the story)

11. @kfreberg & @spage2
RISE OF MOBILE APPS FOR CYBERBULLYING
▸ GLOBAL APPS
▸ WhatsApp
▸ Line
▸ WeChat
▸ Viber
▸ Facebook Messenger
▸ Skype
▸ USA APPS
▸ Instagram
▸ Snapchat
▸ People
▸ YikYak

12. CRISIS
COMMUNICATIONS
APPLICABLE
CONNECTION TO

13. @kfreberg & @spage2
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
‣ CYBERBULLYING & CRISIS MANAGEMENT
‣ Crisis communication and social
media research becoming an
established area .
‣ Rise of social media to formulate
opportunities, but raise challenges.
‣ Establishes identity, reputation, and
communities (Kietzmann et al, 2011).
‣ Reputations are at risk due to being
“intangibles” & influenced by
perceptions of others (Ott &
Theunissen, 2015).
‣ Emotional support & venting
(Brummette & Sisco, 2015).
‣ Reactions differ on social media
depending on situation and
community (Gaspar et al 2016).

14. @kfreberg & @spage2
DEVELOPING A RISK COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
‣ RCS 1. Inform or educate people about the risks and provide examples of
those risks.
‣ RCS 2. Behavior Change and Protective Action. Encouraging individual risk-
reduction behavior and to motivate people to take action when they see
something.
‣ RCS 3. Warnings and Emergency Information. Provide direction and
behavioral guidance should they see something.
‣ RCS 4. Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution. Involving the community in
risk management decisions that aid in resolving health and safety
‣ RCS 5. Measure and listen in real time for early warning signs in case this
happens again to communities offline and online.

15. FUTURE
IMPLICATIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS

16. @kfreberg & @spage2
FUTURE IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
‣ EDUCATION IS KEY FOR ENGAGING AND
INFORMING ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.
‣ Continued efforts to create bridges for
audiences globally on the rising challenges,
opportunities, and best practices in
handling this epidemic.
‣ MOBILE WILL CONTINUE TO RISE AS A
DOMINANT MEDIUM AND CHANNEL FOR
POTENTIAL RISKS AND CHALLENGES FOR
CYBER BULLYING.
‣ Continue in popularity and
challenges due to encryption,
secretly , and privacy issues.
‣ RISE OF THE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND
CONSEQUENCES OF EXPERIENTIAL MEDIA
(EX. OCULUS RIFT AND VR, MICROSOFT
HOLOLENS, ETC)

17. @kfreberg & @spage2
RESOURCES
Common Sense Media. (2016, March 1). 16 apps and websites kids are heading to after Facebook.
Retrieved from
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/16-apps-and-websites-kids-are-heading-to-after-facebook
‣ Pew Research Center (2016, January). Parents, teens, and digital monitoring. Retrieved from http://
www.pewinternet.org/2016/01/07/parents-teens-and-digital-monitoring/.
‣ Pew Research Center (2016, February). “Smartphone Ownership and Internet usage continues to
climb in emerging economies.”
‣ Pew Research Center (2016, March). “Digital Life in 2025” Available at
http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/03/11/digital-life-in-2025/

18. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?