Real-World Dangers in an Online Reality: A Qualitative Study Examining Online Relationships and Cyber Abuse

Children and youths use electronic technology such as the Internet more than any other medium through which to communicate and socialize. To understand the phenomenon of cyber abuse from children's and youths' perspectives, the authors examined anonymous posts made by children and youths to a free, 24-hour, national, bilingual phone and Web counseling, referral, and information service. The children and youths were between 11 and 24 years of age (average = 14 years). This analysis of anonymous posts by children and youths provides information about their involvement in online interactions and their experiences with cyber abuse. Findings revealed the regularity and importance of the Internet and communication technology for socialization; the forms, extent, and impact of cyber abuse; and children and youths' fear of disclosing cyber abuse to adults, particularly parents. Implications for parents, social workers, and other practitioners, researchers, and policymakers are discussed. KEY WORDS: children; cyber abuse; online interactions; online socialization; youths ********** Long before the rise of the Internet generation, mesa mogul Marshall McLuhan (1964) declared, the medium is the message. This timeless allocution remains relevant in today's society, in which online technology shapes how humans communicate. Communication technology is growing exponentially with each successive generation as a central fixture within our society. Children and youths use technology such as the Internet more than any other medium through which to communicate and socialize (Kaynay & Yelsma, 2000; Nie & Hillygus, 2002). The rapid increase in use of the Internet and other forms of technology such as instant messaging, e-mail, social networking sites, and Webcams has enabled children and youths to engage in a vast array of experiences beyond the confines of their homes, schools, and local communities. Although most of these online interactions are neutral or positive (Finkelhor, Mitchell, & Wolak, 2000), the accessibility and anonymity of electronic technology may place children and youths at heightened risk for victimization (Ybarra, 2004). Long-standing threats such as abuse have evolved within these new technologies, allowing children and youths to be victimized by people of all ages who are both known and unknown to them and regardless of geographic proximity (Kanani & Regehr, 2003). The purpose of this article is to increase understanding of children and youths' online interactions and experiences of cyber abuse. We report on an examination of concerns posted by children and youths about online interactions and abuse to Canada's only anonymous national, toll-free, 24-hour, bilingual phone and Web counseling, referral, and information service for children and youths between the ages of 4 and 20 years. There has been a veritable explosion of traffic through the Web site since it was launched in 2004. The vast majority of time children and youths spend on the Internet is devoted to social communication and interactions, both with their existing networks and with people they meet online (Gross, 2004; Wolak, Mitchell, & Finkelhor, 2003). Gross (2004) surveyed 261 students in grades 7 and 10 and found that, on average, students engaged in 40 minutes of instant messaging per day, which far exceeded the time they spent on any other online activity. Seventy-five percent of a sample comprising youths between 15 and 19 years of age used the Internet to instant message with their friends (Statistics Canada, 2001). Although the majority of youths communicate online with other individuals they already know (Gross, 2004; Valkenburg & Peter, 2007), approximately 14% state that they meet and develop close relationships with people not previously known to them (Wolak et al., 2003). Evidence suggests that students' use of the Internet to communicate with others whom they already know has an overall positive impact on the quality of their friendships and romantic relationships (Blais, Craig, Pepler, & Connolly, 2008; Valkenburg & Peter, 2007). …