HHS HealthBeat (January 25, 2008)

Electronic aggression

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

It’s new media, but this probably doesn’t count as progress. A kid can now threaten another kid by texting.

That’s a form of what’s called electronic aggression. It’s all the old stuff – teasing, being rude, lying about people, mocking them, or threatening – occurring through new technology.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been looking into the problem. CDC officials say a lot is not yet known. But researcher Marci Hertz says being a victim can hurt some kids:

``For example, they’re more likely to get detention, to skip school, to be suspended, have behavioral problems, and experience distress as a result of their victimization.’’ (9 seconds)

Hertz’s colleague Corinne Ferdon says parents can do a lot to deal with electronic aggression. Parents should talk with their children about their technology use and connect with others to develop solutions.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: January, 24 2008