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Updated: 11:57 PM Apr 8, 2008
Teens Gone Wild With Internet Videos
Florida incident latest bullying tape shown on Web A video on the Internet shows teenagers out of control. Six girls were videotaped slapping and punching another girl in Lakeland, Florida. What drives kids to do such a thing?
Posted: 9:34 PM Apr 8, 2008Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com |
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A video on the Internet shows teenagers out of control. Six girls were videotaped slapping and punching another girl in Lakeland, Florida. What drives kids to do such a thing?
“It makes me furious that somebody would actually post this on the Internet or even want to because that's just like, degrading," says 16-year-old Alana.
"Where were their parents?” asks 18-year-old Jon.
“I think that most parents don't have any idea how cruel teens can be to one another," says Alana.
Omaha teenagers Alana and Jon also see problems in their own school. “They'll record the fights and I'll see kids come to class and take it out and be like, hey man, come look at this. Somebody's fighting and then they all crowd around and watch and laugh. I can't believe that they do that."
It does happen. A year ago, a fight in a hallway of Northwest High School landed on the Internet. Four years ago, students in Millard videotaped the beating of a 16-year-old boy.
“Just thinking how powerful all of our technology has become and contributing to the intensity of bullying, we just see it all the time." Child psychologist Dr. Patricia Newman started a program to teach children to respect others.
The solution starts with parents setting a good example. "Just talking with our kids and helping them think about relationships and how you treat other people,” says Dr. Newman. “And that there are other options, you don't have to act impulsively."
These teens did get that talk and they don't see violence as a way to solve anything. “To publicly humiliate somebody like that is just not right," says Alana.
Sometimes teens turn to the Internet for bullying not only with videos, but through e-mail and posts on MySpace.
Many leave anonymous comments so feelings can escalate. One way parents can step in is to have children give them their passwords and let them know they can monitor their activities at anytime.
In the Florida incident, the 16-year-old victim suffered a concussion, and has hearing loss in her left ear and some loss of vision in her left eye.
The six girls who attacked her range in age from 14-17. They face charges of battery, false imprisonment and kidnapping.
Two boys, ages 17 and 18, accused of acting as lookouts outside the house in which the beating took place on March 30th also face charges.







