Overview:  

Social media operates by generating online connections between users.  On any given social media platform, you may have "friends" or "followers" who can access the content you post, and you can see theirs.  Who your friends or followers are also influences what appears in your news feed, or which posts are at the top of your list.  Sometimes our online friends are those who we have relationships with in real life - but sometimes not.  What IS friendship and does social media enhance or hinder our relationships with others?  Social media has also created a rise in cyberbullying, or bullying people online.  What is cyberbulling and what can be done about it?  

Introductory Activity:

During the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools closed and went fully online.  Even when schools were re-opened, some had smaller classes that were partly online, some activities were canceled, and some students had to be quarantined for a time.  

  • Make a list of those things that you missed most during this time. 
  • Once you have your list, consider why you value these things. 
  • Why are online interactions different from interactions that we have in person? 
  • Why is it important to spend time with your friends in person?  

What is friendship? What is cyberbullying and what can we do about it?

This short (8min) video challenges students to reflect on these questions and concludes with discussion questions for students.  

 

Discussion Questions for Students

After watching the video, consider and discuss the following questions:

  • Would you say most of your online friendships fit in the first, second, or third type of friendship described by Aristotle?
  • Can you think of other types of friendships that Aristotle doesn’t describe?
  • What can social media sites do to stop cyberbullying?
  • What can you do to protect yourself against cyberbullying?
  • What can you do to protect OTHERS against cyberbullying?

Additional Resources on Friendship and Cyberbullying: