Cyberbullying can lead to anxiety, depression, and even suicide
You can help reduce both the threat and the impact of cyberbullying. Here’s how:
- Talk to your teen about cyberbullying. Make a rule that teens may not send mean or damaging messages, or suggestive pictures or messages.
- Encourage teens to tell an adult if cyberbullying is occurring. Tell them if they are the victim they will not be punished, and reassure them that being bullied is not their fault.
- Tell teens to keep cyberbullying messages as proof or evidence that it’s occurring.
- Inform the school and/or the police if messages are threatening or sexual in nature.
- Try blocking the person sending the messages.
- Consider changing your phone number or email address.
- Tell your teen to never share their password with anyone except a parent.
- Remind teens that they should avoid sharing anything online or through text that they would not want to be made public.
- Reminder: The person you’re talking to in messages or online may not be who you think they are, and your messages may not be secure.
- Tell your teen to never share personal information online or to meet someone they only know online.
- Keep the computer in a shared space, like the family room, and do not allow your teen to have internet access in their own room.
- Encourage your teen to have times when they turn off the technology, such as at family meals or after a certain time.
- You may consider waiting until high school to allow your teen to have their own email or cell phone accounts, and even then you should maintain access to these accounts.
Taken from: www.bullyingstatistics.org and i-SAFE Foundation