With the pervasive nature of the internet and social media, cyberbullying has become a fact of life for some students. Some studies show that over 40% of children and teens have been bullied online, a rate higher than face-to-face encounters. This may be due to the “anonymous” and “at-a-distance” nature of online identities, or due to the greater disconnect between a bully and his/her victim’s pain that online interactions create.
The National Crime Prevention Council previously reported that only 11% of teens have talked to their parents about cyberbullying incidents. As a parent, fortunately, not knowing about incidents that may have occurred does not mean that you cannot do anything about them. The NCPC has an abundance of resources to help prevent future cyberbullying and help your child deal with incidents s/he may have or have not reported to you. There are many ways to prevent bullying before it starts; the same rules that apply in real-life also apply in the online world. But some additional rules apply:
- Don’t engage. Ignoring a bully is one of the most effective tactics your child can use in the online world, and this tactic is only augmented by the numerous ways to block a bully from being able to contact him/her in the first place. (S)he can block the bully from chat, or unfriend them on Facebook, as well as adjust his/her privacy settings.
- Keep a record of the incidents. This is quite easy in an online setting, and there are numerous ways your child can do this. Screenshots of the incident are the simplest, and can help make a complete record of the bullying, which can be reported to your internet service provider (ISP) or other officials. The degree to which a web authority can act is dependent on where the bullying takes place, but records like this are essential if the bullying escalates to something more aggressive.
Knowing how to use the tools that are available is one of the most essential aspects of either preventing or diminishing incidents of cyberbullying. Being familiar with Facebook’s privacy settings or the settings of other programs is a key component in staying safe online. Don’t forget: the best way to deal with cyberbullying is to talk to your children about their experiences, and to help them deal with it. Even if they don’t bring it up themselves, it’s best to raise the issue in a safe and respectful way, without patronizing them.
While the methods of bullies may differ when it comes to operating online, the motivations behind the bullying does not. Thus, while there are different challenges to dealing with cyberbullying, beginning with the baseline that treating a cyberbully the same way one treats any other bully is a good way to ensure a safer online experience for your children.
