Imagine you are in your house sitting on the couch, scrolling through Instagram on your phone. You receive messages from an unknown person, and these messages are hateful, derogatory, and hurtful. You feel helpless, clueless, and bullied. That is what cyberbullying is -a way of bullying digitally. But it affects the victim mentally, emotionally, and physically. Even though the victim may be physically safe in their house, they are not mentally safe.
Cyberbullying is an issue that people –especially kids and teenagers –face daily, and the lack of awareness contributes to the growth of cyberbullying and cyberbullies.
Cyberbullying is not physical bullying, but it is bullying done digitally by an unknown person. Even though the main targets are children and teens, anyone with a digital device (phone, tablet, computer, etc.) can become a target. Cyberbullies repetitively send hateful comments,
uncomfortable messages, and in many cases, share or post personal photos about the victim on social media without their consent. Cyberbullies want to humiliate you and harass you mentally.
Many Cyberbullies impersonate someone and post false information about that person on
websites, social media, and other digital platforms, ruining that person’s reputation.
Threatening the victim, forcing the victim to send photos, posting inappropriate content on
the victim’s online profile, and spreading rumors about the victim are just a few activities
that Cyberbullies engage in to bully the victim.
How do you know if you’re being Cyberbullied? If you feel scared to open your social media apps, messages, or even phone in general due to the hateful messages you receive, then you are being cyberbullied. If it makes you anxious, depressed, tired, etc. due to the harassment, then you’re being cyberbullied.
If you experience any of the following mentioned above, then you are being cyberbullied.
What to do if you are being Cyberbullied?
If you are being Cyberbullied, communicate! If you know someone who is a victim of cyberbully, then assist them in any way possible!
Communicate with your parents, your friends, or a trusted adult. Communication is the key to take the first step to fix the problem. Do not conform to the words of the cyberbully because the more you agree to them, the more they continue to control you.
If the Cyberbully is a person from your school or anyone you know, confront them along with a trusted adult. If you’re not comfortable with telling someone you know, you can contact a helpline or talk to a professional counselor who can help you.
How to prevent Cyberbullying?
Be informed about the privacy settings on your social media apps. Many social media apps allow for two-factor authentication which is a great way to protect your account.
Report any hurtful comments or requests that you receive.
Kids must never share personal information such as phone number, address, or any other
details that can make it easy for cyberbullies to bully them!
Parents should teach their children about both the good and bad about the internet and how to stay safe on the Internet.
Cyberbullying is an issue that many people face daily but increasing awareness of it as well as steps to prevent it can prevent the growth of Cyberbullying.
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