All over Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram I see awful comments and rude posts aimed at other people.

This is an everyday issue.

Whether you tag the person the post is about doesn’t matter. If they know it’s about them, they could be hurt or offended.

Those who write these things just have keyboard courage, or the ability to say things through the internet that they would not otherwise say.

They act like cowards, unable to handle things peacefully in person so they lash out over social media.

Social media wasn’t made to cause drama and pick fights over. It was made to give people the ability to communicate with friends and family as well as the rest of the world.

Using social media as a weapon isn’t OK.

I agree that it is OK to be angry. It’s normal to feel that way, but we need to manage that anger correctly.

If you feel angry, take some deep breaths and lie down for a while. Give yourself some time to calm down and think before you act irrationally.

If it bothers you that badly, go to an adult.

If you handle it through social media you’re asking for conflict and acting like a child. No one is going to be there to protect you when you graduate and you’re out in the real world, so why rely on social media now to protect you?

It really can’t. The social media outlets we use are apps and websites, not people.

I believe cyberbullying should be an offense with suspension as a consequence.

Students who are targeted online are sure to feel unsafe at school if other people are speaking about it. They could be harassed or may even feel threatened enough to skip out on school.

Not to mention, the consequences of cyberbullying can be legal. According to nobullying.com, the charges can include “acts of harassment, intentional infliction of emotional pain, negligence and vicarious liability.”

Do you really want to pay a fine or go to court because of something you posted online?