They're playing games online and sending texts on their phones at an early age, and most teens have devices that keep them constantly connected to the Internet.Many are logged on to Facebook or Tumblr and chatting or texting all day.As a parent, if you saw your child posting a hurtful comment on social media about a peer, or saw they were part of a conversation that scrutinizes or put other kids in danger -- what would you do?Maybe the solution would be to immediately suspend their online privileges, or making them apologize to the victim right? Would you wonder what made your child feel the need to be a bully when there are adult groups dedicated to harassing and defaming others as well?It's not always easy to know how and when to step in as a parent.

In these places the humiliation is public and therefore twice as shaming.

Websites have been created specifically to make fun of and demean individuals.

These people can be found in communities linked to blogs and chat rooms and they use the disguise of “anonymity” to harass their prey.

Bullies and mean girls have been around forever, but technology now gives them a whole new platform for their actions.

The old "sticks and stones" saying is no longer true — both real-world and online name-calling can have serious emotional consequences for our kids and teens.