“Making Kind Cool”: Parents' Suggestions for Preventing Cyber Bullying and Fostering Cyber Kindness

Cyber bullying among youth is rapidly becoming a global phenomenon, as educators, parents and policymakers grapple with trying to curtail this negative and sometimes devastating behavior. Since most cyber bullying emanates from the home computer, parents can play an important role in preventing cyber bullying and in fostering a kinder online world, or what might be termed “cyber kindness.” In this study, we examine parents' knowledge of social networking technology, their level of concern with cyber bullying, their experiences with cyber bullying, and their ideas for preventing cyber bullying and promoting cyber kindness. Three hundred and fifteen parents from three schools in British Columbia, Canada completed a questionnaire, primarily involving open-ended, written responses. We found that parents are not very familiar with the newer forms of online social networking, such as Facebook, blogs, and chat rooms. Further, they are not overly concerned about the problem of cyber bullying, nor are they aware of the extent of cyber bullying among their children. Although a minority of parents looked to stricter controls over technology and more stringent punishment as the solution, most parents thought a more effective way, in the long-term, was for adults in the home and school to model the right behavior, provide opportunities to dialogue with youth, and develop school curricula on this theme. The results demonstrate the need for collaboration among students, parents, and educators.