fbpx
Archive Cyberbullying on the internet – a Complete guide for Parents
cyberbullying on the internet

Cyberbullying- A Comprehensive Guide for Parents

Safes Content Team

Safes Content Team

Table of contents:

    Bullying is a repeated aggressive behavior done by a person in a position of power, who deliberately intimidates, abuses, or threatens another person in order to hurt them physically or emotionally.

    Cyberbullying is the act of bullying done in the digital world. It happens through messages, emails, social media… anywhere and any time of the day, when young people have access to the internet and are online. Cyberbullying is a recent problem with the increased number of people using the Internet. Therefore it may remain not well understood. Some of the most important characteristics of cyberbullying are: being repetitive, being intentional, and the imbalance of power. The cyberbully makes use of digital technologies to harass, threaten, or humiliate someone else.

     

    How cyberbullying on the internet is different than in-person bullying?

    The internet is an increasingly important part of every day for people now. It’s a global network of billions of devices, connecting everyone all around the world and giving instant access to an enormous amount of information. To get to the internet world, all you have to do is click, go online and you’re there. Now think of bullying on the internet…

    These are some of the aspects that make cyberbullying on the internet much more complicated and different than in-person bullying:

    Being constant

    Contrary to physical bullying, cyberbullying on the internet can happen anytime. The victim can be attacked or harmed whenever he is online. There is no limit to platforms or times a person gets cyberbullied.

     

    boy sitting at stair effected by cyberbullying in socialmedia platforms

     

    Anonymity

    In cyberbullying on the internet the identity of the bully is often hidden from the victim as he can make fake identities (fake email accounts or social media profiles) this makes confrontation impossible and makes the victim feel powerless.

     

    Lack of supervision

    Even though some platforms have provided limits on the usage of certain words and pictures while online, there is still no supervision on texting or emailing. No one can block all the ways a cyberbully may attack the victim. According to Ditch and Label’s report in 2017, 78% of young people are using Instagram, and 42% of them experience cyberbullying there. It clearly shows that cyberbullies feel free to go after victims and harm them.

     

    Being public and permanent

    When it comes to cyberbullying on the internet, there is no way back. Once content, like a rumor or explicit picture of someone is out there and published, it can’t be unseen. Imagine sending a nude of someone in a group chat without their consent, even if deleted later, so many people may have seen it or forwarded it to others.

     

    Feeling unsafe even at home

    Unlike victims of in-person bullying, victims who are cyberbullied on the internet can’t run and hide in their houses or avoid the bully. Once they are online they can be targeted and harmed. They can receive messages without knowing how to stop them. Cyberbullying on the internet can increase insecurity and feeling unsafe for the victim.

     

    boy holding sign with crossed word bullying in the classroom

     

    Cyberbullying on the internet happens on different platforms

    There are so many apps and sites that are available freely and give people the ability to publish any content about anyone and do harm anonymously. These are some of the ways a cyberbully can do harm on the internet:

     

    Instagram

    Unfortunately, Instagram has the highest rate of cyberbullying on the internet. It gives teenagers the ability to chat with people they know, meet new people, and catch up with their friends… on the other hand, according to a Pew survey, 59% of teenagers get cyberbullied on Instagram.

    Facebook

    Facebook is also a new forum for bullies to do harm to the victims. Cyberbullying in Facebook can happen in the form of texts, pictures, videos, fake accounts… Mark Zuckerberg has formerly said “policing bullying is hard when the content is not clearly illegal”

    Snapchat

    Cyberbullies target their victims by sending them hurtful videos. They usually delete the video they have sent after it’s seen so there is no proof of their bullying.

    TikTok

    Hate comments are a serious problem in TikTok. Recently young TikTokers with over a million followers have been suffering from hate comments, insults, and shaming they receive alongside heart and fairy emojis.

    Twitter

    Cyberbullying problems are so serious on Twitter that so many think it might bring the company down. According to the Pew Research Center, Twitter users face many forms of harassment as death threats and sexual abuse.

    Other cyberbullying on the internet can happen in chatrooms, gaming sites, and emails.

    Safes Content Team

    Safes Content Team

    At auctor lacus fusce enim id tempor etiam amet. Et consequat amet eu nulla nunc est massa dui consequat. Facilisi adipiscing nec condimentum sit laoreet non turpis aenean in. Aliquam cursus elementum mollis sed accumsan nisl ullamcorper in.

    Want to know more about digital parenting?

    Our newsletter is your go-to source for staying updated with the latest information on parenting and online child safety. Subscribe to our once a week must have tips, to simplify parenting in the digital age. Read the editor’s top pick of the week to ensure a safe online experience for your child.

    More from Our Blog

    parents being overprotective of parents
    Are you ready to step back and allow your child to grow? Read more to see whether you practice overprotective parenting and how to avoid it. 
    Atena

    Atena

    A Comprehensive Guide to Addressing Depression in Schools
    As educators, it is essential to understand the prevalence, signs, and causes of depression in schools and create a supportive environment for students.
    Sina

    Sina

    Challenging 'Dusty Son' Behavior: A Parent's Guide
    This article aims to explore the origins of the term “Dusty Son,” its various interpretations, and its impact on parenting in the digital world.
    Sina

    Sina

    kid using a habit tracker
    Are you trying to get your child motivated to learn a new habit? You should try out our habit tracker printout, and see the results for yourself. 
    Atena

    Atena

    Get Weekly Parenting Must-Knows in Your Inbox

    Deepen your parenting knowledge with our tips and tricks. Receive our editor’s top picks in your inbox once a week—no spam guaranteed.

    Download Safes Kids for Chrombook

    1. Install the Safes Kids app on your Chromebook from Google Play. 
    2. Pair Safes Kids with parent app. Follow the instructions in the app to pair your child’s device with your parent device.  
    3. Add the Safe Kids Chrome extension. Open Chrome and go to the Chrome Web Store. 
    4. Navigate to the Manage extensions page. Click the three dots in the top right corner of Chrome and select “Extensions”>”Manage Extensions”>”Details”
    5. Turn on “Allow in incognito mode” This will allow the Safe Kids extension to work in incognito mode, which is important if your child uses incognito mode to try to bypass the parental controls.
    6. Select Safes extension and follow on-screen instruction

    Download Safes Kids for Android

    Download the Android Kid’s app directly to get the full features!

    Download Safes Kids App on Play Store

    Download Safes Kids App on Safes.so

    Safe Kids is available on the Google Play Store, but if you download it directly from our website, you will get access to Call and SMS monitoring feature, You can monitor the phone calls of your child’s device, as well as the contacts and messages they have sent and received, including those containing inappropriate content.