Prevention from cyberbullying

Protecting your child from cyber-bullying requires vigilance on the part of parents and caregivers, but kids can help their friends too. Here are some prevention strategies everyone can use — including time-tested anti-bullying methods and recommendations for helpful technologies

• What Parents and Caregivers Can do
• Even if you don’t think your child is being bullied online, talking to them about the subject is a great first steps:

• Discuss what cyber-bullying is.
• Ask if they know anyone who is being or has been cyber-bullied.
• Discuss what your child should do if they notice someone being bullied online.
• Encourage your child to tell you or someone else they trust if they receive a threatening message.
• Reassure them that they won’t be in trouble for this and won’t have their cell phone or computer confiscated.
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• React to Cyber-bullying in the Right Way
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• Finding out that your child has been bullied is incredibly difficult. However, the way you react to this knowledge is incredibly important.
• Don’t overreact. Don’t berate them for not telling you sooner.
• Be understanding and supportive. Work together to resolve the situation and reinforce the idea that you and your child are a team.
• Emphasize that your child isn’t to blame if they’ve been bullied.
• Don’t under react. Don’t tell your child to “just deal with it.” Take what they say seriously.
• Never tease them about being bullied and don’t dismiss their experiences.
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• Document Cyber-bullying Incidents
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• If your child is being cyber-bullied, it’s important to document and report every incident. In addition to taking the steps above, you should:
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• Save threats and document them, including threatening texts, sexually explicit pictures, or harassing messages
• Report incidents of cyber-bullying to the website used, the cell phone company, and the ISP involved.
• Block the bully’s mobile number or email address on your child’s devices. Consider blocking the website that’s being used to commit the cyber-bullying.
• Contact the school or parents of the bully, if you can identify them. However, always check with your child first to gauge their comfort level by contacting the parties involved.
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• Monitor Your Child’s Technology Use
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• One of a parent’s most effective tools for preventing cyber-bullying is to monitor their usage of mobile phones and computers. Your kid won’t necessarily like it, but you can explain to them that having a powerful adult ally can make sure they’re protected from bullies
• Restrict mobile device and computer usage to a common area of the house that everyone can access.
• Put data limits on your child’s mobile phone.
• Turn off text messages during certain hours if your mobile provider offers the option.
• Make use of the filtering options on your child’s internet browsers on their computer and phone.
• Turn on parental controls for:
• Gaming networks like Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.
• Other computer games like MMOs or mobile games. (Note that kids may use multiple browsers on laptops or computers to get around filters.)
• Your child’s social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Youtube, and Instagram.
• Both Android devices and iPhones allow parents to set controls on apps.
• You can also find third-party apps that control what kids can do with their mobile devices.
• Insist that your child divulge all their passwords. Using a password sharing tool like Last Pass can help.
• Keep abreast of text messaging acronyms. This may just be a question of asking your children.
• Check contacts listed on your kid’s social networks and ask them to explain who each of them is.
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• Use Celebrities as Inspiration
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• Children are heavily influenced by celebrities, even more so than previous generations, in part due to their relatively easy access via social media. Fandoms — like comic book heroes or pop groups — can also be a way to positively inspire kids.
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• Check out your child’s idols. Many singers, professional athletes, and actors support initiatives to stop cyber-bullying. Some celebrities (like Taylor Swift and many others) have experienced cyber-bullying themselves and can provide excellent proof against the idea that bullying is somehow cool.
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• Build a Positive Environment
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• Cyber-bullying victims often feel demoralized, alone, and afraid. It’s crucial that parents and caregivers help kids restore their self-respect and regain a positive perspective.
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• Each child is different in how they want to respond to difficult situations. Some kids may want to stand up to the bully while others may not. Regardless of how your child reacts, it’s important to support them as they heal so you can reach a positive outcome.
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• School staff can do a lot to help prevent cyber-bullying. Teachers can work with parents via meetings, the school’s website and forums, or newsletters to encourage parents to discuss cyber-bullying.
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• Understand the Laws on Cyber-bullying
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• Depending on the type of cyber-bullying taking place, the actions may breach stalking, sexual harassment, and anti-discrimination laws or violates school codes. In many cases, cyber-bullying violates the terms of service for many social sites.
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• Here are a few things to keep in mind:
• In the US, cyber-bullying can result in a charge of juvenile delinquency or a misdemeanor cyber-harassment charge.
• Identity theft, password theft, or hacking can violate state and federal laws.
• In some states, “sexting” or even forwarding on a “sext” (text messages of a sexual nature) is punishable as possessing or distributing child pornography. If convicted, a sexter may be required to register as a sex offender, even if they’re a minor.
• If an adult perpetrates or allows cyber-bullying, they can be arrested for cyber-harassment or cyber-stalking, which can result in a felony or misdemeanor punishment.
• In the UK, online harassment and cyber-bullying can violate various laws like the Defamation Act 2013, Communications Act 2003, Protection from Harassment Act 1997, and others.
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• What Kids and Teens Can Do to Fight Back Against Cyber-bullying
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• Although kids may not be aware of it, their own behavior can have an impact on their peers. To create a unified message against cyber-bullying, enlist the help of other students as well as teachers and parents by creating an anti-bullying mindset at your school.
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• For example, you can encourage kids to speak up about cyber-bullying through a reporting system that’s monitored by the school and parents. You can also request that your school promote suicide hotlines.
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• Prevent Cyber-bullying before it starts
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• It’s not possible to predict or prevent every form that cyber-bullying can take, but your kids can follow some general guidelines that help prevent it.
• Don’t forward any type of bullying messages or images.
• Use peer pressure to ensure your friends consider cyber-bullying off-limits.
• Don’t share personal information of any kind — including addresses and phone numbers.
• Never share your passwords with anyone except your parents.
• Talk to your parents or another trusted adult if you aren’t sure about someone’s behavior toward you.
• Never post or text anything that you wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing with all your classmates.
• Don’t post angry!
• Treat people the way you’d want to be treated yourself.
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•  Reading books
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• It is a proven fact that reading can help reduce stress. Reading can be a wonderful (and healthy) escape from the stress of everyday life. Simply by opening a book, you allow yourself to be invited into a literary world that distracts you from your daily stressors. Reading can even relax your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles. It works better and faster than other relaxation methods, such as listening to music or drinking a hot cup of tea. This is because your mind is invited into a literary world that is free from the stressors that plague your daily life. Set aside 30 minutes to read every day in a quiet place where you won't be interrupted. 
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• SITES
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• http://www.aama.ca/docs/cyberbulling.pdf
• http://www.bewebaware.ca/english/cyberbullying.html
• http://www.billyonline.org/workbully/bystand.html
• http://bullying.suite101.com/article.cfm/it_is_against_the_law

Signs and symptoms of cyberbullying

Some of the warning signs of cyber-bullying may overlap with those of traditional bullying. However, here are a few things you should look in particular:

• Anxiety or Anger: Pay attention to your teenager’s mood both during and after they use a mobile phone or computer. Do they consistently seem anxious, nervous, or otherwise upset when spending time online? Do they get angry or have outbursts when they are online?

• Secretive: Has your teen become secretive or defensive about their online activities? If they unexpectedly shut off devices when others approach, refuse to discuss what they do online, or get upset or agitated when you try to discuss this with them, they may be attempting to hide the fact that they are being bullied.

• Avoiding Technology: Take note of the frequency of the amount of time your teen spends online, especially if they have always enjoyed it. If they have suddenly stopped using their devices as frequently (or possibly altogether), they may be attempting to avoid a bully.

• Becoming Withdrawn: Even if your teenager has always been quiet or introverted, observe their social behavior. Do they want to spend more and more time away from their friends and peers? Have they suddenly started commenting on their lack of friends or how there’s drama at school? Have they been pushing away people they’re close to and wanting to spend more time alone?

• Increase in Messages: Has your teen started to receive a lot more messages or emails than they usually do? Are they from numbers or people you don’t recognize? Is your teenager evasive when you ask them who is contacting them?

• Depression: Has your teen’s mood changed? Do they often seem sad or depressed? Has there been a drastic change to their eating or sleeping patterns? Are they claiming to be sick more often to avoid going to school or social events? Have they lost interest in other activities or hobbies?

Signs Your Teen Might Be a Cyber-bully

Also be on the lookout for warning signs that your teen might be bullying their peers. It may be unexpected or shocking, but cyber-bullying is becoming more and more common. Not only the “bad kids” are bullies, and it doesn’t mean you’ve failed as a parent.

It’s incredibly important to look for warning signs that your teenager may be a bully. Not only are they deliberately trying to hurt others, but it may also be their own way of seeking attention or help. Some of the signs to look for include:

• Many Accounts: Does your teen have a large number of social media accounts on various websites? Are they under names other than your teens? Do you recognize the name listed on the account? They may be attempting to anonymously harass someone or infiltrate others’ accounts.

• Secretive: Is your teenager secretive about what they do online? Do they turn off or hide their screen when others approach them while they’re online? Are they evasive or hostile when you ask them questions about their online activities? Do they get irritated or annoyed if you interrupt them while they’re using a phone or computer?

• Long Hours Online: Pay attention to the amount of time your teen spends online. Is it excessive, especially compared to how much they’ve spent on the internet in the past? Are they obsessive about spending time on their devices or checking their messages? Do they prefer to spend time online at times of the day when they are less likely to be supervised, like before you get home from work or in the middle of the night?

• Lack of Remorse: Does your teenager seem to not care if their words or actions hurt others? Do they make snarky or rude comments, especially when using their phone or computer? Is this callousness new or previously out-of-character for your teen?

• New Friend Group: Has your teen recently made new friends who seem to be mean or aggressive? Do these friends have a history of bullying others themselves? Has your teenager become preoccupied with impressing them or becoming more popular with them? Peer pressure from new friends who seem aggressive can motivate many teen to start cyber-bullying others.

• Becoming Withdrawn: Has your teen abandoned activities and hobbies in favor of spending more time online? Do they no longer want to spend time with close friends or family members, preferring to spend time alone with their devices? Do they appear to be depressed?

Why Teenagers Cyber-bully others

The reasons why one teen chooses to bully another are complex and varied. They may want to feel powerful, feel the need to act out for attention, or feel like they must control others. While each person’s motives are different, similar factors may come into play when teenagers choose to cyber-bully.

• Boredom: Some teens may simply be bored and or craving attention. It’s a way to add excitement or drama to their lives with very little effort. Cyber-bullying often will become a new form of online entertainment.

• Peer Pressure: Some bullies may be trying to impress their peers, become more popular, or maintain their social status. Being part of a group can give people a false sense of security that their actions are acceptable or normal.

• Revenge: Teens may choose to cyber-bully someone because they feel wronged by that person or that their victim deserves it. The bully may feel that their behavior is justified due to the pain the victim previously inflicted upon them.

• Anonymity: Cyber-bullies can embrace the chance to be anonymous by doing all of their harassment online under an identity other than their own. They may feel like they won’t get caught and don’t have to face their victim directly.

• Ignorance: Some cyber-bullies may simply not realize that what they’re doing is, in fact, bullying. They may think it’s just a joke and not take the situation seriously

The Potential Effects of Cyber-bullying

Traditional bullying is known to have adverse effects on victims. Academic performance can suffer, anxiety and depression can develop — and these issues can continue into adulthood. And much like traditional bullying, cyber-bullying can have severe, negative consequences for the victim.

Victims may experience the following effects after being cyber-bullied:

• Decreased Self-Esteem: Bullying of all kinds is often detrimental to the victim’s self-esteem. Victims may believe that all of their peers dislike them and develop issues with trust and confidence.

• Emotional Distress: Cyber-bullying can lead to a shift in mood or emotion in the victim. The constant stress of the attacks can make victims prone to outbursts of frustration, sadness, or anger as they try to cope with the bullying.

• Physical Symptoms: Victims may begin to develop frequent headaches, stomach aches, and have trouble sleeping. Though they are not attacked physically by the bully, the ongoing stress of the harassment may still take a physical toll as the victim grows increasingly stressed and anxious.

• Depression:Cyber-bullying can cause victims to develop depression. The constant stress and lowered self-esteem can cause them to feel hopeless, unloved, and sadness.

• Suicidal Thoughts:About 20 percent of cyber-bullying victims seriously consider suicide. Bullying does not directly cause victims to commit suicide, but it does put them at a higher risk of doing so.

As with traditional bullying, these issues may persist even after the victim is no longer suffering from cyber-bullying, and may continue well into adulthood.

Cyberbullying

The Internet is a defining factor of modern education. In fact, education has become more accessible and widespread than ever before because of the Internet. From using digital textbooks to getting a degree online, more classroom functions and student experiences are moving into cyberspace — including, unfortunately, bullying.

Despite all the good that the Internet has brought to students, parents, and teachers alike, there are people who use it with malicious intent. And just as bullying has existed since the dawn of time, virtual bullying has existed since the beginning of the Internet. This guide on cyber bullying from Maryville University Online will help you learn everything you need to know about cyber bullying, from relevant facts and statistics to helpful resources, so you can keep your teen safe online.

Cyber-bullying Definition 

According the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “cyber bullying” was first used in 1998. They define it as “the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person (such as a student) often done anonymously.” But as time has gone on and the Internet itself has evolved, so has the definition of cyber bullying.

Stopbullying.gov defines cyber bullying as “bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets”, whereas the Cyber bullying Research Center describes it as the “willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices.” Essentially, it’s the use of electronic communication to mirror the way a person would be bullied in real life, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.

Cyber-bullying vs. Face-To-Face Bullying

In contrast with in-person threats, cyber bullying makes use of internet technologies, mobile devices, video games, and social media. Much our children’s lives are conducted across virtual communication systems like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Texts, chats, email, and online games are also rife with opportunities to cyber bully.

Whereas a playground bully must face their victim (and risk witnesses), it’s much easier to engage in cyber bullying behind an anonymous screen. This distance often emboldens bullies to act or say things they would never do in person.

The biggest difference between cyber bullying and face-to-face bullying is that the internet is available 24/7 and “connected” technology is highly pervasive. Consequently, cyber bullying means that hurtful comments, images, or video can:

• .Reach a vast audience in a matter of seconds
• Be repeatedly shared over time
• Never be truly erased from the internet
• Be spread anonymously

Examples of Cyber-bullying

As technology has developed over the last twenty years, cyber-bullying has become an increasingly larger issue. The immense popularity of smart phones, various instant messaging apps, and the rise of social media have opened up an ever-growing number of ways for cyber-bullies to hurt their targets.

Harassment

Much like offline harassment, online harassment involves sending abusive or offensive messages to an individual or group. Harassment takes great effort on the part of the bully to hurt the victim. Further, it is intentional, repeated, and constant. The victim will often have no reprieve from the bully. Especially over a period of time, these messages can have a negative impact on the victim’s self-esteem or confidence.

Cyber-stalking

Cyber-stalking is a form of harassment. These messages are often no longer just offensive or rude, but more threatening in nature. Messages may escalate to threaten the victim’s physical safety. Cyber-stalking can quickly lead to in-person harassment or stalking.

Exclusion

Exclusion comprises of deliberately ostracizing the victim. This may involve leaving them out from social media groups, chat rooms, messages, events, or activities. It may mean purposefully having conversations on social media platforms or apps that the victim does not have access to, or that they see, but are unable to join. The group may then go on to say cruel or rude things about the excluded person behind their back.

Outing

Outing is when the bully publicly shares private messages, pictures, or other information about the victim on the internet. This is done without the victim’s knowledge or consent, and is meant to embarrass, shame, or humiliate them. The information may be trivial or more private and serious, but either way, it is a form of outing.

Masquerading

Masquerading occurs when the bully, or possibly even bullies, assumes another identity to anonymously harass the victim. They may impersonate someone else, use a real person’s account or phone number, or create an entirely fake identity. Often, the bully will know the victim well if they feel the need to hide their identity. The bully may harass or cyber-stalk with victim. This is typically done in an attempt to amuse them or humiliate the victim.

Cyber-bullying Laws

Bullying has become such a pervasive issue in recent years that there are initiatives and laws at multiple levels of government to prevent it

Federal Laws

There are no federal laws that specifically address bullying. Cyber-stalking is a notable exception to this rule. Though there are no federal laws regarding cyber-stalking specifically, it is a criminal action under other anti-stalking and harassment laws.

Bullying may overlap with discrimination, harassment, or hate crimes if it is based on race, national origin, color, sex, age, disability, or religion. If that overlap occurs, federally-funded schools at all levels must address and resolve the harassment.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relation Service offers resources to help communities resolve conflicts, prevent violence, and respond to hate crimes and discrimination. It is a free, confidential service that offers everything from counseling to technical assistance. If harassment persists, victims should consider filing a formal complaint with both the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice.

State Laws

All fifty states have anti-bullying laws in place. Most states, though not all, also have laws meant to prevent cyber-bullying. Some states also have policies in place to help guide schools and their districts respond to bullying.

Familiarize yourself with the laws and policies in your state. You can find more information at the Cyber-bullying Research Center or stopbullying.gov.

There may also be local laws in place at the regional, county, or city level. If nothing else, most school districts or school codes of conduct contain anti-bullying language or rules. Be sure to research the various policies and laws at the local level in your area.