How to Prevent Cyberbullying
With cyberbullying steadily on the rise with social media, online communities, and anonymous text messaging, it is essential to always stay informed on what are ways to prevent cyberbullying altogether to avoid any unnecessary and potentially dangerous situations yourself. Steering clear from cyberbullies is possible without getting involved in risky websites, giving away too much personal information, and simply by utilizing the Internet for its intended intentions.
Why is Cyberbullying a Problem?
Cyberbullying is becoming an increasing problem not only in the US but also throughout the world. Because cyberbullying can often be executed from around the world and by anonymous users, it has become increasingly difficult to track and stop cyberbullying altogether.
Although most cyberbullying is mental abuse and psychological, it has caused and triggered depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts, ideation and attempts in those who have suffered abuse, even if it is unknown. Because cyberbullying can be difficult to track, many victims feel helpless and unable to cope with or move past the bullying they have experienced, especially if it was extremely personal or continued on for years.
Using Cyberbullying Images and Cyberbullying Pictures
One of the most damaging tools used with cyberbullying today includes pictures of cyberbullying. Sending pictures of cyberbullying to an intended victim is meant to shame and victimize the individual, making them feel worse about themselves, their appearance, personality, and even their own friends and family. Sending cyberbullying images may be done through the means of a computer, email, instant messaging systems and even through text messages and specific groups of friends or individuals. Cyberbullying pics that are located on public domains and social media websites that are defamatory can often be taken down and removed entirely by contacting the owner of the company themselves.
Who is Most Likely to Bully?
Bully behaviour cannot be pinpointed to specific personalities, although many bullies suffer from internal struggles which often manifest into negativity towards others. Some of the common characteristics and personality traits a bully may have include:
- Uncontrollable anger and outbursts
- The inability to control or direct emotions
- Feels of self-worth
- Low self-esteem
- No confidence in self
- No foreseeable future for oneself
- Hopelessness
Children who often bully come from parenting that reflects their own manner of communication. Whether there is violence in the household or a lack of respect and discipline, these factors are likely contributors to repeated offender bullies.
Although in the past, physical and verbal abuse was most common, cyberbullying is on the rise as it allows children and adults alike to get away with malicious behaviour with less severe consequences, if any at all. Knowing where cyberbullying is most likely to take place can help you to ensure you and your entire household is safe and protected from potential bullies, hackers, and predators any time you are online.
Where Cyberbullying is Likely to Take Place
While there are no set locations where cyberbullying is likely to take place at any given time, there are a few ways to steer clear from any threats and harassment when you are online, whether you are at work or browsing online for news and entertainment:
- Public chat rooms: Public chat rooms allow users to enter anonymously, giving complete freedom of speech to harass and bother other individuals. Be sure to use anonymous names and handles any time you are registering to chat or becoming a new member of a site.
- Private chat rooms – Private chat rooms are riskier, as most individuals of the choice to opt-out or not enter at all, ridding any potential bullying or threats
- 3D words and online games – 3D worlds and games today have millions of cyber bullies and “trolls”. Ignoring users who are just there to pester others is the best advice to avoid taking anything that is said too personally.
- Workplace chats and conferences – Although less uncommon, it is still possible to be cyberbullied at work, in conferences and even in workplace chats, which should v be saved and immediately reported.
- Email – Sending threatening and harassing emails is still one of the most common forms of cyberbullying, regardless of whether you are at home, work, or even at school.
- Text messages – Text message bullying is possible as many people now carry track phones or “throwaway” phones, making it difficult even for the authorities to trace, especially if you are receiving threatening messages.
- Social media- Social media is one of the quickest ways to begin cyberbullying others. Creating fake names, pages, uploading embarrassing photos, and sharing intimidating details can ultimately humiliate and shame an individual so much that they rid all of their social media accounts altogether.
- Sending edited and defamatory photos, images, text and other media can also ruin an individual’s reputation, which is why it is imperative to remain as cautious as possible any time you are online chatting or even using social media to connect with who you know.
Protecting your computer with updated passwords and the latest in malware, spyware, and anti-virus programs is essential to keep potential hackers and thieves from gaining access to your personal and sensitive information. It is also important to consider investing in a password management tool or system to keep all of your passwords safe and in one location from potential bullies.
Always be sure to read and review all terms and conditions of social networking sites and communities you plan to join. Reading and reviewing the privacy policy and how users are protected from threats, harassment and cyberbullying is one of the best ways to find a network that you feel the safest and most comfortable joining.
Any time you join a new network or an online social community, be sure to thoroughly read and set all of the privacy settings that are most suitable for you. Setting privacy in place determines who is capable of viewing and reading your content, including photos and shared posts. The more private all of your social media accounts and blogs are online, the more difficult it becomes for a cyberbully to determine that you are the ideal target.
Dealing With Bullying in the Household
Learning how to stop being a bully is not only effective for those who are in fact, bullies themselves. Learning more about how to go about stopping bullying altogether is also extremely useful for both men and women who have put up with bullying throughout school, in public, or even in the workplaces themselves. Learning the steps bullies takes as well as their most common tactics are one of the best ways to protect yourself in any situation, regardless of location and age.
When you know how to cyber and how to deal with bully steps, handling an online bully is no longer a hassle, but a minor annoyance. The more well-versed you are with the steps to take when you find yourself harassed online, the less likely you are to find yourself at the centre of attacks from bullies, especially as online cyberbullies often prefer weak and easy targets to harass.