ABSTRACT
The home, neighborhood, and school are all recognized as important social and physical contexts within which adolescents develop. Bullying-an all too common form of youthful violence-has historically affected only children and teenagers while at school,5 while traveling to or from school, or in public places such as playgrounds and bus stops. Modern technology, however, has enabled would-be bullies to extend the reach of their aggression and threats beyond this physical setting through what can be termed cyberbul-10 lying, where tech-savvy students are able to harass others day and night using technological devices such as computer systems and cellular phones. Computers occupy a significant proportion of the homes in which children reside and are frequently used for social, en-15 tertainment, academic, and productivity needs (National Telecommunications and Information Administration [NTIA], 2002). Moreover, cellular phones are gaining widespread popularity and use among the younger age groups because they are perceived as a20 status symbol, allow for conversations with friends in different physical spaces, and provide a virtual tether of sorts for parents, allowing for supervision from afar.
