Cyberbullying is the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person. Online threats and mean, aggressive, or rude texts, tweets, posts, or messages all count. So does posting personal information, pictures, or videos designed to hurt or embarrass someone else.
Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation.
The root cause of cyberbullying is that people feel more powerful behind a screen to make them feel better about themselves.
What can I tell my kid to do if they are being cyberbullied? Sign off the computer. Ignore the attacks and walk away from the cyberbully. Don’t respond or retaliate.
Block the bully. Save and print out bullying messages. Talk to a friend. Tell a trusted adult.
Here are the best ways to protect yourself from cyberbullies: Manage privacy settings online, protect your passwords, keep clear records, don’t respond or retaliate, block cyberbullies via user settings, report cyberbullying to site admins, stay safe online and ask when you think a friend might need help.
The causes of cyberbullying include a lack of empathy, a desire for power and control, revenge, peer pressure, deficient digital communication skills, escapism, seeking entertainment, and inadequate regulation.
Sometimes cyberbullying can be easy to spot — for example, if your child shows you a text, comment, or post that is harsh, mean, or cruel. Other acts are less obvious, like posting someone’s personal information, or using photos or videos that hurt or embarrass another person.
Cyberbullying has been linked to teen depression. It can cause teens to feel increasingly anxious, embarrassed, and worried. In these instances, teens can experience physical and emotional trauma. Cyberbullying can also reach a point where it causes teens to contemplate or complete suicide.
Cyberbullying (or online bullying) happens when technology is used to bully someone. So when someone uses instant messaging or chat, text messages, email, social networking sites or forums to hurt or embarrass someone else or to make them afraid, that’s cyberbullying.
When did cyberbullying start? While bullying has been a part of society for millennia, the history of cyberbullying begins with the popularization of affordable computers and the introduction of online forums, chat rooms and early social media sites.
Cyberbullying can be detrimental to a person’s mental and physical health. Victims can experience significant social isolation and feel unsafe. It can lead to emotional and physical harm, loss of self-esteem, feelings of shame and anxiety, concentration and learning difficulties.
The effects of cyberbullying also include mental health issues, increased stress and anxiety, depression, acting out violently, and low self-esteem.
Girls are about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying. About 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than 4 out of 10 say it has happened more than once. Cyberbullying has increased in recent years.
Sometimes, online bullying, like other kinds of bullying, can lead to serious long-lasting problems. The stress of being in a constant state of upset or fear can lead to problems with mood, energy level, sleep, and appetite. It also can make someone feel jumpy, anxious, or sad.
Cyberbullying can take many forms. It can include harassment (insults or threats), spreading rumours, impersonation, outing and trickery (gaining an individual’s trust and then using online media to distribute their secrets) or exclusion (excluding an individual from activities).
What are the facts about cyberbullying? Here are the top cyberbullying statistics.
26.5% of American teenagers have experienced cyberbullying within the last 30 days. 73% of girls and young women have received unwanted sexual content. Black middle-school-aged cyberbullying victims are almost 135% more likely to consider and plan suicide than non-victims.
How can we avoid bullying and how can I help prevent it? Educate your children about bullying. Talk openly and frequently to your children. Help your child be a positive role model. Help build your child’s self-confidence. Be a role model. Be part of their online experience.
What are the solutions to bullying? Help kids understand bullying. Talk about what bullying is and how to stand up to it safely. Keep the lines of communication open. Check-in with kids often. Encourage kids to do what they love. Model how to treat others with kindness and respect.
One of the most significant causes of cyberbullying is anonymity. People feel that they can say whatever they want online because nobody knows who they are. They can hide behind fake names or profiles, and this makes them feel powerful.
If the bullying is happening on a social platform, consider blocking the bully and formally reporting their behaviour on the platform itself. Social media companies are obligated to keep their users safe. For bullying to stop, it needs to be identified and reporting it is key.
Block their email address and cell phone number, unfriend or unfollow them, and delete them from your social media contacts. Report their activities to their internet service provider (ISP) or to any social media or other websites they use to target you.
The effects of cyberbullying also include mental health issues, increased stress and anxiety, depression, acting out violently, and low self-esteem. Cyberbullying can also result in long-lasting emotional effects, even if the bullying has stopped.
Source
All information and evidence gathered from the World Wide Web.
