People are taking bullying out of the playground and are using technology to torment others. Cyberbullies have many technological options at their disposal.
What Methods do Cyberbullies Use?– Known and used by over 70% of young Canadians, electronic mail has become one of the most popular forms of communication. Encouraged by anonymity and a slim chance of getting caught, bullies take advantage of e-mail to victimize others.
What to do? Never respond to e-mail messages by bullies. That is what they want; do not give them the satisfaction. Do not delete the message. If you are a teenager, show it to a parent or other trusted adult. Report the abuse to the sender’s e-mail service provider (this address is after the @ symbol on the sender’s e-mail).
Use your e-mail service provider to block e-mail from the sender. See if it is possible for your e-mail service provider to track the sender’s e-mail address if it is not displayed. Consider changing your e-mail address and only give the new address to trusted people.
Instant Messaging – Bullies love instant messaging (IM). IM occurs when people are online and chatting in real time through MSN Messenger, ICQ, AOL Messenger, etc. Users have a buddy list of approved people they can chat with and no one else is able to join. For many teens, IM is an integral part of their social life.
What to do? Never allow anyone you do not know and trust onto your IM list. If bullied, block the sender and give the Internet service provider the details. They should take action, maybe even disconnecting the bully from the IM service. Consider deleting the account and reregistering with a new username/ID.
Text Messaging – According to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, 65% of Canadians in the 16-17 age bracket have cell phones; the figure is 30% for the 13 to 15 age bracket. Messages are sent to them at any time and the text messages can be vicious.
What to do? – Never give your cell phone number to anyone you do not trust. If you do get a distressing message, do not respond. Tell a parent or trusted adult and record the details of the message. If possible save it on your phone. Report the abuse to your cell phone company. Get a new phone number if necessary.
Chat Rooms – Teens often chat with people in a virtual meeting room and type messages which immediately appear on the computer screen. The anonymity gives some people the audacity to say things they wouldn’t normally say in person, sometimes cruel and hateful things. Cliques and groups can evolve in chat rooms like they do in school and brutal behavior can result. Most adults would be shocked to see what is written in chat rooms.
What to do? - Prevention is the key here – never give out personal information when you are chatting online. But if you do have problems with bullies, do not respond to them. Leave the chat room and tell an adult. If the chat room has a moderator, let them know what happened.
Web sites – Sites are established online with the intent of mocking, harassing and/or humiliating a person or group of people. Some Web sites have online polls and voting stations that bullies use to harass others. This can be devastating to the victim. Some teens create Web logs, basically an online diary that can be read by anyone. The information written isn’t necessarily true.
What to do? – After printing pages from the Web site, check out the service provider’s acceptable use policy on their Web site for details on how to deal with the situation. Request the site or the poll be removed.
Social media Web sites - Sites like facebook are an easy mark for cyberbullies. Over three million Canadians are on Twitter. Cyberbullies send messages through these Web sites or post messages on them for everyone to read.
What to do? - Follow the tips for web sites above. Closing down your profile is an easy option as well.
Camera Phones – Bullies take pictures of others and download the images onto the Internet or forward them on to others, sometimes altering the pictures in embarrassing ways.
What to do? – Save the photo and tell an adult. Unfortunately it may be impossible to trace the source of the photo and take appropriate action.
Using Computer Software to Fight Cyberbullies
There is software available (such as CYBERsitter, Net Nanny, Cyber Snoop and Predator Guard) designed to monitor a child’s online activities or to keep your child safer when online. Do they work?
When asked her opinion on which program she recommends, Anita Thomas, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Geekstreet, a prime source for computer and technology information in Canada, replied “This is a huge problem. It is 'supposed' to be the parent's role to teach, guide, and protect their child in this world, but all that changes when it comes to the Internet.
When it comes to the Internet, it is often the children who know more than most parents. Relying on software to protect your children is also not the answer. It is vital for parents to be involved in their children’s lives, know where they are going, what they are doing, who they are spending their time with...online as well as off-line.”
For more information, check out:
- Facts About Cyberbullying
- What to do When Your Child is the Victim of a Cyberbully
- Cyberbullying Glossary
Toby Welch - Toby is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in magazine articles, online writing, e-books, and manuscript editing.
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