Cyberbullying and Online Predators
Teens Are Often Harrassed, Embarrassed or Stalked on the Internet
Keeping lines of communication open and reminding children and teens about internet safety can help prevent cyberbullying and online predators from reaching your family.
Children and teenagers today have the opportunity to connect with others in many ways. They have cell phones, giving them instant access, either by voice or text. The internet allows them to chat with friends and make new friends around the world. They upload photos, videos or music to share with people they have never met. As enjoyable as this may be, it also has the potential to be dangerous. Previously, parents could know their children were safe at home. In today’s busy world, parents can be completing household chores in one room and their child can be the victim of a bully in another.
Online Predators
Most people have been aware for years of the danger of online predators. With the popularity of online communities such as myspace, it is necessary to remind your children how to stay safe on the internet:
- Never meet anyone on the internet.
- Never send pictures to people you do not know directly.
- Never give out personal information, including name, phone number or address.
- Always use a screen name with no reference to your real name.
- Never open emails except when you know the sender.
- Remember anyone can say anything over the internet, do not believe what they say.
Even though children know these rules, it is still easy for them to fall victim and get swayed into believing a practiced predator.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is the act of using technology devices, such as cell phones or the internet to harass, hurt or embarrass someone else. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, almost half of all American teens have been victims of cyberbullying.
Forms of cyberbullying include:
- Someone can pretend they are someone else and write embarrassing or humiliating things about him or her.
- Someone can spread lies and rumors about someone else.
- Text messages can be mean and hurtful or sexual in nature.
- Someone can upload pictures of someone else, without their consent or knowledge.
Many teens try to deal with cyberbullies own their own by stopping any communication with the person doing the bullying, deleting messages or reporting the bully to website moderators, often this is not enough to stop the bully. The child or teen being bullied can feel threatened or scared, sometimes not even knowing who the bully is or why they are being attacked. They can be embarrassed or humiliated and not want to go to school if their friends see what someone has written about them.
Parents can get involved in helping keep their children safe from cyberbullies by:
- Talking with your children, let them know that cyberbullying is wrong. Tell them if they should receive messages or photos, not to pass them along.
- Talk with your children’s school about holding assemblies to educate students about preventing cyberbullying and keeping safe on the internet.
- Talk to your children about their online activities. Let them know they can come to you if someone is harassing them online or through their cell phone.
- Block calls from anyone leaving mean or hurtful messages.
- Remind your children about staying safe on the internet and not giving out any personal information.
- There is a number of internet monitoring programs available. The decision of whether to use one of these is a personal decision.
- Report cyberbullies to internet providers and site moderators.
According to the Prevent Cyberbulling Website, 63% of cyberbullies are under the age of 18. Most harassment is reported as happening on social websites, with instant messaging also a large area for cyberbullying. Parents need to monitor their children’s activities, both online and off and keep the lines of communication open to help prevent this from happening in their home.
