What
is Cyberbullying?
Online
bullying, called cyberbullying, happens when teens use the
Internet, cell phones, or other devices to send or post text or
images intended to hurt or embarrass another person.
Cyberbullying is a problem affecting almost half of all American
teens. Whether you’ve been a victim of cyberbullying, know
someone who has been cyberbullied, or have even cyberbullied
yourself, there are steps you and your friends can take to stop
cyberbullying and stay cyber-safe.
How are teens Cyberbullied?
Some youths
who cyberbully pretend they are other people online to trick
others
·
Spread lies and rumors about victims
·
Trick people into revealing personal information
·
Send or forward mean text messages
·
Post pictures of victims without their consent
How do we Prevent Cyberbullying?
· Blocking communication with the cyberbully
· Deleting messages without reading them
· Talking to a friend about the bullying
· Reporting the problem to an Internet service provider or website moderator
· Refuse to pass along cyberbullying messages
· Tell friends to stop cyberbullying
· Block communication with cyberbullies
· Report cyberbullying to a trusted adult
· Speaking with other students, as well as teachers and school administrators, to develop rules against cyberbullying
· Raising awareness of the cyberbullying problem in your community by holding an assembly and creating fliers to give to younger kids or parents
How do I stay Cybersafe?
Remember that
the Internet is accessed by millions of people all over the
world, not just your friends and family. While many Internet
users are friendly, some may want to hurt you. Below are some
ways to stay cyber-safe:
Never post or share your personal information online (this
includes your full name, address, telephone number, school name,
parents’ names, credit card number, or social security number)
or your friends’ personal information.
·
Never share your Internet passwords with anyone, except your
parents.
·
Never meet anyone face-to-face whom you only know online.
·
Talk to your parents about what you do online.
Other links to Prevent Cyberbullying
·
Check out the
following resources to learn more about preventing cyberbullying:
http://www.ncpc.org/teens/Cyberbullying.php provides
information about stopping cyberbullying before it starts.
· Stop Cyberbullying Before It Starts (PDF) provides useful information for parents.
· http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/ has a fun quiz to rate your online behavior, information about why some people cyberbully, and how to stop yourself from cyberbullying.
·
http://www.wiredsafety.com/
provides information about what to do if you are cyberbullied.
·
http://www.stopbullyingnow.com/ has information about what
you can do to stop bullying.
Courtesy of the National Crime Prevention
Council—
