Kids, Social Media & Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is a serious problem. Learn what it is and what you can do about it.
Cyberbullying – it’s a term you’ve probably heard loads of times, on TV, in magazines, probably even at school but just because you’ve heard it doesn’t mean you completely understand. That’s why I’m here. So, let’s talk.
What is it?
Cyberbullying is harassing or humiliating someone using digital technologies, like the Internet or phones. Nearly 1 in 5 teens have been victims of it with girls are more likely to be targeted than boys. Some types of cyberbullying include:
- Mean text messages, online comments, and blog posts,
- Impersonating someone online through fake accounts,
- Setting up mean polls/questions about someone,
- Spreading rumours through social media
- Stealing passwords
How is it different than offline bullying?
The biggest difference? In this day and age we spend so much time with technology – especially because of smartphones making social media so easy to access, online harassment can seem never ending. Also:
Also the anonymity a computer provides means bullies don’t see the immediate hurt their words cause and it frees them up to be meaner than they would in person. The Internet also makes it easier to amplify the person being bullied’s humiliations because news travels fast on the web.
What can you do if you’re being bullied online?
There’s no one solution to cyberbullying but here are some tips for when you’re online:
- Never give out personal information like your password
- Save evidence of bullying – take a screen shot of nasty comments or mean conversations
- Block people who are harassing you
- Talk to a trusted adult to find solutions
- Take breaks from the Internet to help you relax
It’s important to remember that bullying takes all different forms and even if you’re not the one doing the bullying if you share mean photos or “like” mean comments you’re only making the problem worse. Always think about how you would feel if someone did such a thing to you.
More Resources:
Check out Stop Cyberbulying and Kids Help Phone for more information and ideas.
If you want to direct your parents to a book so they can learn more about it, Odd Girl Out by Rachel Simmons is a good resource.
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