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Christina Thai
Professor Collins
ENGL 1302
31 March 2016
The Cyberbullying Epidemic
The documentary, Cyberbullies: A Killer Network, produced by RT Documentary in
January 2016, films the growth of cyberbullying from the beginning, how the bullying changes
into abuse, and the effects cyberbullying takes on the victims and those around them. James, one
of the filmmakers, interviews different points of views; from families to activists around the
United Kingdom, who have either experienced the cyberbullying themselves or were affected by
their loved ones who ended their lives due to cyberbullying (Cyberbullies: A). Reciprocal,
proximate, necessary, and remote causes in the video, Cyberbullies: A Killer Network, aim to
prove that cyberbullying is developing into more of an epidemic problem due to the growth of
technology.
A reciprocal cause in the video was shown through the argument of how technology and
social media connects everyone online, which increases the chances of victimization from
cyberbullying and could cause one to face the effects of bullying. People are constantly
connected around the clock, causing them to always remain targeted. Victims receive messages
sent from others that can easily be misinterpreted, which leads to bantering and could turn into
abuse, (Cyberbullies: A). Due to the advancement of technology, people remain linked to one
another in the click of a button. Because of this connection, the downside allows cyberbullies to
invoke negative comments easily to those chosen by the bullies on social media. The
cyberbullies hide behind a screen in the comfort of their homes while causing trouble to others
who they dislike, go against their beliefs on a certain topic, or do not like the way the victims

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present themselves on the internet. As a result, the victim believes those comments about
themselves and may start to feel useless, which could lead to suicidal thoughts or attempts to be
made. In an essay by Mona OMoore, a professor and head of the Department of Education at
Trinity College Dublin and founder of the Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Unit, she states
that Cyber-bullying has been defined as wilful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of
computers, cell phones and other electronic devices, it can be an extension of traditional
bullying with technology providing the perpetrator with another way to abuse their target,
(OMoore). This shows how technology remains a factor to how cyberbullying began because
cyberbullying only occurs online and in order from someone to be online, technology is needed.
This argument effectively supports the facts of how people use technology for everyday
functions; entertainment, interacting, and business. By technology developing into more of the
norm and social media creating a new world of connecting to others, it has allowed cyberbullies
to easily pick on their victims.
Once the cyberbullying occurs, the victim begins to change in behavior, attitude, and look
on life which represented a proximate cause to occur. The proximate cause presented in this
documentary was in the discussion of the effects of ones family and themselves when
experiencing the cyberbullying first-hand. In the film, Dr. Emma Short, a psychologist at the
University of Bedfordshire, discusses how in one-third of the group who were cyberbullied
showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, which includes things like flashbacks, real
problems concentrating, work is harder, suicidal thoughts and attempts (Cyberbullies: A). An
article written by Hugues Sampasa-Kanyinga, Paul Roumeliotis, and Hao Xu, doctors affiliated
with Ottawa Public Health in Ontario, Canada, stated that Bullying has been linked to health
problems in teens, including anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm, and disruptive

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behaviors, therefore, with the increase in technology, cyberbullying continues to add onto the
discussion of teen deaths by becoming another form bullying (Sampasa-Kanyinga). This
argument is not effective due to the lack of facts that stated in the video. The statement had no
support and only came from one source. Therefore, the video cannot conclude all children who
get in touch with the cyberbully experience will have signs of post-traumatic stress disorder such
as flashbacks, real problems concentrating, work seems more complicated, and suicidal thoughts
and attempts. Although there is no evidence to prove this statement to be true, the argument
could assume as logical to the audience as a result of how the video presents the stories of the
victims and the symptoms as evidence. This remark could show how technology is causing
cyberbullies to affect their victims not only physical but mentally as well.
A necessary argument presented in the film shows that social media needs to be present
or cyberbullying will not occur since the victims shown each had their own account on websites,
such as Facebook or Myspace (Cyberbullies: A). This allows cyberbullies to have easy access
to the victims while having the benefit of being behind a small screen, in the comfort of their
home, and remain anonymous all at the same time. The argument was effectively shown in the
video but used non-credible facts due to the evidence not including a credible background to
prove the argument true. However, due to the increase in demand of technology for everyday
life, teens are using more social media as a way to connect with others around the world, but
With the proliferation of online social media, cyberbullying is also taking place, with about
20% of adolescents being victimized in the past year (Sampasa-Kanyinga). Since times are
changing, the way of bullying has advanced as well, but not in a healthy way.
The growth of technology affects the world and the people, The internet is the greatest
communication device ever created but in a way, it has made us less social, as we hide behind

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our screens, we spend less time interacting with each other face to face,(Cyberbullies: A).
This remote cause shows how the internet holds an indirect explanation to how humans continue
having less face-to-face interaction. In an article by Junghyun Kim, Robert LaRose, and Wei
Peng from Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a web-based peer-reviewed
scholarly journal that focuses on social science research into cyberspace, research found that the
use of the internet can cause the negative effects on the psychological wellbeing; such as
depression and loneliness (Junghyun). Over time, people begin to rely more on the internet to
find partners in life, friends, and to reconnect with family. Online users increasingly depend on
the internet for this connection and less on social interaction. As a result, internet users to use
less of their social skills and lessen them, causing these users to be awkward and not familiar
with talking face to face and would rather talk behind a screen. This could possibly lead certain
individuals to stalk and mess with others since they no longer use this social skill frequently. The
argument did not effectively support the argument with the videos examples and other statistical
data but no credible was stated for the data given. However, it could assume as logical to the
audience as a result of how technology is causing people to interact less and the hypothetical
scenarios shown in the video.
In the documentary, Cyberbullies: A Killer Network, produced by RT Documentary,
reciprocal, proximate, necessary, and remote causes were stated in the film to support the
purpose of how Cyberbullying is progressing into an epidemic problem due to the increase in use
of technology. The arguments in this video were not all effective due to the credibility of the
sources not being stated, the lack of evidence to support the causes, and the usage of inaccurate
facts. However, the film got its point across to show how Cyberbullying is transforming into

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more of a problem for teenagers as the advancement of social media and technology continues to
advance for the future.

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Work Cited
"Cyberbullies: A Killer Network." YouTube. YouTube, 4 Jan. 2016. Web. 08 Mar. 2016.
This film, present by the RT Documentary shows the audience the insider of the new
wave of bullying; cyberbullying. The documentary shows how families and teens who
have experienced cyberbullying are affected by the aftermath of this growing way of
abuse. This film will be the base of what the paper will be about because of the
arguments stated in video.
Junghyun Kim, Robert LaRose, Wei Peng. Loneliness as the Cause and the Effect of
Problematic Internet Use: The Relationship between Internet Use and Psychological
Well-Being. Cyberpsychology & Behavior (2009). Academic Search Complete. Web. 3
March. 2016.
In this study, the assumptions that one of the main motives that drove individuals
Internet use was to relieve psychological problems. Individuals who were lonely or did
not have well used social skills were tested to see if they would have negative life
outcomes. This paper will use this source to back up the cause of the cyberbullies to
occur and the effects of Internet use.
OMoore, Mona. "Cyber-Bullying: The Situation In Ireland." Pastoral Care In Education 30.3
(2012): 209-223. Academic Search Complete. Web. 8 Mar. 2016.
The paper is based on a survey of cyber-bullying that was in Ireland. The survey shows
the levels of cyberbullying through the different categories of (text message bullying, the
sending of pictures and video clips via mobile telephones, threatening calls, emails,
instant messages and abuse via social networking sites and chat rooms). This paper will
be used to prove how social media is a cause of cyberbullying.

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Sampasa-Kanyinga, Hugues, Paul Roumeliotis, and Hao Xu. "Associations Between
Cyberbullying And School Bullying Victimization And Suicidal Ideation, Plans And
Attempts Among Canadian Schoolchildren." Plos ONE 9.7 (2014): 1-9. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 3 Mar. 2016.
In this study, the associations between cyberbullying and school bullying victimization
with suicidal ideas, plans and attempts among middle and high school students, and to
test whether these relationships were true by reports of depression. Students from seventh
to twelfth grade were given a survey and the results showed depression mediated all
relationships. This source to back up the effect talked about in the documentary.