1223 lines
65 KiB
Text
1223 lines
65 KiB
Text
<!DOCTYPE html>
|
||
<html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#"><head>
|
||
<script>(function(H){H.className=H.className+' js'})(document.documentElement)</script>
|
||
<meta charset="utf-8">
|
||
<meta name="searchgov_custom1" content="Assistant Secretary for Public A">
|
||
<meta name="searchgov_custom2" content="en">
|
||
<meta name="article:published_time" content="2019-09-24 10:17:46">
|
||
<meta name="article:modified_time" content="2025-02-05 19:11:00">
|
||
<meta property="og:type" content="Page">
|
||
<meta property="dcterms.type" content="Page">
|
||
<meta name="description" content="Many studies show that the media has the power to influence the public’s view of the world. That’s why it’s so important to get messages about bullying right">
|
||
<meta name="abstract" content="Many studies show that the media has the power to influence the public’s view of the world. That’s why it’s so important to get messages about bullying right">
|
||
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/media-guidelines/avoid">
|
||
<meta name="dcterms:dateModified" content="2025-02-05">
|
||
<meta property="og:site_name" content="StopBullying.gov">
|
||
<meta property="og:url" content="https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/media-guidelines/avoid">
|
||
<meta property="og:title" content="What to Avoid">
|
||
<meta property="og:description" content="Many studies show that the media has the power to influence the public’s view of the world. That’s why it’s so important to get messages about bullying right">
|
||
<meta property="og:image" content="https://www.stopbullying.gov/sites/default/files/styles/og_image_style/public/what_to_avoid.jpg?itok=DJO-XvS2">
|
||
<meta property="og:image:url" content="https://www.stopbullying.gov/sites/default/files/styles/og_image_style/public/what_to_avoid.jpg?itok=DJO-XvS2">
|
||
<meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://www.stopbullying.gov/sites/default/files/styles/og_image_style/public/what_to_avoid.jpg?itok=DJO-XvS2">
|
||
<meta property="og:image:width" content="1200">
|
||
<meta property="og:image:height" content="630">
|
||
<meta property="og:image:alt" content="What to avoid">
|
||
<meta property="og:updated_time" content="2025-02-05T14:11:23-0500">
|
||
<meta name="dcterms.title" content="What to Avoid">
|
||
<meta name="dcterms.creator" content="Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA)">
|
||
<meta name="dcterms.description" content="Many studies show that the media has the power to influence the public’s view of the world. That’s why it’s so important to get messages about bullying right">
|
||
<meta name="dcterms.format" content="text/html">
|
||
<meta name="dcterms.identifier" content="https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/media-guidelines/avoid">
|
||
<meta name="dcterms.language" content="en">
|
||
<meta name="dcterms.audience" content="General Public">
|
||
<meta name="dcterms.created" content="2019-09-24T10:17:46-0400">
|
||
<meta name="dcterms.modified" content="2025-02-05T14:11:23-0500">
|
||
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary">
|
||
<meta name="twitter:description" content="Many studies show that the media has the power to influence the public’s view of the world. That’s why it’s so important to get messages about bullying right">
|
||
<meta name="twitter:site" content="@HHSgov">
|
||
<meta name="twitter:title" content="What to Avoid">
|
||
<meta name="twitter:creator" content="@HHSgov">
|
||
<meta name="twitter:image" content="https://www.stopbullying.gov/sites/default/files/styles/og_image_style/public/what_to_avoid.jpg?itok=DJO-XvS2">
|
||
<meta name="Generator" content="Drupal 10 (https://www.drupal.org)">
|
||
<meta name="MobileOptimized" content="width">
|
||
<meta name="HandheldFriendly" content="true">
|
||
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
|
||
<script type="application/ld+json">{
|
||
"@context": "https://schema.org",
|
||
"@graph": [
|
||
{
|
||
"@type": "Article",
|
||
"headline": "What to Avoid",
|
||
"name": "What to Avoid",
|
||
"about": [
|
||
"Programs for Families and Children",
|
||
"General Public"
|
||
],
|
||
"description": "Many studies show that the media has the power to influence the public’s view of the world. That’s why it’s so important to get messages about bullying right",
|
||
"image": {
|
||
"@type": "ImageObject",
|
||
"url": "https://www.stopbullying.gov/sites/default/files/styles/og_image_style/public/what_to_avoid.jpg?itok=DJO-XvS2",
|
||
"width": "1200",
|
||
"height": "630"
|
||
},
|
||
"datePublished": "2019-09-24T10:17:46-0400",
|
||
"dateModified": "2025-02-05T14:11:23-0500",
|
||
"author": {
|
||
"@type": "Organization",
|
||
"name": "Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA)"
|
||
},
|
||
"publisher": {
|
||
"@type": "Organization",
|
||
"name": "US Department of Health and Human Services"
|
||
}
|
||
},
|
||
{
|
||
"@type": "WebPage",
|
||
"@id": "https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/media-guidelines/avoid"
|
||
}
|
||
]
|
||
}</script>
|
||
|
||
<title>What to Avoid | StopBullying.gov</title>
|
||
<link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_i1mORCa_cOc7S7D1KXiwQDMGTpY3EeFqqB4LtrbJ1xI.css?delta=0&language=en&theme=stopbullying&include=eJxFjFsOgzAMBC9kJUdChljEqvOQNxGlp-8H0P7NjFaLE0NKXBlCE0fCkjPij652-c3JZ2ejzRg4YxGAdwFtzSXW5oVNP0LyHqb1da_DrdTZeXfu-fkJ_xJm7XM1RZb03NeWhKBDDk2ysImPqFXHF_pbSCk">
|
||
<link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_nwL3MRx2vyTy5XwT5dqxmExMmlzalOGLKd9eW87shsk.css?delta=1&language=en&theme=stopbullying&include=eJxFjFsOgzAMBC9kJUdChljEqvOQNxGlp-8H0P7NjFaLE0NKXBlCE0fCkjPij652-c3JZ2ejzRg4YxGAdwFtzSXW5oVNP0LyHqb1da_DrdTZeXfu-fkJ_xJm7XM1RZb03NeWhKBDDk2ysImPqFXHF_pbSCk">
|
||
<link rel="stylesheet" media="print" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_IEweiw26a3JC3XP8Xj4zpA6PVRMLQMt51uE1hymubJM.css?delta=2&language=en&theme=stopbullying&include=eJxFjFsOgzAMBC9kJUdChljEqvOQNxGlp-8H0P7NjFaLE0NKXBlCE0fCkjPij652-c3JZ2ejzRg4YxGAdwFtzSXW5oVNP0LyHqb1da_DrdTZeXfu-fkJ_xJm7XM1RZb03NeWhKBDDk2ysImPqFXHF_pbSCk">
|
||
<link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_cgIoV-sU1-5fovyZLS9dYO_0vAPvk0cvk0pd8-7_2XE.css?delta=3&language=en&theme=stopbullying&include=eJxFjFsOgzAMBC9kJUdChljEqvOQNxGlp-8H0P7NjFaLE0NKXBlCE0fCkjPij652-c3JZ2ejzRg4YxGAdwFtzSXW5oVNP0LyHqb1da_DrdTZeXfu-fkJ_xJm7XM1RZb03NeWhKBDDk2ysImPqFXHF_pbSCk">
|
||
|
||
<script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_XlSMCwSDz4vsn5UflxexYhnGuhhPiyr2SsVv4uouJTQ.js?scope=header&delta=0&language=en&theme=stopbullying&include=eJxNjmsKwzAMgy-ULUcyJvYWM68JsdPH7dstpfSXpE8I1G0hg5wt9r-TSTz0CyYzqEW3l6iCFiRut_Zyg40ceHWV6ROp9Yr6PONtZiUJKnyZBMMBwBhbynHIu8wP3ypjZqRg4rwIMaBy8_i7twNHRUdW"></script>
|
||
|
||
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="57x57" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/apple-touch-icon-57x57.png">
|
||
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="114x114" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/apple-touch-icon-114x114.png">
|
||
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/apple-touch-icon-72x72.png">
|
||
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/apple-touch-icon-144x144.png">
|
||
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="60x60" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/apple-touch-icon-60x60.png">
|
||
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/apple-touch-icon-120x120.png">
|
||
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="76x76" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/apple-touch-icon-76x76.png">
|
||
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="152x152" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png">
|
||
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/favicon-196x196.png" sizes="196x196">
|
||
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/favicon-96x96.png" sizes="96x96">
|
||
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/favicon-32x32.png" sizes="32x32">
|
||
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/favicon-16x16.png" sizes="16x16">
|
||
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/favicon-128x128.png" sizes="128x128">
|
||
<meta name="application-name" content="StopBullying.gov">
|
||
<meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#FFFFFF">
|
||
<meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/mstile-144x144.png">
|
||
<meta name="msapplication-square70x70logo" content="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/mstile-70x70.png">
|
||
<meta name="msapplication-square150x150logo" content="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/mstile-150x150.png">
|
||
<meta name="msapplication-wide310x150logo" content="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/mstile-310x150.png">
|
||
<meta name="msapplication-square310x310logo" content="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/favicons/sb/mstile-310x310.png">
|
||
<!-- Google Tag Manager -->
|
||
<script>window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
|
||
(function (w, d, s, l, i) {
|
||
w[l] = w[l] || [];
|
||
w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(), event: 'gtm.js'});
|
||
var f = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j = d.createElement(s),
|
||
dl = l != 'dataLayer' ? '&l=' + l : '';
|
||
j.async = true;
|
||
j.src = 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id=' + i + dl;
|
||
f.parentNode.insertBefore(j, f);
|
||
})(window, document, 'script', 'dataLayer', 'GTM-TF8C');
|
||
});</script>
|
||
<!-- End Google Tag Manager -->
|
||
<!--mp_linkcode_begins-->
|
||
<script src="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/js/mp_linkcode.js"></script>
|
||
<!--mp_linkcode_ends-->
|
||
<script>
|
||
MP.UrlLang='mp_js_current_lang';
|
||
MP.SrcUrl=decodeURIComponent('mp_js_orgin_url');
|
||
MP.oSite=decodeURIComponent('mp_js_origin_baseUrl');
|
||
MP.tSite=decodeURIComponent('mp_js_translated_baseUrl');
|
||
MP.init();
|
||
window.onload = function() {
|
||
var langlinks = document.querySelectorAll('.langLink');
|
||
for (var i = 0; i < langlinks.length; i++) {
|
||
langlinks.item(i).setAttribute("href", "");
|
||
langlinks.item(i).onclick = function() {
|
||
var lang = this.getAttribute('data-lang');
|
||
var url = this.getAttribute('data-href');
|
||
var tSite = MP.tSite.replace('http://', '').replace('https://', '');
|
||
url = url.replace('http://', '').replace('https://', '');
|
||
MP.switchLanguage(tSite.search(url) != -1 ? MP.oSite : url, lang, true);
|
||
return false;
|
||
}
|
||
}
|
||
}
|
||
</script>
|
||
|
||
<script>!function(a){var e="https://s.go-mpulse.net/boomerang/",t="addEventListener";if("False"=="True")a.BOOMR_config=a.BOOMR_config||{},a.BOOMR_config.PageParams=a.BOOMR_config.PageParams||{},a.BOOMR_config.PageParams.pci=!0,e="https://s2.go-mpulse.net/boomerang/";if(window.BOOMR_API_key="54R7X-ZANYT-7FYU5-ARJAM-TY9KD",function(){function n(e){a.BOOMR_onload=e&&e.timeStamp||(new Date).getTime()}if(!a.BOOMR||!a.BOOMR.version&&!a.BOOMR.snippetExecuted){a.BOOMR=a.BOOMR||{},a.BOOMR.snippetExecuted=!0;var i,_,o,r=document.createElement("iframe");if(a[t])a[t]("load",n,!1);else if(a.attachEvent)a.attachEvent("onload",n);r.src="javascript:void(0)",r.title="",r.role="presentation",(r.frameElement||r).style.cssText="width:0;height:0;border:0;display:none;",o=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0],o.parentNode.insertBefore(r,o);try{_=r.contentWindow.document}catch(O){i=document.domain,r.src="javascript:var d=document.open();d.domain='"+i+"';void(0);",_=r.contentWindow.document}_.open()._l=function(){var a=this.createElement("script");if(i)this.domain=i;a.id="boomr-if-as",a.src=e+"54R7X-ZANYT-7FYU5-ARJAM-TY9KD",BOOMR_lstart=(new Date).getTime(),this.body.appendChild(a)},_.write("<bo"+'dy onload="document._l();">'),_.close()}}(),"".length>0)if(a&&"performance"in a&&a.performance&&"function"==typeof a.performance.setResourceTimingBufferSize)a.performance.setResourceTimingBufferSize();!function(){if(BOOMR=a.BOOMR||{},BOOMR.plugins=BOOMR.plugins||{},!BOOMR.plugins.AK){var e=""=="true"?1:0,t="",n="vht6oqaxgpahqz56a5da-f-1d9b8d928-clientnsv4-s.akamaihd.net",i="false"=="true"?2:1,_={"ak.v":"39","ak.cp":"306431","ak.ai":parseInt("399620",10),"ak.ol":"0","ak.cr":3,"ak.ipv":4,"ak.proto":"http/1.1","ak.rid":"6463653e","ak.r":42735,"ak.a2":e,"ak.m":"dscx","ak.n":"essl","ak.bpcip":"169.231.231.0","ak.cport":57916,"ak.gh":"23.66.234.22","ak.quicv":"","ak.tlsv":"tls1.3","ak.0rtt":"","ak.0rtt.ed":"","ak.csrc":"-","ak.acc":"bbr","ak.t":"1740506950","ak.ak":"hOBiQwZUYzCg5VSAfCLimQ==uZEKvR8ndpr94IRIgqv+enUEqbR3ock84SOXPfSaYN6SZZvB7Ou9rjrBJGHnEQIujq9+DKS5slA1GWQlKqop3zq6t+SzbfHk5xC2lnlvArtCseH3LbNmcjML4m/5D1Fa9zHNxwZelKoRRAJ3Sj9SRAP/CoKCWKpkx4cKHbkml2IrQUCSdh6hGNS4Q6AVj0+j0xj+Y3e18jWXz13VFjssje/EXYWnKEXRfGj+mcPTjyvsy9CtP41+w+9k1yonE1tMhL+rTS8YIDPNsnsiowcqgcJZMqgxEeq2RNRYolyO94XS+GukfSLCPuhcR4x0UHYmoI6qChPo894Bc57mfQVQvcrdXwISK6tIl8uc9gLek9j/U7i0iSb1S0F9VL4ReUIJO1VG6B/Pb2PvmoPC8O9kiyf28Vuonk9M5SPCDtUv4F4=","ak.pv":"45","ak.dpoabenc":"","ak.tf":i};if(""!==t)_["ak.ruds"]=t;var o={i:!1,av:function(e){var t="http.initiator";if(e&&(!e[t]||"spa_hard"===e[t]))_["ak.feo"]=void 0!==a.aFeoApplied?1:0,BOOMR.addVar(_)},rv:function(){var a=["ak.bpcip","ak.cport","ak.cr","ak.csrc","ak.gh","ak.ipv","ak.m","ak.n","ak.ol","ak.proto","ak.quicv","ak.tlsv","ak.0rtt","ak.0rtt.ed","ak.r","ak.acc","ak.t","ak.tf"];BOOMR.removeVar(a)}};BOOMR.plugins.AK={akVars:_,akDNSPreFetchDomain:n,init:function(){if(!o.i){var a=BOOMR.subscribe;a("before_beacon",o.av,null,null),a("onbeacon",o.rv,null,null),o.i=!0}return this},is_complete:function(){return!0}}}}()}(window);</script></head>
|
||
<body class="path-node page-node-type-article">
|
||
|
||
<div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas="">
|
||
|
||
<a href="#main-content" class="visually-hidden focusable skip-link">
|
||
Skip to main content
|
||
</a>
|
||
<div class="usa-banner">
|
||
<div class="usa-accordion">
|
||
<header class="usa-banner__header">
|
||
<div class="usa-banner__inner">
|
||
<div class="grid-col-auto">
|
||
<img class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/us_flag_small.png" alt="U.S. flag">
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div class="grid-col-fill tablet---grid-col-auto">
|
||
<p class="usa-banner__header-text">An official website of the United States government</p>
|
||
<p class="usa-banner__header-action" aria-hidden="true">Here’s how you know</p>
|
||
</div>
|
||
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner">
|
||
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here’s how you know</span>
|
||
</button>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</header>
|
||
<div class="usa-banner__content usa-accordion__content" id="gov-banner">
|
||
<div class="grid-row grid-gap-lg">
|
||
<div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet---grid-col-6">
|
||
<img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/icon-dot-gov.svg" alt="Dot gov">
|
||
<div class="usa-media-block__body">
|
||
<p>
|
||
<strong>Official websites use .gov</strong>
|
||
</p>
|
||
<p>
|
||
A <strong>.gov</strong> website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
|
||
</p>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet---grid-col-6">
|
||
<img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/icon-https.svg" alt="Https">
|
||
<div class="usa-media-block__body">
|
||
<p>
|
||
<strong>Secure .gov websites use HTTPS</strong>
|
||
</p>
|
||
<p>
|
||
A <strong>lock</strong> (<span class="usa-banner__icon-lock"></span>) or <strong>https://</strong> means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
|
||
</p>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
<div class="usa-overlay"></div>
|
||
|
||
<div class="grid-container">
|
||
<div class="region region-header-top">
|
||
<div id="block-stopbullying-sitewidealert" class="settings-tray-editable block block-sitewide-alert-block" data-drupal-settingstray="editable">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<div data-sitewide-alert=""></div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
<header class="usa-header usa-header--extended" role="banner">
|
||
<div class="usa-navbar">
|
||
<div class="region region-header">
|
||
<div class="usa-logo" id="logo">
|
||
|
||
<a class="logo-img" href="/" accesskey="1" title="StopBullying.gov" aria-label="StopBullying.gov">
|
||
<img src="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/sb_logo_top.png" alt="StopBullying.gov">
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
<button class="usa-menu-btn">Menu</button>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
<nav class="usa-nav" role="navigation">
|
||
<button class="usa-nav__close">
|
||
<img src="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/close.svg" alt="close">
|
||
</button>
|
||
<div class="usa-nav__inner">
|
||
|
||
<div class="region region-primary-menu">
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<ul class="usa-nav__primary usa-accordion">
|
||
|
||
<li class="usa-nav__primary-item ">
|
||
|
||
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="megamenu-1">
|
||
<span>Bullying</span>
|
||
</button>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<ul id="megamenu-1" class="usa-nav__submenu usa-megamenu">
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/bullying/what-is-bullying" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>What Is Bullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/bullying/roles-kids-play" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>The Roles Kids Play</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/bullying/why-some-youth-bully" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Why Some Youth Bully</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/bullying/at-risk" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Who Is at Risk</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/bullying/warning-signs" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Warning Signs for Bullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/bullying/effects" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Effects of Bullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/bullying/bullying-and-trauma" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Bullying and Trauma</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/bullying/groups" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Race, Ethnicity, National Origin & Religion</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/bullying/military-connected-youth-and-bullying" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Military Connected Youth</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/bullying/special-needs" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Disabilities & Special Needs</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/bullying/other-types-of-aggressive-behavior" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Other Aggressive Behavior</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-nav__primary-item ">
|
||
|
||
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="megamenu-2">
|
||
<span>Cyberbullying</span>
|
||
</button>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<ul id="megamenu-2" class="usa-nav__submenu usa-megamenu">
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/cyberbullying/what-is-it" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>What Is Cyberbullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/cyberbullying/cyberbullying-tactics" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Cyberbullying Tactics</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/cyberbullying/prevention" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Prevent Cyberbullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/cyberbullying/social-media-apps-sites-commonly-used-children-teens" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Social Media and Apps</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/cyberbullying/cyberbullying-online-gaming" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Cyberbullying and Gaming</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/cyberbullying/digital-awareness-for-parents" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Digital Awareness for Parents</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/cyberbullying/establishing-rules" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Establishing Rules</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/cyberbullying/tips-for-teachers" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Tips for Teachers</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/cyberbullying/how-to-report" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Report Cyberbullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-nav__primary-item ">
|
||
|
||
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="megamenu-3">
|
||
<span>Prevention</span>
|
||
</button>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<ul id="megamenu-3" class="usa-nav__submenu usa-megamenu">
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/how-to-prevent-bullying" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>How to Prevent Bullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/at-school" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Prevention at School</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/assess-bullying" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Assess Bullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/engage-parents" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Engage Parents & Youth</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/rules" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Set Policies & Rules</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/build-safe-environment" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Build a Safe Environment</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/in-the-community" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Working in the Community</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/bullying-prevention-in-extra-curricular-activities" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Prevention in Extra-Curricular Activities</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/on-the-spot" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Respond to Bullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/support-kids-involved" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Support the Kids Involved</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/bystanders-to-bullying" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Bystanders to Bullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/help-children-build-resilience" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Help Children Build Resilience</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/prevention/middle-school" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Tips for Parents of Middle Schoolers</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-nav__primary-item ">
|
||
|
||
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="megamenu-4">
|
||
<span>Resources</span>
|
||
</button>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<ul id="megamenu-4" class="usa-nav__submenu usa-megamenu">
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/resources/get-help-now" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Get Help Now</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/resources/facts" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Facts About Bullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/resources/laws" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Laws & Policies</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/resources/research-resources" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Research Resources</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/resources/how-to-talk-about-bullying" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>How to Talk About Bullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/resources/what-you-can-do" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>What You Can Do</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/resources/teens" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>What Teens Can Do</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/resources/training-center" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Training Center</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/resources/media-guidelines" class="usa-nav__link usa-current">
|
||
<span>Media Guidelines</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/videos-social-media" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Videos & Social Media</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class=" usa-nav__submenu-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/resources/external" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>External Resources</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-nav__primary-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/kids" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Kids</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-nav__primary-item ">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="/resources/get-help-now" class="usa-nav__link">
|
||
<span>Get Help Now</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
|
||
<div class="usa-nav__secondary">
|
||
<div class="region region-secondary-menu">
|
||
|
||
<form class="search-block-form usa-form-large usa-search usa-search-small usa-search--small js-search-form" data-drupal-selector="search-block-form" action="/search-results" id="search-block-form" accept-charset="UTF-8">
|
||
<div role="search">
|
||
<div class="js-form-item form-item js-form-type-search form-item-keys js-form-item-keys form-no-label">
|
||
<div class="usa-form-group js-form-item form-item js-form-type-search form-item- js-form-item- form-no-label">
|
||
|
||
<label class="usa-label visually-hidden">Search form using Search.gov <span class="usa-hint">(optional)</span></label>
|
||
<input data-drupal-selector="hhs-search-input-67bd2df24a42b" id="hhs-search-input-67bd2df24a42b" aria-label="Search form using Search.gov" class="form-search usa-input usagov-search-autocomplete" name="query" autocomplete="on" type="search" size="60" maxlength="128" placeholder="Search">
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
<input type="hidden" name="referrer" value="https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/media-guidelines/avoid">
|
||
|
||
<div data-drupal-selector="edit-actions" class="form-actions js-form-wrapper form-wrapper" id="edit-actions">
|
||
<button data-drupal-selector="edit-submit" id="uswds-search" aria-label="Search" value="Search" class="button usa-button js-form-submit form-submit" type="submit">
|
||
<span class="usa-sr-only">Search</span>
|
||
</button>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</form>
|
||
|
||
<ul class="usa-nav__secondary-links">
|
||
|
||
<li class="js-search-button-container usa-nav__secondary-item"><button class="usa-header-search-button js-search-button">Search</button></li>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<li class="usa-nav__secondary-item">
|
||
<a href="/blog" data-drupal-link-system-path="blog">Blog</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-nav__secondary-item">
|
||
<span class="usa-nav__secondary--list usa-accordion">
|
||
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="usa-nav-language">
|
||
<span>Language</span>
|
||
</button>
|
||
|
||
<ul id="usa-nav-language" class="usa-nav__submenu" hidden>
|
||
|
||
<li class="usa-nav__submenu-item">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a href="https://www.stopbullying.gov/">English</a>
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-nav__submenu-item">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<!--mp_global_switch_begins-->
|
||
<a href="https://espanol.stopbullying.gov/" class="langLink" mpdisurl="data-href" mporgnav="href" data-href="espanol.stopbullying.gov" data-lang="es">Español</a>
|
||
<!--mp_global_switch_ends-->
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-nav__submenu-item">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<!--mp_global_switch_begins-->
|
||
<a href="https://zh.stopbullying.gov/" class="langLink" mpdisurl="data-href" mporgnav="href" data-href="zh.stopbullying.gov" data-lang="zs">Chinese | 中文</a>
|
||
<!--mp_global_switch_ends-->
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-nav__submenu-item">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<!--mp_global_switch_begins-->
|
||
<a href="https://ko.stopbullying.gov/" class="langLink" mpdisurl="data-href" mporgnav="href" data-href="ko.stopbullying.gov" data-lang="ko">Korean | 한국어</a>
|
||
<!--mp_global_switch_ends-->
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
</span>
|
||
|
||
</li></ul>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
</nav>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</header>
|
||
|
||
<section class="usa-hero hhs-empty-hero" style="background-image: url("/sites/default/files/styles/primary_image_hero/public/what_to_avoid.jpg?itok=OA0VvmvI");"></section>
|
||
|
||
<main id="main-content" class="usa-section padding-top-0 margin-top-0">
|
||
<div class="region region-breadcrumb">
|
||
<div id="block-stopbullying-breadcrumbs" class="settings-tray-editable grid-container block block-system block-system-breadcrumb-block" data-drupal-settingstray="editable">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<div id="system-breadcrumb" class="visually-hidden">Breadcrumb</div>
|
||
<ol class="add-list-reset uswds-breadcrumbs uswds-horizontal-list" aria-labelledby="system-breadcrumb">
|
||
<li>
|
||
<a href="/">Home</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li>
|
||
<a href="/resources/media-guidelines">Media Guidelines</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li>
|
||
What to Avoid
|
||
</li>
|
||
</ol>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
<div class="content-wrapper grid-container">
|
||
<div class="grid-row grid-gap">
|
||
<div class="grid-col-12">
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
<div class="grid-row grid-gap">
|
||
|
||
<aside class="region-first-sidebar">
|
||
<div class="usa-sidenav-heading" id="sidenav_label">Navigation</div>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<ul class="usa-sidenav" aria-labelledby="sidenav_label">
|
||
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/get-help-now">
|
||
<span>Get Help Now</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/facts">
|
||
<span>Facts About Bullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/laws">
|
||
<span>Laws & Policies</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/research-resources">
|
||
<span>Research Resources</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/how-to-talk-about-bullying">
|
||
<span>How to Talk About Bullying</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/what-you-can-do">
|
||
<span>What You Can Do</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/teens">
|
||
<span>What Teens Can Do</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/training-center">
|
||
<span>Training Center</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/media-guidelines" class="usa-current">
|
||
<span>Media Guidelines</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist">
|
||
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/media-guidelines/avoid" class="usa-current">
|
||
<span>What to Avoid</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/media-guidelines/create">
|
||
<span>Creating Content Online</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/media-guidelines/entertainment">
|
||
<span>Entertainment Media</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/media-guidelines/help">
|
||
<span>Expert Help</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/media-guidelines/about">
|
||
<span>About These Recommendations</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/videos-social-media">
|
||
<span>Videos & Social Media</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="usa-sidenav__item">
|
||
<a href="/resources/external">
|
||
<span>External Resources</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
</aside>
|
||
|
||
<div class="region-content with-sidebar">
|
||
<div class="region region-content">
|
||
<div id="block-stopbullying-social-sharing" class="settings-tray-editable block block-social-media block-social-sharing-block" data-drupal-settingstray="editable">
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<div class="social-media-sharing">
|
||
<ul class="social-media-sharing__list"><li class="social-media-sharing__item social-media-sharing__item-print">
|
||
<span class="social-media-sharing__group-label">Print</span>
|
||
<a title="Print" class="social-media-sharing-print social-media-sharing__icon-print" href="#"><img alt="Print" src="https://www.stopbullying.gov/themes/hhs/shared/uswds_hhs/assets/img/social-icons/share/print_icon_top_bar.png"></a>
|
||
</li><li class="social-media-sharing__item social-media-sharing__item-share"><span class="social-media-sharing__group-label">Share</span><a title="Facebook" target="_blank" class="social-media-sharing-share social-media-sharing-facebook social-media-sharing__icon--share" href="https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/media-guidelines/avoid&title=What to Avoid"><img alt="Facebook" src="https://www.stopbullying.gov/themes/hhs/shared/uswds_hhs/assets/img/social-icons/share/facebook_icon_top_bar.png"></a>
|
||
</li><li class="social-media-sharing__item social-media-sharing__item-share"><a title="X" target="_blank" class="social-media-sharing-share social-media-sharing-xcom social-media-sharing__icon--share" href="https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/media-guidelines/avoid&status=What to Avoid+https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/media-guidelines/avoid"><img alt="X" src="https://www.stopbullying.gov/themes/hhs/shared/uswds_hhs/assets/img/social-icons/share/xcom_icon_top_bar.png"></a>
|
||
</li><li class="social-media-sharing__item social-media-sharing__item-share"><a title="Email" class="social-media-sharing-share social-media-sharing-email social-media-sharing__icon--share" href="mailto:?subject=What to Avoid&body=Check out this site https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/media-guidelines/avoid"><img alt="Email" src="https://www.stopbullying.gov/themes/hhs/shared/uswds_hhs/assets/img/social-icons/share/email_icon_top_bar.png"></a>
|
||
</li><li class="social-media-sharing__item social-media-sharing__item-share"><a title="Google Classroom" target="_blank" class="g-sharetoclassroom google-classroom social-media-sharing__icon--share" href="https://classroom.google.com/u/0/share?url=https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/media-guidelines/avoid"><img alt="Google Classroom" src="https://www.stopbullying.gov/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/social-icons/share/gclassroom_light.svg"></a>
|
||
</li></ul>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div data-drupal-messages-fallback="" class="hidden"></div>
|
||
<div id="block-stopbullying-title" class="block block-core block-page-title-block">
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<h1 class="uswds-page-title page-title">What to Avoid
|
||
</h1>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div id="block-stopbullying-content" class="block block-system block-system-main-block">
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<article class="node node--type-article node--view-mode-full">
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<div class="node__content">
|
||
|
||
<div class="field field--name-field-paragraph-body field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items">
|
||
<div class="field__item"><div class="paragraph paragraph--type--uswds-text paragraph--view-mode--default">
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<div class="usa-prose field field--name-field-uswds-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Many studies show that the media has the power to influence the public’s view of the world. That’s why it’s so important to get messages about bullying right—especially in an era when misinformation can spread across the Internet in an instant. Here are some common pitfalls:</p><ul><li>Overstating the problem</li><li>Stating or implying that bullying caused a suicide</li><li>Oversimplifying issues related to a bullying incident</li><li>Using under-qualified sources</li><li>Blaming/criminalizing those who bully</li><li>Sensationalizing</li><li>Excluding prevention information and resources</li></ul><p>Journalists, bloggers, and other content creators who avoid these problems can offer their audiences accurate, quality coverage while also helping to prevent bullying.</p><h2><strong>Common Pitfalls in Bullying Coverage</strong></h2><p>A task force of noted journalists and experts in bullying prevention and related fields developed the chart below. Their sole goal is to help journalists avoid problems evident in current coverage.</p><div class="responsive-table-scroll-wrapper"><table class="text-ttop"><thead><tr><th>Common Pitfall</th><th>Why It Can be Harmful</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Overstating the problem.</strong> With so much discussion of bullying and an Internet rife with false information and misleading statistics, it can be difficult to keep the issue in perspective.</p><p>Unfortunately, a majority of bullying stories give an inaccurate picture of the prevalence of the problem. The facts are:</p><ul><li>Bullying is not an epidemic. Rates of bullying nationally have not increased. There may be a local increase in bullying or awareness of bullying, but even this statement requires more reliable evidence than a few striking cases.</li><li>Most young people do not experience or support bullying behavior.</li><li>Many types of aggressive behavior are in fact not bullying (e.g., one-time physical fights, online arguments, incidents between adults).</li><li>Cyberbullying is less prevalent than other forms of bullying.</li></ul></td><td><p>Creating the impression that bullying is a bigger problem than it is spreads misinformation, which in media reports raises many ethical and professional concerns. Some experts contend that reports depicting bullying as widespread and rapidly growing make youth and adults more likely to see it as common and less likely to try to stop it.</p><ul><li>Adults accept it as part of growing up and think nothing can be done.</li><li>Youth think it is okay because “everyone does it.”</li></ul><p>Also, when people don’t understand the actual dimension of a problem, they can make mistaken conclusions or even turn to the wrong solutions.</p><p>Finally, the idea that bullying is “everywhere” can contribute to irrational fears that can lead some to overprotective or anxious parenting. Some studies show that anxious parenting may harm children as they grow up.</p><div id="states"><div class="stateBox"> </div></div></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Stating or implying that bullying caused a suicide.</strong> The relationship between bullying and suicide is complex. Many media reports take short cuts, presenting bullying as the “cause” or “reason” for a suicide. The <a href="/resources/facts">facts</a> tell a different story.</p><p>A thorough investigation usually reveals that the cause of a suicide is complex and multifacted. If bullying is involved, it is one of many factors.</p><p>Read more about <a href="/bullying/effects#suicide">bullying and suicide</a>.</p><p>See recommendations for <a class="external-link" href="http://www.reportingonsuicide.org">reporting on suicide</a> .</p></td><td><p>Stories that say or insinuate that bullying caused a suicide can create a belief that suicide is a normal, even inevitable result of bullying. This may lead to “contagion”—additional deaths or cluster suicides that occur after heavy media coverage of the issue.</p><div id="states"><div class="stateBox"> </div></div></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Oversimplifying.</strong> Journalists’ efforts to simplify complex bullying issues for readers can be unintentionally misleading. Examples of nuances the public needs to understand include:</p><ul><li>The same young person can play the roles of “bully” and “victim” in different situations.</li><li>Bullying affects all types of youth.</li><li>Simple or one-time solutions (e.g., school assemblies) are not likely to work.</li></ul></td><td><p>Reports that exclude nuances paint an inaccurate and incomplete picture of real-world bullying. This perpetuates myths and may lead parents, educators, and others to miss the bullying in front of them.</p><p>Citing unrealistically simple solutions also can hinder efforts to stop bullying. When people observe that these solutions fail, they can give up trying.</p><p>Oversimplifying can also lead to unfair anger or resentment, because it enables people to draw conclusions without the full facts. It can result in such problems as blaming a school principal or a parent for a bullying incident.</p><div id="states"><div class="stateBox"> </div></div></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Using under-qualified sources.</strong> It can be difficult to identify true experts in bullying prevention, suicide, and other newsworthy topics. Spokespeople may have expertise in other areas, for example from working as educators, or from personal experience. But they can lack deep knowledge of these complex issues and lead you to misinform your audience.</p><p>Check out the <a href="/resources/media-guidelines/help">Expert Help</a> section.</p></td><td><p>Poor sources can introduce inaccuracies into reports, which readers and viewers may take as fact and share broadly.</p><p>Misinformation perpetuates the problem.</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Blaming/criminalizing those who bully.</strong> Many times youth who bully are not mentioned in media reports. Some reports paint a one-sided picture of bullying situations, quickly blaming those who bully or even portraying them as criminals. They also may blame the school.</p><p>This may be due to laws like <a class="external-link" href="https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html">FERPA</a> that prevent school officials from providing information about bullying cases. These restrictions protect youth, but make it difficult for journalists to get information about what actually happened in a specific bullying incident.</p><p>The facts are:</p><ul><li>Youth who bully often have been bullied themselves.</li><li>Bullying involves a complex dynamic between youth in groups; attributing blame can be problematic.</li><li>Bullying is not a crime, even when a young person involved dies by suicide.</li><li>Youth who bully need help too so they can learn to use power in appropriate ways.</li></ul></td><td><p>Portraying those who bully in a harshly negative light shuts down healthy dialogue. Parents of youth who have exhibited some bullying behaviors may be unwilling to participate in prevention. Teachers, counselors, and others also can write them off as “no good.”</p><p>A report implying that bullying led to a suicide can create public pressure for an inappropriate criminal investigation or civil lawsuit, and even brand the youth who bullied as a “murderer.”</p><p>Some experts fear that young people who are bullied may see suicide as a way to punish those who have bullied them.</p><p>Blaming also may damage the entire school community, and in the case of suicide, limit or negatively impact healing.</p><div id="states"><div class="stateBox"><p> </p></div></div></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Sensationalizing.</strong> Journalists must interest readers. Bullying incidents generally are not covered unless they involve serious injury, a death, many young people, or some other act that makes them newsworthy.</p><p>Attention-grabbing headlines often use language that adds to the dramatic element in the coverage.</p><p>Often cyberbullying stories are particularly sensational.</p></td><td><p>The emphasis on the most tragic results of bullying can encourage overprotective or anxious parenting, which studies have shown may harm children as they grow up.</p><p>Cyberbullying is misperceived as more prevalent and threatening than facts suggest. Resulting efforts to prevent bullying may focus in the wrong place.</p><p>Sensational stories about cyberbullying can lead adults to mistakenly blame the technology and take away access to this important social and learning tool.</p><p>The focus on dramatic bullying events misses an opportunity for coverage of positive themes about new research findings or progress achieved through prevention.</p><div id="states"><div class="stateBox"> </div></div></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Failing to include prevention information and resources.</strong> Research has not arrived at what definitely works to prevent bullying, but many media reports do not offer the public what is known.</p><p>Media reports often focus on prevention through anti-bullying legislation and policies, or contain very general ideas instead of more <a href="/prevention/how-to-prevent-bullying">specific tips</a> for parents, schools, and youth.</p><p>Also, many do not refer to quality public <a href="/resources/external">resources</a>, such as <strong>StopBullying.gov</strong>.</p></td><td>The absence of information about effective prevention strategies for youth and parents implies that bullying has no solution, and does not help move toward one.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><h2><strong>Related Research and Stories:</strong></h2><h3>Overstating the problem</h3><p>Magid, L. (2011, October 6). <a class="external-link" href="http://www.hws.edu/dailyupdate/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=14858">Exaggerating bullying could increase bullying</a> . <em>The Huffington Post.</em></p><p>Perkins, H.W.; Craig, D.W.; and Perkins, J.M. (2011). "Using social norms to reduce bullying: A research intervention among adolescents in five middle schools. <em>Group Processes Intergroup Relations,</em> 14: 703.</p><p>Schneider, S.K.; O’Donnell, L.; Stueve, A.; and Coulter, R. (2012). "Cyberbullying, school bullying, and psychological distress: A regional census of high school students." <em>American Journal of Public Health</em>, 102(1): 171-177.</p><p>Smerconish, M. (2010, October 21). <a class="external-link usa-link--external" href="http://www.edmondsun.com/opinion/media-help-to-hype-perception-of-bullying/article_ced56eb0-84d6-5b05-8d5f-074f8a7bad84.html">"Media help to hype perception of bullying."</a> <em>The Philadelphia Inquirer</em>.</p><p>Gould, M.S.; Midle, J.B.; Insel, G.; and Kleinman, M. (2007). "Suicide reporting content analysis: abstract development and reliability." <em>Crisis,</em> 28(4):165–174.</p><p>Kim, Y.S. "Bullying and suicide. A review." <em>Int J Adolesc Med Health</em>, 20(2):133.</p><p>ReportingOnSuicide.org. (2012). <a class="external-link usa-link--external" href="http://reportingonsuicide.org"><em>Recommendations for Reporting on Suicide.</em></a></p><h3>Oversimplifying</h3><p>Bindley, K. (2012). <a class="external-link" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/08/bullying-suicide-teens-depression_n_1247875.html">"Bullying and suicide: The dangerous mistake we make</a>." <em>The Huffington Post</em>.</p><p>Smerconish, M. (2010, October 21). <a class="external-link usa-link--external" href="http://www.edmondsun.com/opinion/media-help-to-hype-perception-of-bullying/article_ced56eb0-84d6-5b05-8d5f-074f8a7bad84.html">Media help to hype perception of bullying</a> .<em>The Philadelphia Inquirer</em>.</p><h3>Blaming/criminalizing those who bully</h3><p>Bindley, K. (2012). <a class="external-link usa-link--external" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/08/bullying-suicide-teens-depression_n_1247875.html">"Bullying and suicide: The dangerous mistake we make."</a> <em>The Huffington Post</em>.</p><p>Carpenter, S. (2011). "Lessons from a former bully."<em>Detroit Free Press</em>.</p><p>Swearer, S. S. M. (2001). "Psychosocial correlates in bullying and victimization the relationship between depression, anxiety, and bully/victim status." <em>Journal of Emotional Abuse</em>, 2(2-3): 95-121.</p><h3>Sensationalizing</h3><p>Schneider, S.K.; O’Donnell, L.; Stueve, A.; and Coulter, R. (2012). "Cyberbullying, school bullying, and psychological distress: A regional census of high school students."<em>American Journal of Public Health</em>, 102(1): 171-177.</p><p>Stearns, P. N. (2003). <em>Anxious parents: A history of modern childrearing in America</em>. New York University Press: New York.</p><h3>Failing to include prevention information and resources</h3><p>Frey, K. K. S. (2005). "Reducing playground bullying and supporting beliefs: An experimental trial of the steps to respect program."<em>Developmental Psychology</em>, 41(3): 479-491.</p><p>Waasdorp, T. T. E. (2012). "The impact of schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports on bullying and peer rejection: A randomized controlled effectiveness trial." <em>Archives of Pediatrics Adolescent Medicine</em>, 166(2): 149-156.</p><p>Windber Research Institute, Center Safe Schools, & Clemson University. (2011). <em>Bullying prevention: The impact on Pennsylvania schoolchildren. Program Report of the Highmark Foundation.</em></p></div>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
<div class="field field--name-field-date-last-reviewed field--type-datetime field--label-inline clearfix">
|
||
<div class="field__label">Date Last Reviewed</div>
|
||
<div class="field__item"><time datetime="2025-02-05T19:11:00Z" class="datetime">February 5, 2025</time>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</article>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div id="block-survey-target" class="settings-tray-editable grid-container block block-custom-markup-block block-custom-markup" data-drupal-settingstray="editable">
|
||
|
||
|
||
<div class="grid-container">
|
||
<div id="survey_target"> </div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</main>
|
||
|
||
<footer class="usa-footer usa-footer--medium" role="contentinfo">
|
||
<div class="grid-container usa-footer__return-to-top">
|
||
<a href="#logo">Return to top</a>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
|
||
<div class="usa-footer__postprimary-section">
|
||
<div class="grid-container">
|
||
<div class="region region-footer-postprimary">
|
||
<div role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-stopbullying-ofinterest-menu" id="block-stopbullying-ofinterest" class="settings-tray-editable menu--footer block block-menu navigation menu--of-interest" data-drupal-settingstray="editable">
|
||
|
||
<h2 id="block-stopbullying-ofinterest-menu">Of Interest</h2>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<ul class="menu">
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<!--mp_trans_remove_start="ES" -->
|
||
<a href="https://public3.pagefreezer.com/browse/usdepartmentofhealth/Stop%20Bullying/latest/https://www.stopbullying.gov/">Archive</a>
|
||
<!--mp_trans_remove_end-->
|
||
<!--mp_trans_add="ES"
|
||
<a href="https://public3.pagefreezer.com/browse/usdepartmentofhealth/Stop%20Bullying%20Espanol/latest/https://espanol.stopbullying.gov/">Archivo</a>
|
||
-->
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="/about-us" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/651">About Us</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://www.usa.gov/">USA.gov</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/accessibility.html">Accessibility</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://www.usa.gov/espanol/">GobiernoUSA.gov</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="/language-assistance-services" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/645">Language Assistance</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://whitehouse.gov">WhiteHouse.gov</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/privacy.html">Privacy Policy</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/agencies/asa/eeo/resources/no-fear-act/index.html">EEO/No Fear Act</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/vulnerability-disclosure-policy/index.html">Vulnerability Disclosure Policy</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/foia/index.html">FOIA</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="/nondiscrimination-notice" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/652">Nondiscrimination Notice</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-stopbullying-partners-menu" id="block-stopbullying-partners" class="settings-tray-editable menu--footer block block-menu navigation menu--partners" data-drupal-settingstray="editable">
|
||
|
||
<h2 id="block-stopbullying-partners-menu">Partners</h2>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<ul class="menu">
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://www.cdc.gov">CDC.gov</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://www.hrsa.gov">HRSA.gov</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://www.ed.gov">ED.gov</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/">SAMHSA.gov</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
<li class="menu-item">
|
||
<a href="https://www.justice.gov/">Justice.gov</a>
|
||
</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
|
||
<div class="usa-footer__secondary-section">
|
||
<div class="grid-container">
|
||
|
||
<div class="grid-row grid-gap">
|
||
<div class="usa-footer__logo grid-row tablet---grid-col-6 tablet---grid-gap-2">
|
||
<div class="tablet---grid-col-auto">
|
||
<img class="usa-footer__logo-img" src="/themes/custom/stopbullying/assets/img/sb_logo_top.png" alt="StopBullying">
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div class="tablet---grid-col-auto">
|
||
<h3 class="usa-footer__logo-heading">StopBullying</h3>
|
||
<p class="usa-footer__logo-text">A federal government website managed by the <br>
|
||
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services <br>
|
||
200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201</p>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div class="usa-footer__contact-links tablet---grid-col-6">
|
||
<div class="usa-footer__social-links grid-row grid-gap-1">
|
||
<div class="grid-col-auto">
|
||
<a class="usa-social-link usa-social-link--email" href="https://cloud.connect.hhs.gov/stop">
|
||
<span>Email</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div class="grid-col-auto">
|
||
<a class="usa-social-link usa-social-link--facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/StopBullying.Gov">
|
||
<span>Facebook</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div class="grid-col-auto">
|
||
<a class="usa-social-link usa-social-link--instagram" href="https://www.instagram.com/stopbullyinggov/">
|
||
<span>Instagram</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div class="grid-col-auto">
|
||
<a class="usa-social-link usa-social-link--xcom" href="https://x.com/stopbullyinggov">
|
||
<span>X.com</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div class="grid-col-auto">
|
||
<a class="usa-social-link usa-social-link--youtube" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/StopBullyingGov">
|
||
<span>YouTube</span>
|
||
</a>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
<h3 class="usa-footer__contact-heading">Agency Contact Center</h3>
|
||
|
||
<address class="usa-footer__address">
|
||
<div class="usa-footer__contact-info grid-row grid-gap">
|
||
<div class="grid-col-auto">
|
||
<a href="tel:1-877-696-6775">1-877-696-6775</a>
|
||
</div>
|
||
<div class="grid-col-auto">
|
||
<a href="mailto:https://cloud.connect.hhs.gov/stop">https://cloud.connect.hhs.gov/stop</a>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</address>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
</footer>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
|
||
<script type="application/json" data-drupal-selector="drupal-settings-json">{"path":{"baseUrl":"\/","pathPrefix":"","currentPath":"node\/439","currentPathIsAdmin":false,"isFront":false,"currentLanguage":"en"},"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"data":{"extlink":{"extTarget":true,"extTargetAppendNewWindowLabel":"(opens in a new window)","extTargetNoOverride":true,"extNofollow":false,"extNoreferrer":false,"extFollowNoOverride":false,"extClass":"usa-link--external","extLabel":"(link is external)","extImgClass":false,"extSubdomains":false,"extExclude":"^(?!(?:https?:)?\\\/\\\/)|^(?:https?:)?\\\/\\\/[^\/]*\\.gov(?:$|\\\/)","extInclude":"","extCssExclude":"","extCssInclude":"","extCssExplicit":"main","extAlert":false,"extAlertText":"This link will take you to an external web site. We are not responsible for their content.","extHideIcons":false,"mailtoClass":"mailto","telClass":"","mailtoLabel":"(link sends email)","telLabel":"(link is a phone number)","extUseFontAwesome":false,"extIconPlacement":"append","extFaLinkClasses":"fa fa-external-link","extFaMailtoClasses":"fa fa-envelope-o","extAdditionalLinkClasses":"","extAdditionalMailtoClasses":"","extAdditionalTelClasses":"","extFaTelClasses":"fa fa-phone","whitelistedDomains":null,"extExcludeNoreferrer":"","disclaimer_title":"Endorsement Disclaimer - Links to Other Sites","disclaimer_text":"Our web site has links to many other federal agencies, and in a few cases we link to private organizations. You are subject to that site\u0027s privacy policy when you leave our site. We are not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private Web sites.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EReference in this web site to any specific commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation by the U.S. Government or HHS. HHS is not responsible for the contents of any \u0022off-site\u0022 web page referenced from this server.","disclaimer_modal":1}},"hhs_search":{"affiliate":"stopbullying"},"sitewideAlert":{"refreshInterval":600000,"automaticRefresh":true},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"95ccf2b1ee6cf1d33278135622f29fea4bd977135766fc4c5c609363bae1ef42"}}</script>
|
||
<script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_CaYeGQBqL4QAmaJHOp46HhXM2Fs9txVCnmmvHgCa-yY.js?scope=footer&delta=0&language=en&theme=stopbullying&include=eJxNjmsKwzAMgy-ULUcyJvYWM68JsdPH7dstpfSXpE8I1G0hg5wt9r-TSTz0CyYzqEW3l6iCFiRut_Zyg40ceHWV6ROp9Yr6PONtZiUJKnyZBMMBwBhbynHIu8wP3ypjZqRg4rwIMaBy8_i7twNHRUdW"></script>
|
||
<script src="/themes/hhs/shared/uswds_hhs/assets/js/css-polyfills-loader.js?v=10.3.11" id="css_polyfills_loader" async></script>
|
||
<script src="/sites/default/files/js/js__IFKOBwyu0xzO68S1wyn1uT2cjTi8Rc7d_Y1opJQI7Y.js?scope=footer&delta=2&language=en&theme=stopbullying&include=eJxNjmsKwzAMgy-ULUcyJvYWM68JsdPH7dstpfSXpE8I1G0hg5wt9r-TSTz0CyYzqEW3l6iCFiRut_Zyg40ceHWV6ROp9Yr6PONtZiUJKnyZBMMBwBhbynHIu8wP3ypjZqRg4rwIMaBy8_i7twNHRUdW"></script>
|
||
<script src="/modules/hhs/shared/hhs_search/assets/searchgov-typeahead.js?sqxcgy" async></script>
|
||
<script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_0r7claNOFvliwkdlodEzhnjSpAw1ZI4BcLZHU4LZB-I.js?scope=footer&delta=4&language=en&theme=stopbullying&include=eJxNjmsKwzAMgy-ULUcyJvYWM68JsdPH7dstpfSXpE8I1G0hg5wt9r-TSTz0CyYzqEW3l6iCFiRut_Zyg40ceHWV6ROp9Yr6PONtZiUJKnyZBMMBwBhbynHIu8wP3ypjZqRg4rwIMaBy8_i7twNHRUdW"></script>
|
||
|
||
<script type="text/javascript">
|
||
(function(a){
|
||
a && a('load', function(){
|
||
var elem = document.querySelector('#no_js_styles');
|
||
elem.parentNode.removeChild(elem);
|
||
});
|
||
})(window.addEventListener);
|
||
</script>
|
||
<!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->
|
||
<noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-TF8C" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>
|
||
<!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->
|
||
<!--mp_easylink_begins-->
|
||
<script type="text/javascript" id="mpelid" src="//hhsstopbullying.mpeasylink.com/mpel/mpel.js" async></script>
|
||
<!--mp_easylink_ends-->
|
||
</body>
|
||
|
||
</html>
|