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Cyberbullying, or online bullying, is when someone uses the internet to bully
someone else. The Cambridge dictionary defines cyberbullying as
Someone who uses the internet to harm or frighten another person,
especially by sending them unpleasant messages.’
Listen, and offer support and encouragement. If your child is the victim of cyberbullying, remind them that this is not their fault and that no one deserves to be treated in this way. Some young people think that if they are the target of online bullying, they must have done something wrong. It is also important to encourage your child to save the evidence. They can do this by taking a screenshot of what has happened or by keeping the messages they have received.
Most of the time the person doing the bullying is looking for a reaction when they are being mean online. Tell your child not to reply, instead they should tell a trusted adult what has happened. Reassure them that even if they are also at fault, they should come and talk to you or a trusted adult. You can then work out the best way to resolve the situation together.
Although it can be very tempting to remove a device from a young person if they are being bullied, having their device taken away may prevent them from speaking to you about worrying issues in the future.
Ask your child what they want you to do next. This might involve speaking to school to get support and advice, blocking the user or profile or reporting the behaviour to the site or service it is on.
Be aware of the reporting mechanisms on different sites and services so you can support your pupils in making a report.
ensure that you are aware of who to go to in your school or organisation if you have concerns about cyberbullying incidents. This may be a head of year/department, a member of the senior leadership team, or the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Be proactive in discussing cyberbullying with your pupils; how it occurs, why it occurs, and the consequences of such behaviour.
Educational resources about online bullying and kindness from the UK Safer Internet Centre and other organisations
Online bullying, or cyberbullying, is different from offline bullying as this behaviour is happening on devices, laptop and computers and as such can happen anywhere and at any time, so for young people it can feel like its hard to escape.
When bullying is happening online it can also be difficult to know who the bully is, and it is also possible that the bully is someone unknown to the young person online. It can be hard to control the spread of messages, images, and videos sent online which means many people could see them in a short period of time.
Online bullying can also leave a trail of evidence which can be helpful when dealing with the incident and reporting it.
Encourage your child to save the evidence. They can do this by taking a screenshot of what has happened or by keeping the messages they have received. You can easily capture a screenshot on most smartphones and tablets by holding down several buttons on the device at the same time, (e.g. the home button and the power button). By doing this they will have proof when they report the cyberbullying and it helps you understand exactly what has happened.Each social media platform or app has its own reporting functionality which you can use to report online bullying, this can usually be done by pressing the three dots next to a comment or message, or by pressing and holding on the content you wish to report. Find out more about reporting online bullying at reportharmfulcontent.com
If found guilty of an offence under section 127 of the Communications Act
Establish the facts of what has happened. Sit down and have a conversation with your child. Talk about the reasons that led them to behave in such a way. Has there been a misunderstanding? Did your child feel they could act differently because they were behind a screen? Are others involved? Are they trying to justify their actions by saying it was a joke or they didnt mean it?
Its important your child understands that bullying offline or online is never acceptable. Help your child understand the consequences of their actions. Talk through the impact it can have on the victim as well as the consequences for them as the bully. It could mean they lose friends, or get into trouble with their school and the police.
For this years Anti-Bullying Week, ProjectEVOLVE has launched some brand-new online bullying resources available for ages 3 -11.
Anti-Bullying Week, organised by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, commences on the 15thNovember up until the 19th. It is a hugely successful…
This blog gives parents and carers practical tips and advice for supporting young people to stay happy and safe online…
Maybe one of our helplines is the right place for you.
Youll get knowledge, skills and tools to make the internet safer
for young people at your care. Each sent once per month.
Be aware of the reporting mechanisms on different sites and services so you can support your pupils in making a report.
Ensure that you are aware of who to go to in your school if you have concerns about cyberbullying incidents.
This may be a head of year or department, a member of the senior leadership team, or the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Be proactive in discussing cyberbullying with your pupils; how it occurs, why it occurs, and the consequences of such behaviour.
FAQs
Online bullying, or cyberbullying, is different from offline bullying as this behaviour is happening on devices, laptop and computers and as such can happen anywhere and at any time, so for young people it can feel like its hard to escape.
When bullying is happening online it can also be difficult to know who the bully is, and it is also possible that the bully is someone unknown to the young person online. It can be hard to control the spread of messages, images, and videos sent online which means many people could see them in a short period of time.
Online bullying can also leave a trail of evidence which can be helpful when dealing with the incident and reporting it.
Encourage your child to save the evidence. They can do this by taking a screenshot of what has happened or by keeping the messages they have received. You can easily capture a screenshot on most smartphones and tablets by holding down several buttons on the device at the same time, (e.g. the home button and the power button). By doing this they will have proof when they report the cyberbullying and it helps you understand exactly what has happened.
Each social media platform or app has its own reporting functionality which you can use to report online bullying, this can usually be done by pressing the three dots next to a comment or message, or by pressing and holding on the content you wish to report. Find out more about reporting online bullying at reportharmfulcontent.com
Establish the facts of what has happened. Sit down and have a conversation with your child. Talk about the reasons that led them to behave in such a way. Has there been a misunderstanding? Did your child feel they could act differently because they were behind a screen? Are others involved? Are they trying to justify their actions by saying it was a joke or they didnt mean it?
Its important your child understands that bullying offline or online is never acceptable. Help your child understand the consequences of their actions. Talk through the impact it can have on the victim as well as the consequences for them as the bully. It could mean they lose friends, or get into trouble with their school and the police.
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