Ava Alonzo | Opinion Piece
When one thinks of bullying, it’s common to envision someone getting shoved into a locker, receiving a wedgie, or getting your head put in a toilet. However, I feel a lot of people turn a blind eye towards bullying today since it is mostly online.
Bullying happens everyday via social media. False information is spread online, physical threats, explicit pictures are sent without consent. These are just some examples. Cyberbullying can occur at any time of the day, and can be anonymous. As more and more social media platforms are created, more anonymous bullies hide behind a screen.
As a person who has grown up with social media, I’ve definitely witnessed the horrific stories of teens who have taken their own life because of cyberbullying. Sad as it is, years later cyberbullying is still as prevalent as ever. Any punishment for bullies can never bring a victim back. Each state has laws or regulations in place to address physical bullying, but not as many for cyberbullying. Some states have attempted to adopt legislation imposing stricter penalties for cyberbullying. Fourteen states have implemented legislation making cyberbullying illegal, with those found guilty facing fines of up to $2,500 and a year in prison.
Bullying, in any form, may be emotionally, physically, and mentally damaging. I’m hoping more states will enact laws to hold bullies responsible for the damage they cause. If you know someone who is being bullied or has been bullied in the past, reach out to them and express your concern.
Ava Alonzo is currently a sophomore here at TCC. She plans to transfer to Florida State University to major in Communications.
