Table of Contents
Introduction:
On a daily basis, social media users are attacked online, many of them teenagers. Approximately 70% of teenagers do not tell their parents Cyberbullying about such cases for fear of losing their gadgets and access to the Internet. But children should not deal with online bullying on their own, parents should be aware of this problem and help children who have become victims of online bullying.
Cyberbullying is More Dangerous than Offline Bullying:
Cyberbullying or bullying on the Internet is a wave of aggression from many users, which is directed at one person or group of people. This is a fairly broad concept that combines various forms of online harassment, such as trolling, stalking, and outing.
The danger of cyberbullying is that a huge number of people believe that there is “nothing wrong” with it. In response to a complaint, parents or teachers often say that it is enough to turn off the Internet and that’s it. But such an attitude to the problem makes the victims of aggression keep silent and deal with it alone. About 70% of teenagers prefer not to share this problem with their parents because they are afraid of being left without a gadget and access to the Internet.
Cyberbullying, in contrast to offline bullying, is very difficult to stop. And its consequences are the same as real bullying – depressive states, and suicidal moods. To prevent this, install app time limit, which reduces network time and monitors smartphone usage.
Anyone Can Become a Victim:
Cyberbullying is not only a problem for children, adults are also bullied online. One of the most common reasons for bullying is sexual orientation, physical appearance, or excessive activity on the Internet.
There are no special reasons or traits, no special behavior, no appearance, nothing that clearly defines a potential victim of cyberbullying. The decision about what to persecute is made by the aggressors themselves. Therefore, no one is immune from bullying on the Internet. The portrait of the aggressor is also blurred, but it is only clear that they are not necessarily poorly educated individuals with difficult life experiences. Most often these are ordinary people, and any of us be able to be among them.
The scale of cyberbullying is actually greater than it seems. Approximately 55% of users face attacks online, and about 5% admitted to bullying other users. In order to limit the negative a little, you should install child lock to offensive content.
Is it possible to Protect a Child from Cyberbullying?
There are several signs that you are capable to tell if your child is being cyberbullied:
- the mood changes: a cheerful and cheerful teenager suddenly becomes reclusive;
- the child does not answer questions, avoids talking;
- anxiety about mobile notifications;
- loss of appetite.
Before besides the Internet, teenager had other hobbies, but now he is locked in gadgets. If your child’s condition fits this description, then the fears have been confirmed, and it will help to make sure screen guide parental control. The adult, first of all, should support the child. The worst thing that can happen to a child who has been bullied is loneliness. In this case, you should not give in to impulses to delete everything and block access to social networks. In case of a threat, you need to collect evidence and contact the police with it. The next step in solving this problem is to report offensive content to the site or social network support service.
Remember that in this case it is not recommended to get into the child’s account and try to conduct a conversation with the aggressor yourself. Firstly, it is meaningless, and secondly, one should act only within the legal framework. Although there are not so many legal ways to deal with aggressors and instigators of bullying, the law provides for articles on slander and threats to health and life.
But it is precise because of impunity that cyberbullying on the Internet flourishes. Since it is very often difficult to establish the identity of the aggressor, he lives with the thought “I won’t get anything for this.” If you run into this problem in your family, consider an app like Parental Control Kroha, you can download this applicationhere. This is a monitoring app that allows you to track your child’s online activity.
How to fix the Problem in the Bud?
Remain calm and talk with your child about what is bothering him. Prepare for the one-to-one dialogue in advance, and try not to violate personal boundaries. After all, the main thing is to maintain a trusting relationship so that the child can open up to you without expecting harsh statements and emotions. If during the dialogue your suspicions about cyberbullying are confirmed, then you need to help the child by talking about the important nuances of online communication. Here are a few simple tips:
1. Do not disclose or make publicly available your personal data, incl. place of residence, telephone numbers, and other important information.
2. If he is worried about the accounts of people he does not know (possibly fake), then it is better to advise the child to maintain a closed profile on social networks. In addition, here the ill-wisher is capable to blocked without consequences at any time.
3. If a child is being trolled, then psychologists recommend ignoring the appeals since the offenders often expect a response to their attacks. If they don’t get what they want, they quickly lose interest.
4. If the child receives unfriendly letters, then say that he can turn to you for help at any time, and together you will solve this problem.
Remember that socialization is important for a child. And now the Internet plays a big role in this process. Therefore, even at the initial stages of acquaintance with social networks, instant messengers, and other Internet sites, it is better to tell the child about the ethics of communication, as well as hidden dangers on the network.
Conclusion:
Another important tip for responsible parents: try to keep up with the times yourself by becoming an active Internet user in order to be aware of the online life of the younger generation. It helps you assess the risks that your child may face in the future.
Indeed, in the modern world, social networks and other manifestations of social. life on the Internet greatly affects the self-perception and self-esteem of the child.You can also work with your child to learn tips on how to protect yourself from online bullying. For example, you can set limit screen time so that the child spends less time on the Internet. But this must be done very carefully, explaining to the child that this is for his own good.
