Bullying has always existed. Bullying has been happening for many years, especially among schoolchildren. Sometimes innocent, sometimes with disastrous consequences. However, with the advent of modern forms of communication, the form of bullying has also changed. Cyberbullying is the new trend, and it is much more dangerous than most people think.
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying, also called digital bullying or digital bullying, is bullying via the internet or text message. Receiving bullying emails, being verbally abused via SMS or MSN. Children who abuse other people over the internet under your name, for example by hacking into your MSN account or sending emails to others in your name (via a special site), all fall under cyberbullying. Other people can post photos, videos or personal information of you on sites where you don’t want them. Children are also often stalked via the internet or mobile phone. This is constantly being harassed by the same bullies. Nowadays there are also many bullying sites, sites that are specially designed to harass or bully, or sites that can be used very easily for this purpose.
Example of Cyberbullying
Why is cyberbullying so dangerous?
There are several reasons why cyberbullying is so dangerous.
- Children use the internet at home. Home is your safe haven. If you are bullied at school, you can always go home safely. You are not safe from cyberbullying at home either.
- Because bullies often remain anonymous during bullying, they dare much more. The threats and bullying are therefore often much more serious.
- Because parents and teachers are often less adept with the internet, parents and teachers often do not realize that their child/student is being bullied, or is a bully themselves. The bullying lasts longer.
- Cyberbullying cannot be reversed. Once data is on the internet, it remains there. As a result, the consequences for the victim can last much longer.
Numbers
- 98% of children use the internet, 88% of them daily
- 27% of primary school children say they are bullied sometimes
- 1 in 5 children who do chat say they suffer from bullying or swearing while chatting
- 1 in 10 children encounter sexual comments while chatting
What can you do about it?
- Always use pseudonyms when you use the internet. Never use your own name and never give away personal information.
- Never just enter your e-mail address anywhere on the internet. Make sure that only people you personally know and trust have your email address.
- Only accept people on your MSN who you know and trust.
- Immediately block the person who is bullying you on MSN.
- Keep your passwords secret to make it difficult for someone else to hack your account.
- If you are being bullied, keep everything. Make as many printouts as possible so that you have proof of what and how you are being bullied, or save it to your hard drive.
- Talk about it. Tell your parents or teacher about it. Sometimes adults don’t always understand how the internet works, but explain it to them. Show them the printouts and they will understand you better.
What can you do about it as a parent?
- How to supervise your internet-using child. Make sure you see which sites they visit and who they chat with.
- Make agreements with your child. Agree on how long they will use the internet for, but also come up with a nickname together that your child can use when using the internet. But also clear agreements about what they can and cannot do, and explain why.
- Learn about the internet yourself. The more you know, the better you can protect and help your child.
- If the child is already being bullied, talk to your child and try to find out who the bully is. Keeping the bullying safe is very important.
- Inform the teacher, who may be able to help you find out who the perpetrator is.
- Bullying alone is not punishable, but threatening, discriminating and intimidation are. In that case, contact the police. In these cases, it can be even easier to determine the identity of the bully.
- Do you know who the bully is? Contact the bully’s parents and show them the evidence. Is the bully an adult? Call the police immediately.
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