Technology has become an integral part of our society, and the possibilities are endless with it in our hands.

We can upload our location or pictures of our vacation in just seconds with our cellphones. We can pay for our meals with just a press of a couple of buttons. It’s great. We can do so many good things, thanks to technology. However, with the good comes the bad and with today’s smartphones it is no different. Just as people do with most technology-based devices, cellphones have become a tool to abuse others and act maliciously. One of the biggest and most dangerous purposes for this maliciousness is cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying has existed for many years now as computer-based cyberbullying began before cellphones became so common. People insulting others through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter existed before cellphones, but with so many teens having smartphones today, cyberbullying has become easier and, for some reason, more prevalent.

With instant access to social media sites that now include new ones such as Yik Yak, teens have more platforms to insult and bully others. It is very strange and difficult to understand why people find it fun or interesting to insult people publicly. Now, though, this evil act has become easier to do as people can hide behind their screen and keyboard and taunt, tease and ridicule others without fear of reprisal. It’s ridiculous and childish and can have dire consequences.

All too often we hear about teens killing themselves or having a mental breakdown that causes years of suffering because people abused them to the breaking point. Why? Why do people take these abusive actions against their peers? It seems crazy to argue that they do it as a power trip or that it makes them feel good. If that is how you seek power or make yourself feel good, grow up, take some responsibility and take a closer look at yourself.

Of course, some argue that people can “just not read it” when something is posted about them. However, these people need to think of it this way: If people are saying things about you, your first reaction is likely to be, “What are they saying?” This, of course, leads to looking. The truth is we can’t really help but care and look at peoples’ opinions of us.

Cyberbullying cannot and will not be justified by excuses like “We’re friends” or “I was joking.” Your “jokes” may well be the thing that causes someone to not want to live anymore. It’s so sad that young people with their whole lives ahead of them take their own lives because of what someone else said.

Take Meagan Meier, for example. Meier was a 13-year-old teen who committed suicide because of online bullying. According to Nobullying.com, Meier was “catfished” by an impersonator going by the name of Josh. The impersonator befriended her, telling her she was pretty and saying things to make her like him. One day, “Josh” started harassing her, putting up hateful posts on her wall. Other people from her school joined in and eventually pushed her to fire insults back. This continued on and, one day, her mother found her dead in her room. She had hung herself in her closet.

Later on, it was found that “Josh” was really a family who lived down the street from them. Meagan had a falling out with one of her friends and that person’s parents decided to play a “prank” on her. That “prank,” assumedly meant to be funny, caused a 13-year-old girl to end her own life. The family wasn’t charged, due to the fact that there were no laws against such actions. This type of sickening tragedy can happen when foolish people decide to commit foolish actions like cyberbullying.

Activities on social media like Yik Yak, no matter how little they may seem, do affect people in negative ways that can be fatal. So the next time you are “sub-tweeting” or “yakking,” think about what it may do to someone’s emotions.