What kids and parents

should know

What is Cyber Bullying?

Cyber bullying is similar to other types of bullying, except it takes place online and through text messages sent to cell phones.

Cyber bullies can be classmates, online acquaintances, and even anonymous users, but most often they do know their victims.

Where Does Cyber Bullying Take Place?

Cyber bullying is bullying that takes place using electronic devices such as:

• Communication tools like social media sites (FACEBOOK), text messages, chat lines … and more

• Cell phones• Computers• Tablets• And websites

Some examples of ways kids bully online:

• Sending someone mean or threatening emails, instant messages, or text messages

• Excluding someone from an instant messenger buddy list or blocking their email for no reason

• Tricking someone into revealing personal or embarrassing information and sending it to others

• Breaking into someone's email or instant message account to send cruel or untrue messages while posing as that person

• Creating websites to make fun of another person such as a classmate or teacher

• Using websites to rate peers as prettiest, ugliest, etc.

Common Forms of Cyber Bullying

Trolling – sending or posting hostile messages intended to “inflame” the emotions of others

Happy-Slapping – recording someone being harassed or bullied in a way that usually involves physical abuse, then posting the video online for public viewing

Photo shopping – doctoring digital images so that the main subject is placed in a compromising or embarrassing situation

Identity Theft / Impersonation – stealing someone’s password and/or hijacking their online accounts to send or post incriminating or humiliating pictures, videos, or information

Physical Threats – sending messages that involve threats to a person’s physical safety

Rumor Spreading – spreading gossip through e-mail, text messaging, or social networking sites

More Common Forms of Cyber Bullying

Is your child being cyber bullied?Tips for Parents

• Avoids the computer, cell phone, and other technological devices or appears stressed when receiving an e-mail, instant message, or text

• Withdraws from family and friends or acts reluctant to attend school and social events

• Avoids conversations about computer use

• Exhibits signs of low self-esteem including depression and/or fear

• Has declining grades, poor eating or sleeping habits

How to STOP a Cyber Bully

TIPS for students

Learn to recognize cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is when technology is abused to harm others by repeat attacks and threats. Instead of physical abuse, cyber bullying is usually used to inflict emotion pain and to degrade a person or group of people.

Figure out when the cyber bullying began and the cause. Maybe you started out as friends and they turned on you. Maybe you have become unfriendly to them without knowing it, prompting them to lash out on you.

Ignore the bully. Don't give them attention for being ugly. Remember that all types of bullies want the attention. Do not give them the attention they are hungry for, this will just cause them to continue to harass you.

Block the bully. This can make it easier for you to ignore them. They may become upset because you blocked them, but they'll soon get over it.

• Don't continue to read their posts once you block them. This will only make you upset and more likely to retaliate.

Tell a trusted adult, parent, or teacher, as this will give you an outside perspective to support you.

Don't delete the messages. If this continues, you will need proof to prove you are being cyber bullied. Save them to your computer and be sure to print out all messages. Do not only print the mean ones, print the conversation to show someone the proof of how the discussion turned into a fight and bullying fest!

Deactivate social networking accounts and change your email address and/or cell phone numbers if the bullying persists. Sometimes the best way to end the bullying is to stop any contact they can make with you.

Report the person. Tell a parent, your principal, or in severe cases, the police. If this person is someone you know, sometimes all they need to stop is interference from their school.• Report it to the website. Their accounts can

be blocked if they are reported often by different people.

Don't retaliate (get even with them), you may find yourself in an even worse position. You'll just anger them more, therefore leading to more bullying. You could even be just as at fault as they are if you also cyber bully them.

Cyber Bullying Prevention Tips

http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/411/ridr/rep/CyberBullyingParentGuide-e.pdf

A guide for parents from the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights

Senate of Canada