ABSTRACT
Today’s youth spend a growing part of their lives on a “cyber island” where adults generally are not invited (Shariff & Hoff, 2007). Moreover, because youth so quickly and easily assimilate rapid changes in technology, there is a growing digital and communication “disconnect” between adults on the “mainland” and youth on their “island.” While many young people experience their cyber island as a positive and productive place, use their cyber “tools” wisely, and demonstrate that they are “remarkably capable of dealing with Internet problems” (Nigam & Collier, 2010:17), other young people have a more negative experience. For example, some engage in cyberbullying, which harms those who initiate it, those who witness it, and those who are the targets. In response to cyberbullying, a rapidly growing body of prevention initiatives and activities (and more broadly, digital safety tools) is available to help teach young people about appropriate online behaviors. As a result, today, educators and parents with busy schedules and limited resources may be saying, “At first, I thought I could not keep up with the kids and their digital world, now I cannot keep up with the prevention tools either!”
