Cyberbullying: How Can I Protect My Child?

What is Cyberbullying? Cyberbullying is the use of Information Technology to harm or harass other people in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner.

Why should I be concerned? Our lives have gone digital There is online access 24/7 Recent studies show that 25% of students have been cyberbullied* 16% admit to having cyberbullied others* Does your child have: Cell phone with a data plan iPad Tablet Laptop or PC? (*Cyberbullying Research Center)

Why Do Kids Use Social Networking Sites? It’s a way of socializing Keeping up-to-date Keeping more friendships, looser connections Communication Find out about people Share Your Information

Does your child do any of these…? Texting IM’ing (Instant Messaging) Facebook Twitter Instagram Kik SnapChat Gaming Sites

What Cautions Should you Take? Teach your child that PRIVACY is important, especially online. Do not share specific and personal information in any public forum. Be sure that privacy settings are clearly understood in each media used. Once something is posted, it is forever out on the web! Be SMART!! Know where your child is online.

What Does Cyberbullying Look Like? Flaming – Online fights using electronic messages filled with angry and vulgar language Trolling – Attempt to incite arguments, controversy, and disruption in online social contexts Outing – Sharing someone’s secret or embarrassing information online Impersonation – Pretending to be someone else online and acting to harm that person Denigration – Sending or posting cruel gossip or rumors about a person to damage his or her reputation or friendships Harassment – Repeatedly sending offensive, rude, and insulting messages. This is typically not in a public social media. Cyberstalking – Engaging in online activities that make a person afraid for his or her safety Also: Trickery, Exclusion, Sexual Harassment

Characteristics of Cyberbullying: First, cyberbullying can be anonymous: youth who are being cyberbullied may not even know who the bully is, or specifically why they are being targeted. Second, the impact of cyberbullying can be wider-reaching than bullying done in person. The speed and breadth of the internet have permitted groups of youth to create websites just to make fun of other young people, to impersonate other teens on social media sites, and to circulate embarrassing photos, all within a matter of minutes. Finally, cyberbullies can be teens who might not otherwise have engaged in bullying behaviors. It is often easier to be cruel when the bully is sheltered from their target’s responses which can over time include devastating consequences such as withdrawal from family and friends, depression, diminished performance in school and in the most severe cases, self-harming behavior and even suicide. Today’s national media coverage of bullying often focuses on cases that come to an extreme and tragic end, with parents, schools and entire communities weighing in to express strong opinions about how to “deal with” the bullies, and wondering what, if anything could have been done to protect the “victim.” And even more often, parents and teachers and the community express surprise at the ordinariness of the youth who engaged in bullying behavior, and how unlikely it seemed that they would be involved in something so terrible. Helping Kids Rise above Cyberbullying Current research 4 shows that approaches to help prevent bullying behavior are essentially the same as those that will help youth withstand harassment. These approaches – which are closely linked to the Search Institute Developmental Assets, and include building strong and positive ties to family, peers and community, and fostering the values of empowerment and self-control, among others – seem to tell us that the needs of youth who react most dramatically to bullying, and those engaging in bullying behavior may in fact be the same. Research shows that raising kids to be resilient can lead them to avoid more types of risky behaviors, including bullying. Learn more >> Action Steps: If you suspect your child is being cyberbullied >> Action Steps: If you suspect your child is cyberbullying others >> ————— 1. Pew Charitable Trusts, Pew Internet and American Life Project, Writing, Technology and Teens, Washington DC, 2008. 2. In the studies, the students were informed that cyberbullying was defined as “when someone repeatedly makes fun of another person through email or text message, or when someone posts something online about another person that they don’t like.” 3. Hinduja, S. & Patchin J. (2010) Cyberbullying fact sheet: Identification, Prevention and Response. Cyberbullying Research Center. 4. See, e.g., Orpinas, P., & Horne, A. M. (2006). Bullying prevention: Creating a positive school climate and developing social competence. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

How to Stop or Prevent Cyberbullying Parents Talk about and monitor your child’s online experiences. BE PROACTIVE Teach responsible online behavior Discuss response strategies - Keep lines of communication open with your child Restrict/structure online time and supervise….LIMITS Encourage personal responsibility, but don’t feel bad to question your child Students Be smart about your privacy Stop if it feels wrong – Don’t respond to a cyberbully. Knowing someone just online is not a real trusting relationship. Copy all messages and pictures, and save texts and voice messages Block communication Tell a trusted adult

Websites That Can Help http://www.bizymoms.com/scams/scamming.html Keep informed http://www.buzzle.com Helps deal with Malware www.CitationMachine.net To help cite works when using internet info www.Cyberbullying.us This is set up by the Cyberbullying research Center http://www.microsoft.com/security/family-safety/predators.aspx http://www.netsmartz.org/presentations Use to teach safety on internet http://www.nsteens.org/games Link to internet safety games http://www.parentfurther.com/high-risk-behaviors/bullying/cyberbullying www.safetyweb.com/internet-addiction Get informed www.wisegeek.com/technology Lots of helpful info