Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying

WHAT IS CYBERBULLYING?

This is the use of digital technology (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) to offend, humiliate, threaten, harass, or abuse somebody.

WHAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF CYBERBULLYING?

Sending or receiving nasty messages online, or on the phone.

Embarrassing photos being uploaded online without your permission.

Rumours and lies being spread about you on the internet.

Types of cyberbullying

There are many ways of bullying someone online and for some it can take shape in more ways than one. Some of the types of cyber bullying are:

Harassment - This is the act of sending offensive, rude, and insulting messages and being abusive. Nasty or humiliating comments on posts, photos and in chat rooms. Being explicitly offensive on gaming sites.

Denigration – This is when someone may send information about another person that is fake, damaging and untrue. Sharing photos of someone for the purpose to ridicule, spreading fake rumours and gossip. This can be on any site online or on apps. We even hear about people altering photos of others and posting in online for the purpose of bullying.

Flaming – This is when someone is purposely using really extreme and offensive language and getting into online arguments and fights. They do this to cause reactions and enjoy the fact it causes someone to get distressed.

Impersonation – This is when someone will hack into someone’s email or social networking account and use the person's online identity to send or post vicious or embarrassing material to/about others. The making up of fake profiles on social network sites, apps and online are common place and it can be really difficult to get them closed down.

Outing and Trickery – This is when someone may share personal information about another or trick someone into revealing secrets and forward it to others. They may also do this with private images and videos too. 

Cyber Stalking – This is the act of repeatedly sending messages that include threats of harm, harassment, intimidating messages, or engaging in other online activities that make a person afraid for his or her safety. The actions may be illegal too depending on what they are doing. 

Exclusion – This is when others intentionally leave someone out of a group such as group messages, online apps, gaming sites and other online engagement. This is also a form of social bullying and a very common. 

Affects of cyberbullying

Cyber bullying affects people from any age or walk of life, including children, teens and adults who all feel very distressed and alone when being bullied online.  Cyber bullying can make you feel totally overwhelmed which can result in many feeling embarrassed that they are going through such a devastating time, and not knowing what support is available to them.  Many children feel unable to confide in an adult because they feel ashamed and wonder whether they will be judged, told to ignore it or close their account which they might not want to do

Internet safety tips:

• Never give out your real name
• Never tell anyone where you go to school
• Only meet someone from a chatroom in a public place with one of your parents or another adult. If they are genuinely who they say they are they will be happy to do this
• Never give out your address or telephone number
• Never agree to meet anyone from a chatroom on your own
• Tell an adult if someone makes inappropriate suggestions to you or makes you feel uncomfortable online

Source

https://www.bullying.co.uk/cyberbullying/what-is-cyberbullying/

https://www.ditchthelabel.org/what-is-cyberbullying/?gclid=CjwKCAjw7_rlBRBaEiwAc23rhvnSUUVwjeUAAorcH7kGXVBzn6CqIsPT3_tPXl6XEsoOZBG-_ooDuhoC3kcQAvD_BwE