How do you know if you are being cyber-bullied? Cyber bullying is when the internet or cell phone is used to send or post text or images that are intended to hurt or embarrass someone. This includes online threats, sexual remarks, disclosure of personal information, and the spread of rumors by someone or a group of individuals online (National Crime Prevention Council). It is also considered digital bullying when someone keeps texting you or directing messaging you when you don’t want them to. What can you do? There are many things that you can do to deal with someone who is harassing you online. The most important thing is to do something about it. Don’t sit back and be passive when someone is messing with you online or on the phone, because being harassed by another person is not good for your mental health or happiness. No one deserves to have someone else make them feel bad.
I know a few people that have had to change their phone numbers because of harassing and unwanted text messages, myself included. I also know a few other people who have had to delete their Facebook and Instagram accounts to avoid being contacted by a certain person. If you or someone you know is being harassed by someone online or through text messages, it is important to do something about it. According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, continued harassment can contribute to depression, decreased self-worth and a sense of hopelessness and loneliness.
Three Tips:
- Save the evidence. Save or print what someone has written about you so that you have proof. You may need it to show to a parent, teacher, school, or police officer so that they can do something about it.
- Tell someone. Tell someone who can help you do something if you are being bullied, whether it is a friend, teacher, parent or another trusted adult. You can even tell your school anonymously.
- Block them on social media. If someone is contacting you on social media you can block and report them.
- Don’t make things worse. As much as you might want to start a nasty rumor or post embarrassing information to retaliate against the person who is bullying you, it is best not to because it might make things more complicated or get you in trouble.
Check out these links to learn more about what you can do to stop cyber bullying:
If you are being cyber bullied, you are not alone. Check out these links for support: