Some cyberbullies hide behind aliases. Some are simply emboldened by lack of face-to-face contact. Some are unaware of the impact of their unkind words. What is certain is that cyberbullying is now a part of young people’s online lives.
Anti-Bullying Week 2018 has taken on cyberbullying with a new campaign to end the culture of verbal and emotional abuse online.
What is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is online behaviour designed to upset, disrespect, exclude or harass targeted individuals. Its effects and motives are the same as ‘in real life’ bullying. Young people are particularly vulnerable to cyberbullies because they often feel unable to switch off the devices which bring the abuse directly into their private spaces. What’s more, young people may not be tuned in to the subtle techniques some cyberbullies use – so they may not even know they are being bullied.
How Can I Deal with Cyberbullies?
The first step is to break the silence. Cyberbullies often depend on their victims saying nothing, so that they can carry on making them miserable. Social networks have policies against cyberbullying and you can report users for bullying behaviour. If the network is on the ball, they may be banned or suspended.
You may not want to invite your parents into your ‘private’ online world, but nothing is really private online. You may need adult support to help you deal with a difficult situation. If you don’t want to talk to your parents, speak to a nice teacher at school.
There is some great advice on cyberbullying on the BullyingUK website.
Am I a Cyberbully?
Sometimes we share or like comments without really thinking about it. It’s important to stop and think before you do this. Is this comment unkind? Would it upset me? You might feel you want to upset the person it’s aimed at – things can get heated online – but you have to remember that stuff you post online is there forever. Even if you delete comments, someone could have taken a screenshot and saved it. Don’t say things in the heat of the moment.
People will say things you don’t like online. You have every right to disagree with them, but you should respect their right to disagree with you! You can have a debate without abusing others. If someone makes comments you cannot respect, just block them and move on.
What Should I Do if I See Cyberbullying?
The Anti-Bullying Alliance advises you to “Stop, Speak, Support” whenever you see online bullying. If you see online bullying, you can report the bully to whichever social media platform they are using. You can speak up against their behaviour and let their ‘victim’ know they have your support. Of course, an online bully can turn on you when you speak up, so if they are really nasty, you might want to block them before they get the chance. Again, it can be a good idea to get an adult involved.
Better Tuition supports Anti-Bullying Week 2018.
Dealing with bullies is never easy but people care more than you realise. Ask for help and support and you will find there are plenty of people who will stick up for you.
