Cyberbullying — Keep Your Child Safe Online
Are you worried about the safety of your child on the internet? Well, your concern is completely valid. Technological advances have facilitated us effortlessly, but, at the same time, created new challenges. One of them is for the parents to keep their children safe online. Now, everyone is on social media, and just limiting social media is not enough. Cyberbullying victimization rate in the U.S., which is, alarming.
Want to know about ways to keep your children safe online? Keep reading.
What is Cyberbullying
Do you know what cyberbullying is? When someone uses technology to harass, embarrass or tease a person, it is called cyberbullying.
It may take many forms, such as sending threatening or humiliating messages or writing negative comments under someone’s post that others can see. It can also be tagging someone in a teasing post or excluding someone from an online group. When someone posts someone’s personal information online, it is also cyberbullying.
Consequences of Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying has long-lasting and damaging consequences on children. Victims experience severe negative effects, especially on their social well-being. Others include:
- Change in mood
- Display of anger
- Exhibiting fear
- Sleeping and eating problems
- Low self-esteem
- Trying to harm oneself
- Withdrawal from online activities
- Bullying others
It is pertinent to mention that some children and young people do not show any of the above signs and might hide them altogether.
How to Deal With Cyberbullying
In the new technology, the anonymity of the abuser gives a unique advantage to the bully that is unavailable in the real world. But every problem has a solution. You can take the following steps to deal with cyberbullying:
1. Develop an Open Relationship with Your Child
Cyberbullying is an uncomfortable thing that children may hesitate to share. Developing an open relationship will help your child to share bullying with you. And you can take further steps.
2. Educate Your Child about Cyberbullying
Talk to your children about cyberbullying. Tell them it can happen to anyone. Educate them on how they can identify it and share it with you or any trustworthy adult.
3. Don’t Limit or Deny Access to Technology
If your child shares anything like cyberbullying, it may come instinctively to just limit or stop the usage of social media. But this is not the solution. It may affect the child badly without solving the issue or even aggravating it.
4. Save the evidence
Teach your child to save the evidence of cyberbullying. This can be any comment, image, or post. You can take screenshots.
5. Don’t Respond
A bully draws his energy through the attention that the target gives him. If your child doesn’t respond to the bully, the bully can’t attack with the same energy as before.
6. Use the Tools in Social Media Apps
Many social media tools can be used to stop cyberbullying. Each social media app provides these tools.
7. Report to the Authorities
You can also report cyberbullying to authorities. If the bully is from school, you can report it to school authorities with evidence.
Bottom Line
Your child has every right to remain safe everywhere, be it in real life or on social media. To achieve this goal, fasten your belt, and be ready to ensure your child’s online safety by following the above tips.