Collaborative responses to cyberbullying: preventing and responding to cyberbullying through nodes and clusters

Abstract

The distributed nature of cyberspace requires that security issues be addressed within plural policing environments in which public and private actors work together to form a security quilt. Cyberbullying is increasingly recognised as a serious social concern and a legitimate security threat that affects a large number of young people in cyberspace. Drawing on nodal governance theory, this article uses data from in-depth qualitative interviews with 34 members of the parent, educational system and law enforcement nodal clusters to explore adults' responses to cyberbullying. In particular, I examine the types of capital possessed by each cluster, their position within the cyberbullying security network, how they achieve security and limitations experienced by each cluster. The parent cluster was identified as central to the security network, whereas the educational system occupies a secondary position and the law enforcement cluster serves primarily as a knowledge broker. Each cluster is limited by a lack of familiarity and a comfort with cyberspace and electronic communications. An examination of internodal relations revealed several gaps in the security network and a number of structural and cultural variables that limit the network's security potential.

Keywords:

• cyberbullying
• nodal governance
• policing
• collaborative responses

Notes

1. For example, in his analysis of cyber policing in California, Nhan (2010) studied four nodal clusters: law enforcement, private industry, government and the general public. Within the private industry ‘nodal cluster’, however, he examined the contributions of the film industry ‘node’ and the high-tech industry ‘node’.

2. In response to high-profile incidents of school violence (e.g., the Columbine High School shooting), a number of security measures have been introduced in schools. One of the most common measures has been the introduction of SROs, who are sworn and armed officers placed within a school or a community of schools (Theriot 2009). Within schools, SROs perform typical policing duties (patrol and investigation) and some duties that are usually the responsibility of school administrators (e.g., responding to school code of conduct violations; Lawrence 2007). SROs also have greater responsibilities to educate students and engage in violence prevention work (Finn et al. 2005).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada under award 752-2012-2450.