10 Ways to Prevent Cyber Bullying
Cyberbullying is the term used to describe bullying that occurs through technology-based forms of communication. As the use of text messaging, email and social networking sites continue to rise in popularity, so do the incidents of cyberbullying. Parents that educate themselves and their children on the warning signs and dangers of cyberbullying can help to prevent the emotional distress that occurs with this form of bullying.
Online dangers
The internet is a fantastic resource that helps us to learn, share, communicate and find entertainment. It has billions of users who use it for legitimate reasons. However, there are others who use the internet for illegal and unsavoury purposes.
There are several dangers that we might come across when online:
Taking simple precautions can help to reduce or prevent exposure to such dangers.
Malware
Malware (short for malicious software) are programs that install and run on your computer without your knowledge or consent. Malware is often downloaded from email attachments or websites that are not properly protected. Some websites are designed to trick you into downloading and installing malware. Once installed, malware usually (but not always) causes harm to the computer or user by deleting data or gaining access to personal information.
Some malware is designed to copy itself and spread to other computers via email attachments that are sent from the infected computer. This type of malware is known as a virus. Another type of malware spies on users’ activities, usually to steal financial details and passwords. This type of malware is known as spyware. Other types of malware include trojans and zombies.
Once infected, it can be difficult to rid a computer of malware. Special programs called anti-virus software are required to clean malware off a computer.
Phishing
You might receive emails from someone pretending to be someone you know. The emails are designed to trick you into giving away personal information, such as your usernames and passwords. For example, an email might appear to be sent from a social media website. It might say that a password needs resetting, and might provide a link to reset it. The link would lead to a fake website which looks exactly like the real site. This site will capture your details, allowing an unsavoury character access to your accounts.
Phishing emails are often quite easy to spot. Although at first glance they may look very much like a genuine email from a company or website, on closer examination they often contain spelling or grammatical errors. Always remember that it is rare that a website will genuinely send you an email asking for your username and password.
Unsavoury characters and cyberbullying
Most people use the internet safely and responsibly, but some use it for illegal or unsavoury activities. They do it to make money or to behave badly in a situation where they think that no-one can identify them.
It is not always possible to be sure who sends emails or posts a comment to a social media account. Many people pretend to be someone else online, sometimes for fun but sometimes because they intend to harm others, through cyberbullying, theft or trolling.
There are many situations where you may encounter trolling or someone pretending to be someone else. It may be that someone contacts you through a discussion forum, social media, in an online game or in virtual reality meeting room. You should always be cautious when interacting with someone you have never met in person.
Trolling is the term given to people who visit other peoples’ social media accounts and leave distasteful messages.
Cyberbullying is the bullying of another person using the internet, mobile phones and other digital devices. Cyberbullying can take the form of posts on forums or social media, text messages or emails, all with the aim of hurting the victim.
Cyberbullying ‘as difficult to stop as abuse in playground’
He also disagreed with those who have said we are witnessing a new form of bullying.
He said: “We are seeing children behave as they always have done, be that name calling, the labels children give each other, or the abusive and threatening calls made when we all only had landline telephones in our homes.
“Cyberbullying reflects everything you’d typically have seen in the playground. Only now the medium is different.”
Anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label has found that as many as seven in 10 young people have been victims of cyberbullying, with more young people being targeted through social media than ever.
More than one-third (37%) said they experienced cyberbullying frequently while one-fifth of young people reported extreme cyberbullying on a daily basis.
A number of high-profile cases this year have shown the impact online bullying can have on those being bullied.
In July, Daniel Perry, an apprentice mechanic from Dunfermline in Fife, was tricked into taking part in online Skype conversations with someone he believed was a girl of the same age.
The 17-year-old jumped off the Forth Road Bridge after it was revealed he had been communicating with blackmailers who threatened to show footage to his family unless he paid them.
In August, Hannah Smith, 14, from Leicestershire, hanged herself after she was told to self-harm on controversial website ask.fm.
The Latvia-based site allows users to send messages to one another without their identity being disclosed and has been linked to as many as 12 suicides in the past year It later said it would make a number of policy changes and safeguards to help tackle the problem.
Both the UK and Scottish governments have pledged to take action against cyberbullying and blackmail.
Professor Rivers said it was only now the infiltration of mobile phones had reached saturation point that the full impact the technology has on bullying will be understood.
Professor Rivers told the Times Educational Supplement (TES): “Cyberbullying is a 24/7 phenomena and schools need to intervene more in out-of-school behaviour.
“More importantly, the main social media websites need to take a more responsible approach.
“They say they do, but in truth they drag their heels.”
Parents often buy mobile phones for their children with the intention to ensure their safety, but do not give them any instruction on how to use them appropriately.
Even though there are many anti-bullying online resources for parents, he fears that “there really is no one solution to the issue”.
He added: “The consequence of mobile technology is that a teenager can now sit alone in their bedroom and send sexist or racist slurs with no social cues from those around them that what they are doing is wrong.
“Of course online friends ought to step in, but studies suggest that bystanders may be co-victims too. They’re horrified at what’s going on but don’t want to draw attention to themselves.
“Some even choose to support the bully to protect themselves from having any attention turned on to them. Social media isn’t really ‘social’ at all. If anything, it is creating greater degrees of isolation.”