Biggest Threats on the Cyberspace #2: Cyber Bullying

Cyber Bullying

Many of us have dealt with bullying at some point in our lives. For kids, however, bullying is more peresent than ever due to advancing technologies. In the United states, nearly 34 percent of middle and high school students report being victims of cyberbullying. In the UK, over half of teens reported that they’ve been cyberbullied. Worse than that, more than 11 percent of North American children admit to having cyberbullied another person. But, what exactly Cyberbullying is, and how it happens. In this article, you will learn:

- What is Cyberbullying?
- How kids are cyberbullied?
- What are the consequences of Cyberbullying?
- What are the warning signs of Cyberbullying?
- How to protect my kid against Cyber Bullying?

What is Cyberbullying?

The term “cyberbullying” includes a range of aggressive behaviors committed via modern technology. The goal of cyberbullying is to harass, demean, intimidate, or taunt another person with the intent to hurt or embarrass them. According to Internetsafety101.org, 90 percent of children who take part in social media have ignored bullying they've witnessed, and one third have been victims of cyberbullying themselves. Social media and online video games are today's virtual playground, and that is where much cyberbullying takes place. For example, children can be mocked in social media exchanges. Or, in online games, they or their "player characters" can be subjected to incessant attack, turning the game from an imaginative adventure into a painful shame.

How kids are cyberbullied?

The most common forms of cyberbullying is the spread of false or harmful rumors or a simple name-calling on Facebook. However, today’s bullies have a wide array of technology to choose from:

Cyberstalking

One of the most dangerous forms of Cyberbullying is Cyberstalking. Cyberstalking is defined as online stalking, and involves the repeated use of the internet to harass, intimidate or frighten a person or group. Cyberstalkers may use email and instant messages to stalk your kid.

Catfishing

Catfishing involves stealing online identities and recreating social networking profiles for deceptive purposes. “Catfishers” pose as someone else, using social media sites to create an identity. They may use fake names, photos, and locations. Catfishers look at your kid's profile and take information to create a fake profile. The goal is to provide the identity of an actual person and to use that identity to fool the victim. Catfishing may be used to cyberbully a kid, and to cause reputational damage and embarrassment to him. In addition to Catfishing, Cyberstalking, and rumor-spreading, a kid may be cyberbullied using the following forms.

What are the consequences of Cyberbullying?

The impacts of cyberbullying can be devastating — both physically and emotionally. Kids who are cyberbullied have trouble adjusting at school and they’re twice as likely as non-bullied kids to suffer from anxiety, sleep difficulties, and depression. They are also more likely to suffer from physical ailments like stomach aches and headaches. In the US, at least 30,000 children per day stay home from school for fear of bullying. Skipping school can lead to poor grades, social setbacks, low self-esteem, and other ramifications that can affect a student’s life for years after the bullying has stopped. Even children who merely witness bullying can experience negative effects. They can suddenly no longer want to go to school and they may carry excessive guilt for not being able to help the victim. Unfortunately, the long-term concequences of Cyberbulling on kids can be the increased risk of drug abuse, academic issues, and violent behavior! Cyberbullying can be life-threatening as well. The Centers for Disease Control lists Cyberbullying as one of the leading causes of suicide among kids aged 15-19 years.

What are the warning signs of Cyberbullying?

Kids who are cyberbullied may feel embarrassed or reluctant to report a bully. Some may hesitate because they're not 100% sure who is doing the bullying. Some kids fear losing their phone or computer privileges. Bullies also tend to be adept at hiding their behavior from adults, so if a child is being bullied it may not be obvious to a parent or teacher. Therefore, it’s important to recognize the warning signs of bullying and cyberbullying. Your kid may be the victim of bullying if he or she developed the following signs:

How to protect my kid against Cyber Bullying?

Although parents supervision and control has an important role in handling cyberbullying, the most effective way for protecting kids against cyberbullying is education. Kids' Shield program is a comprehensive educational resource to increase kids' understanding and awareness about Cyberbullying scenarios, and educate them how to avoid or stand up Cyberbullies. Join Kids' Shield's program, and let your kid be educated, connected and stay safe while surfing online.