Online Bullying: What You Need To Know
Online bullying is defined as any repeated behavior that is meant to harass another using technology such as social media and text messaging. Many of the same tactics used to bully a person offline are used in the online version of bullying. These can include:
- Deliberate exclusion of a targeted individual from virtual groups in games or online groups;
- Falsely befriending an individual for the purposes of gaining their trust, and then betraying the individual;
- The disclosure of private information told by a targeted individual, via mass text or status update.
An unfortunate reality of online bullying is that it has resulted in the deaths of several young people. But there are many campaigns today that are working against the destructive results of both physical and online bullying. And although learning that your child is the victim of online bullying can be devastating news, there are steps you can take to stop the activity.
It Starts At Home
Leading by example is the best way to combat online bullying attempts. Showing a child that you have self-confidence without the need to get outside approval and are doing just find in this manner can do wonders for their own self-esteem. A child with good self-esteem may be less inclined to believe the hurtful words of a bully that target their intelligence, clothing or other aspects of their personality.
Personal Information
The amount of personal information your child provides a bully can have consequences. Although your child may be desperate to fit in with a particular group at school by providing personal information about their secret crushes or what they wrote in a note, remind them that this can be used against them.
Recognizing Online Bullying
Believe it or not, your child may not recognize that they are being bullied online. This can be easy to do if your child really likes a certain person or wants participate in a group of friends. But there are many signs that can be passed along to your child so that they can stop online bullying before it starts.
Basically, if it makes them feel uncomfortable, then it isn't right and should be reported to you right away. And while it may be tempting to retaliate against a bully in a similar fashion, it's important to communicate how this can not only worsen the intensity of the bullying, but also result in loss of computer privileges at home.
Monitoring Software
If you have had a talk with your child about online bullying, but want to keep an extra eye on their online activities, monitoring software may be an option. There are many types of monitoring software available which can record keystrokes and web site visits. Although this can cause some arguments from your child if discovered, this risk may be worth it if it results in your peace of mind.
Listen
Listening to your child when they tell you they are being bullied may seem like a given, but reminding yourself of this can go a long way to stopping the activity. Listening to your child will enable you to ask them questions about their experiences and give you important clues about who is involved with the bullying, along with how long it's been going on.
Being supportive of your child is equally important, whether they are the victim or the perpetrator. The behavior of a bullying child is the reason conflict is happening, and not the child themselves. And so addressing why the behavior is occurring is the first step.-
If your child is bullying others online or helping someone else to do so, amends will need to be made in some form. Discuss with your child how important a good deed or apology can be to someone who has been bullied.
Empathy Training
Advocating for empathy training in your child's school may be another solution to combating online bullying, albeit on a larger scale. Empathy training is available via a number of programs and geared towards all learning levels.
