If you really want to understand cyberbullying, take advantage
of a perspective that’s essential to the discussion. View it
from the inside-out – from teens’ perspective, rather than that
of adults on the outside looking in. “Friending” our kids online
can help fill in the picture a bit, but talking with our own
children and checking in on the work of researchers who talk
with lots of other young people offers a much clearer, more
complete picture – whether you’re setting household or school
policy. [Using technology to monitor their social-media activity
only offers out-of-context freeze frames of the fluid dynamics
of school life and adolescent relationships.] One such
researcher is danah boyd, who recently zoomed in on the role of
attention-seeking in cyberbullying. Think about how people value
each other’s attention. Sure, some people more than others, but
it has some value to most of us. Then think about how little
children get approval and reality checks from their parents with
“Mom, watch me!” or “Dad,