Internet Safety for Kids

Cyberbullying and Cyber-Harassment

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is bullying that occurs online, often through instant messaging, text messages, emails, or social networks. Cyberbullies may be the same age as the victims, or they may be older. If the perpetrator is an adult, it is generally called cyber-stalking or cyberharassment.

Cyberbullying can be just as hurtful as other types of bullying, and in some ways it can actually be worse. Cyberbullying is not limited to the playground; it can occur anytime the child is online, even if they're at home. Also, the bully can sometimes remain anonymous, which can make the bullying harder to stop.

Examples of Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can take many different forms. Below are some examples of things that can be considered cyberbullying:

• Writing hurtful things through instant messaging, text messaging, or online games.
• Posting derogatory messages on a social networking site.
• Posting or sharing embarrassing photos or videos.
• Creating a fake profile in order to humiliate someone.

Resources

The following resources have lots of great information about cyberbullying, including activities for kids and teens:

• BrainPOP: BrainPOP has videos and activities about cyberbullying and many other subjects.
• Stopcyberbullying.org: Created by the people at WiredSafety.org, this site has information geared towards different age ranges, from ages 7 to 17.
• Cyberbully411.org: This site has resources for kids and teens, including strategies for talking to parents about cyberbullying.
• Common Sense Media: Here you can find detailed advice for working with kids ages 2 to 17.
• KidsHealth: This is a good article that gives an overview of cyberbullying.
  
  

WiredSafety.org has general information about internet safety. To learn more about cyberbullying, watch the following video from WiredSafety.org.

Responding to Cyberbullying

It's important to teach your kids how to respond to cyberbullying. You can tell your kids to use the following guidelines if they're being bullied.

Blocking a bully in Microsoft Messenger

• Don't reply to the bully. A bully often wants to get a reaction from their victims. If you ignore them, they may lose interest.
• If possible, block messages from the bully. If the bullying is happening in chat, email, or on a social networking site, you can usually block all messages from the bully.
• Keep all emails or other messages that the bully sends. You may need to use these as evidence at some point.
• Report the bullying to a parent or trusted adult. If the bullying continues, you should tell a parent or trusted adult (such as a teacher) so that they can help you deal with the problem.

Is Your Child a Cyberbully?

Cyberbullying

Kids can be mean sometimes. Unfortunately, the internet often makes it easier for people to say hurtful things, since it is more impersonal and anonymous than "real life." As a result, many kids participate in cyberbullying even though they don't consider themselves bullies.

It's very important for your child to understand that the comments they make online can hurt just as much as those made face-to-face. Make sure that they know not to say anything online that they wouldn't say in person.

It's also possible for kids to face serious consequences for cyberbullying. Many schools now have zero tolerance policies for bullying, which may include cyberbullying that occurs outside of school. In some cases, students have even been suspended from school for cyberbullying.

For more information, read the article Could Your Child Be a Cyber-Bully?.