Wareham parents got the low down on how the Internet and social networking websites are contributing to bullying in schools and got some advice for how to keep their children safe during a presentation at Wareham Middle School on February 16.

The Wareham Middle School PTA hosted Nicole Wilson, a licensed social worker from the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC) at Bridgewater State University.

MARC is an academic center that conducts research, attends and host conferences and workshops, and provides anti-bullying and anti-cyberbullying programs school faculty, staff, administration, students, parents, and communities.

Wilson presented statistical research on the severity of bullying, especially in this day and age. Bullying can happen anywhere: face-to-face, through text messages, or even on the Internet, Wilson explained. It is not limited by age, gender, or education level, and can cause long-lasting harm to children and negatively impact their future success.

Wilson discussed cyberbulling and social networking, which she said are big problems with bullying today.

Wilson described this generation of children as digital natives, meaning they grew up with and are very familiar with the Internet and technology, especially social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace.

The problem with such tech-savvy children is they don’t understand – or they’re not as knowledgeable of – their privacy and security on the Internet, Wilson said. And when children use the Internet for engage in social relationships or cyberbullying, they don’t consider the consequences of their actions.

“Research shows there are three reasons children prefer online bullying,” Wilson said. “The first is bullies don’t see their victims. It’s much easier to bully another person when you cannot see their reactions. The second is the anonymity of the Internet. Bullies believe they have less of a chance of getting caught because they’re hiding behind a monitor. And third, the Internet allows groups of children to participate in the bullying. It’s the old excuse, ‘everyone else was doing it, so I did, too.’”

Wilson urged parents to monitor their children online – no matter their age.

Wareham Middle School Principal Howard Gilmore encouraged parents to visit the school’s website,www.warehamps.org/district/schools/wms, which includes information about bullying procedures and tips for prevention and intervention.

Parents said they found the presentation very helpful.

"I now know and feel better equipped to deal with the situation at home and with the school," said parent Denise Griffin. "Most importantly, I know not to belittle or ignore what my child is going through.”