As mentioned in my first blog post cyber bullying is growing substantial amounts in our society. It is important that we are aware of the issue and educate ourselves in ways of preventing it. Learning how to keep ourselves safe online is important and it is key to remember that there are ways we can help ourselves stay away from becoming a target of cyber bullying. By following these five simple tips shown below you can be satisfied that you have done everything you can to prevent the chances of becoming involved in cyber bullying.
Quick Tip- I suggest that as you read over the tips, tick them off as you go along making sure you have followed them the best you can!
Passwords- Using unusual and hard to guess passwords can keep you safe online. Using a combination of numbers, symbols and a variation of upper and lowercases. Hench using any part of your name or date of birth can be too easy for people to guess so try to prevent unwanted people from getting into your social media accounts.
Log out- If you happen to be using a public computer anywhere or a borrow device, make sure you log out of everything. This will protect your privacy. For example, logging out of your Facebook or email account.
Privacy- Try not to reveal to much personal detail about yourself. Online you never know who is receiving the information and what they are doing with it. Your phone number, address, school and any other private information should be kept only for yourself or your parents.
Think- Think before you post anything online. As don’t forget that the internet is public and free for anyone to see. If you wouldn’t say it out loud in real life then don’t say it online. Everything you post can never be fully deleted once it’s out there.
Respect- Remember to respect others and think twice before using unkind words and consider whether or not you are treating others the way in which you would want to be treated.
What to Remember
Although there are tips and advice you can follow in order to help you keep safe online it isn’t always enough. In some cases cyber bullies target their victims at random, for example internet trolls. If you do become a victim of cyber bullying you must remember that you are not alone. You should never be afraid to reach out for help and report the issue to a responsible adult. Below are a few simple tips that you should remember to follow if you do become a victim:
Are you a Victim? Don’t Panic
Don’t respond – Although it may seem hard to ignore hurtful and harassing comments made towards you by others. Try your best not to respond as the bullies could be encouraged by getting a reaction out of you. ‘Turn the other cheek’.
Don’t retaliate – Once again although you may be tempted to reply to the bullying, getting back at them will only make you as bad as they are. You shouldn’t reinforce the behaviour. By not retaliating you are avoiding a whole cycle of aggression.
Block the bully – You can use privacy tools to block the person that the harassing messages are coming from. Whether it’s on Facebook or through text messages they is always a way to block all communications with the bully.
Record- Remember to keep a record of the harassing messages that have been sent to you. Either print out a hard copy or print screen and save the evidence on to your computer or mobile phone. This is important because you can show an adult and if the bullying escalates proof will be needed to verify the bully.
Reach out to an adult – Either your parents, a teacher, counsellor or even anonymously at school you deserve to have help and support. It is always good to involve someone you trust and feel safe talking to. Whether it’s to repost the bullying or simply have someone to reach out to when you are feeling down and upset.
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