In today’s article, we learn about cyberbullying and what it means. Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that takes place through the use of digital technologies. This can happen on social networks, messaging platforms, gaming platforms, and mobile phones. It is a repeated behavior to scare, anger, or humiliate those targeted.
Examples include:
- spreading lies or posting embarrassing photos of someone on social networks;
- transmitting of annoying messages or threats through message exchange platforms;
- copying a person’s identity and sending malicious messages to someone on their behalf.
Face-to-face bullying and online bullying can occur simultaneously. But cyberbullying leaves fingerprints – records that can prove useful and provide the evidence needed to end the aggression.
Top 10 Questions About Cyberbullying
- Am I being harassed online? How do you tell the difference between a joke and bullying?
All friends joke with each other, but sometimes it’s hard to tell if someone is just having fun or wants to hurt you, especially online. Sometimes I take the issue as a joke and tell you “I was just kidding,” or “don’t take it too seriously.”
But if you feel offended or think that others are laughing at you and not at you, then the joke has gone too far. If it continues even after you have asked that person to stop and you are still troubled by what happened, then it could be bullying.
And when the aggression takes place online, it can attract unwanted attention from many people, including strangers.
Wherever it happens, if it displeases you, you are not obliged to accept it.
Tell him how you want to, but if it makes you feel bad and doesn’t stop, then it’s better to ask for help. Stopping cyberbullying is not just about exposing bullies, but also about acknowledging that we all deserve respect, both online and in real life.
- What are the effects of cyberbullying?
When bullying occurs online, you feel attacked wherever you are, even in your own home. It may seem like a no-brainer. The effects can be long lasting and can affect a person in many ways:
- Psychically – you feel angry, embarrassed, stupid, even angry
- Emotionally you – feel ashamed or lose interest in the things you like
- Physically – you feel tired (you have insomnia) or you have symptoms such as stomach or headaches.
Cyberbullying can affect us in many ways. But the situation can be overcome and those affected can regain their confidence and health.
- Who should I talk to if someone assaults me online?
If you feel that you are the target of bullying, the first step is to seek the help of someone you trust, such as your parents or a close family member, or other trusted adult.
If the aggression takes place on a social platform, you can block the aggressor and report his behavior formally on that platform. Social networking companies should provide a safe environment for their users.
Gathering evidence, such as text messages and screenshots of social media posts, can help show what’s going on.
- I face cyberbullying, but I’m afraid to talk to my parents about it. How to approach them?
It is not easy for everyone to talk to their parents. But there are things you can do to make communication easier. Choose the moment of dialogue when you know they can give you their full attention. Explain how serious the problem is for you. Remember that they may not be as familiar with technology as you are, so you may need to help them understand what is happening.
They may not have immediate solutions for you, but there is a good chance that they will want to help you and together you can find a solution. Two minds work better than one.
If you are unsure of what to do, consider seeking the help of other trusted people.
- How can I help my friends report a case of cyberbullying?
Anyone can become a victim of cyberbullying. If you notice that a person you know is the target of such aggression, try to offer your support.
It is important to listen to your friend. Why doesn’t he want to report cyberbullying? How does it feel? Tell him that he does not have to report anything formally, but that it is essential to talk to someone who can help him.
Remember, your friend may be in a delicate state. Show him your kindness. Help him think about what he could say and to whom. Offer to accompany him if he decides to report the situation. More importantly, remind him that you are there to support him and that you want to help him.
Anyone can become a victim of cyberbullying
- How can we end cyberbullying without giving up internet access?
The online environment has countless benefits. However, like many other things in life, they come with risks that you need to protect yourself from.
If you are dealing with online aggression, it is advisable to delete some applications or stay offline for a while to give yourself time to recover. But not using the Internet is not a long-term solution. You didn’t do anything wrong, so why put yourself at a disadvantage? It can even send the wrong signal to the aggressors, thus encouraging their unacceptable behavior.
- How can I prevent the use of my personal information to manipulate or humiliate me on social networks?
- You can choose who can view your profile, who can send you direct messages, or who can leave a comment by configuring your account’s privacy settings
- You can report annoying comments, messages, and photos and request to be deleted
- Apart from deleting from your friend’s list, you can completely block someone and they will no longer be able to view your profile or contact you
- You can also choose to have certain people leave comments that are only visible to them, without completely blocking them
- You can delete posts from your profile or hide them so that they can no longer be viewed by certain people
- Is cyberbullying punishable?
In states that have specific laws to combat cyberbullying, online behavior that intentionally causes emotional distress is considered a criminal activity. In some of these states, victims of cyberbullying may request protection, a ban on communication with a particular person, and a temporary or permanent restriction on the use of electronic devices used by that person to assault in an online environment.
- Companies that do business on the Internet do not seem to care about online bullying and harassment
These companies are paying more and more attention to issues related to online bullying. Many of them introduce methods of approach and better protection of users through new tools, guidance, and methods of reporting online aggression.
But more effort is indeed needed. Many young people deal with cyberbullying every day. Some of them face extreme forms of online aggression. Some have resorted to suicide. Technology companies have a responsibility to protect their users, especially children, and young people.
- Are online anti-bullying tools available for children or young people?
Each social platform provides different tools through which you can restrict the list of people who can leave comments or view your posts or those who can automatically log in as friends and through which you can report cases of bullying. Many of these tools involve simple steps such as blocking, hiding, or reporting cyberbullying. We encourage you to go through them.
Social networks also provide educational and guidance tools for children, parents, and teachers that allow them to learn more about the risks and ways to navigate the online environment safely.
