STUDENTS in Bathurst have been put on notice, cyber bullying is a crime.
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Yesterday Year 9 students from Kelso and Bathurst Highs learnt exactly what cyber bullying involves and the sorts of punishment they can expect if they are caught partaking in such activities such as fines, community service and in extreme cases, prision.
Member for Bathurst Gerard Martin joined School Liaison Officer, Senior Constable Amanda Beatty, to discuss the impact of cyber crime and how not to use the Internet.
“I think it’s a good rule that if you can’t show your grandparents a particular picture of yourself then it should not be put on the Internet,” Snr Constable Beatty told the students.
“You also need permission from your friends to up-load pictures of them to social networking sites and you should never share your password even with your friends.”
‘Cyber bullying’ is when a child, pre-teen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, pre-teen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones.
In recent years the issue has risen to the surface, with mobile phones more commonly used to film acts of violence and teenagers more likely to post inappropriate information on social networking sites.
In an attempt to stamp out the problem, NSW Police, through the School Liaison Program, made more than 4,000 school visits in 2008.
Mr Martin said holding information sessions like the one yesterday was important to let the victims of cyber bullying know they are not alone.
“Recent research conducted by the Child Health Promotion Research Centre in Western Australia suggested that up to 15 per cent of 10 to 14-year-olds have experienced cyber bullying,” he said.
“The workshops conducted by our School Liaison Police are designed to provide young people with information about cyber crime and what they can do to protect themselves.
“It’s important that young people are able to recognise cyber crime and realise that it’s a real crime with real consequences.”