Dealing with Online Bulllying - Cybersmile Education

What is online bullying?

Online bullying is when people are called out publicly for a wrongdoing or injustice

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A type of digital self-harm involving abusive messages and insults being directed by the sender at themselves

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Using connected technology to frighten, intimidate, abuse or harass another person with the intention of causing embarrassment, harm or distress

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Online bullying affects millions of people each day around the world. It can happen through any form of connected technology such as social media, smartphones and gaming online

Where and how does online bullying happen?

It only really happens on social media because social media companies don’t do anything about the problem. Most other places have ways of blocking out toxic users so you don’t have to worry about the problem

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There is no such thing as a place where everybody agrees so you can’t say that it is bullying when people argue and insult each other online, that’s just life, so deal with it

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It can occur anywhere where people are able to connect and engage with each other. Bullying takes many forms including personal insults, reputation attacks, threats, sharing private information and public shaming to name a few

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Social media, online gaming communities, messaging apps, video sharing platforms and news comment sections are just a few examples of where online bullying can occur

Why do people bully others online?

People that bully online enjoy hurting other people and won’t ever change their behavior

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Online bullying doesn’t exist, there is no way people can be bullied or hurt by words on a screen

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People bully others online because they have issues that they need to address. It has nothing to do with anything the person being targeted has said or done

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Existing issues or past experiences can shape people’s behaviors and lead to insecurities, mental health problems and a lack of empathy or compassion

Who can be affected by online bullying?

People who don’t understand how to block people and use their social media community tools properly are the only people getting bullied online

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Online bullying only affects young people between the ages of 11 and 16

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Anyone connected to other people through technology can be affected by online bullying

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Online bullying is not confined to any one particular demographic. Everyone connected to our online world can potentially experience online bullying in one form or another

How can online bullying affect those targeted?

Online bullying upsets people because they don’t like hearing the truth. It only upsets them for that day and then they are normally ok

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The media make out that online bullying is more serious than it is. People hear things they don’t like every day and are fine. There are no real long-term issues with online bullying

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Online bullying can lead to serious problems including anxiety, depression, social isolation, low self-esteem, self-harm and even suicide

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Some people are more resilient to bullying type behaviors than others but the risks of being affected are the same for everyone. Resilience levels and tolerance for online bullying can also be affected by current events in our personal lives

What is the best way of dealing with online bullying if you are targeted?

Challenge the person demonstrating the bullying type behavior and call them out publicly to embarrass them in the hope of escalation of conflict so you can tell them what you really think

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Look into their personal lives and start sharing their personal information online such as where they work or where they live to teach them a lesson

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Report the person or account to the platform, take a screenshot for evidence and block them. If you think there is a credible risk to your own, or someone else’s safety or wellbeing, call local emergency services for help

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Try not to retaliate as this can make things worse and it’s also a good idea to check your privacy settings to ensure you’re not exposing any personal details publicly. Saving evidence is useful for demonstrating ongoing harassment for legal action if required

How can you help someone else targeted with online bullying in a safe and meaningful way?

The best way to help someone being bullied online is to tell them they need to toughen up because the internet is like the wild west where only toughest survive

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A great way to help someone being bullied online is to ask them why they are letting someone bully them and why they are not standing up to give as good as they get

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If possible, reach out to them privately to let them know you have seen what is happening and are there to help if needed. If not, you can anonymously report the incident to let the platform know what is going on

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Offering support could just be what a person needs. Steering users to platform support resources, user community tools and external organizations could also help them to gain more control over a situation

How can you find support for online bullying related issues?

The best way to find support for online bullying related issues is to call your local police service and ask them to signpost to their anti-bullying lead

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There is no point looking for online bullying related support because online bullying isn’t real – users can just turn off their device

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Most social media platforms provide support resources for people who experience problems with other users or the way they are feeling

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User support resources can usually be found via user safety settings or community guidelines. Off-platform support can be found by searching online for organizations that specialize in dealing with online bullying and related issues

How can you help other social media users who appear in crisis?

Put out a public post calling for friends to get involved and provide some moral support. Once the community are activated, everyone can contribute to sorting out the problem

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Message them to remind them how lucky and privileged they are and that they have nothing to be upset about compared to some people in the world

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Reach out privately to the person if possible and let them know you are there to help if needed. You can also report the situation anonymously to the platform if direct contact is not possible

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Many platforms will respond automatically to anonymous crisis related reports such as self-harm or suicidal ideation and connect with the person directly. If you can and are comfortable engaging with the person, sensitively suggest expert support or ask if you can provide links to crisis support

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