Online ID Theft Ruins NJ Teen's Life, Reputation

This is a very harrowing story every parent should read

Nafeesa Onque's Facebook page had all the trimmings of a teenage girl's internet home: Her cell phone number, favorite movies, relationship status and photo albums were just a click away, lined up neatly beneath a smiling photograph of the pretty 15-year-old.

But the person who built the profile was nothing like the Newark teen who was a popular cheerleader for years and spends most of her time working toward a Rutgers University scholarship. Someone else was behind the computer screen, someone who stole Nafeesa's online identity and was using it to destroy her real one.

Source; VictoriaAdvocate.com Read More

Bullying May Accompany Drive to be Popular

Teens who are already popular but trying to become even more so are the most likely to bully other kids, new research suggests.

The kids seem to think that antagonizing others will raise their own status in the eyes of their peers, according to the study, published in the February issue of the American Sociological Review.

Researchers asked about 3,700 students in 8th, 9th and 10th grades from three counties in North Carolina about their behavior toward others and how often they were the target of physical aggression, verbal aggression (such as teasing or threats), rumors or indirect bullying (such as ostracism). Teens were also asked how often they did this to a classmate.

Source: Valleynewslive.com Read more