How to fight cyberbullying

How to Fight Cyberbullying

Are you being cyberbullied? Have you received a hateful message online or on your mobile phone? Read on for the best ways to fight cyberbullying:

A cyberbully seeks power and control through intimidation. The best way to fight a cyberbully is to not give them the power - just ignore him. If you have siblings, I am sure you have heard your parents tell you to ignore your sister or your brother. This is the same technique that is best used with a cyberbully. There are also some effective new online tools to help you insure no cyberbullies ever reach you or your family.

If you receive a hurtful message we recommend you to not only ignore the message (it's important to stop the urge to respond), but also block the user from your computer, phone or other technological device. Sometimes it takes a long time for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), websites and mobile service providers to take action, but do not be discouraged, eventually they can help stop the cyberbully from going further.

And if you must, sometimes it is best to delete your account and start over again only passing out your new contact information to those you absolutely trust.

Also, if you find information online about you, or directed at you, that you would like to remove, but cannot find the person to contact, you may want to try to contact the webmaster. You can do this by sending an email to webmaster@[the Web site name/URL]. For example, contacting our webmaster by e-mail would be webmaster@marbellafamilyfun.com. You may even want to "google" yourself from time to time to see if there is any information you would like to remove.

One of the best things to keep in mind if you want to fight cyberbullying is DO NOT answer a hurtful message with another hurtful message made in haste. It is best to stop your emotions from getting the better of you, take a break and cool down.

Too often emotions are at their peak when you reply to an offensive message and this mix of internet and emotions can be dangerous. Step away from the computer and try engaging in another activity to get your mind on something else - go get a snack, listen to some music, take a walk Calm yourself down and do not turn into a cyberbully yourself. Think about it two wrongs do not make a right. Remember!

There are consequences to your actions. Do not stoop down to the level of a cyberbully. You are better than that.

Another way to fight cyberbullying is to report the offender to your internet server, website that you are using, or mobile phone provider to stop them from attacking others. It will also help to tell a parent, friend or teacher about the incident. Ask if your school has any support system where you can report cyberbullying anonymously. You do not have to face the pain alone.

Unfortunately, many children are afraid to report incidents of cyberbullying to their parents out of fear that they will either overreact (they may contact the bully´s parents, contact the school) or remove their internet or mobile phone privileges. It is very important for parents to take these complaints seriously, however it is equally important that parents stay in control and not overreact. Children fear that these reactions will make the problem worse.

Another important way to fight cyberbullying is by taking a stance when you see others being hurt and harassed by someone whether it is online or offline. Do NOT stand silently watching. Tell someone (a parent or teacher) about it. Or search for support groups within school where you can anonymously tip off the offender.

Fight Cyberbullying: A Practical Guide

Some children try to fight cyberbullying with more cyberbullying. Do not join Facebook pages like I hate Suzy or Mark is fat and ugly. This not only empowers the cyberbully, but also makes you an accomplice, and could get you in trouble.

If you see your own personal contact information has been posted by a cyberbully then you should head straight to your local law enforcement agency and school with print outs of any evidence you may have as well as any live data or electronic evidence. Posting personal contact information and stealing identity is a serious offence. If you are residing in the US, then volunteers from wiredsafety.org are able to work together with the police in order to evaluate the offender and press charges. If electronic evidence has been deleted it is still possible to recover it using certain software, such as Spectorsoft.

How to fight cyberbullying

Fight Cyberbullying: A Practical Guide

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