A growing problem.

A study conducted by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children shows that online harassment of youth ages 10 to 17 has increased in the last five years (1). This form of harassment is particularly disturbing for children because it is most often their peers who are harassing them. According to one victim, the difference between being bullied at school and being bullied on the Internet is that you cannot get away from it. Cyberbullying follows you, even after you get home from school (2).
 
With the Internet now incorporated into children’s daily lives, harassment can take many forms. Cyberbullies use technology such as e-mail, instant messaging, cell phones, and websites to spread rumors and gossip, steal passwords to assume someone else’s identity, post pictures of someone without their consent, and threaten or harass with offensive language. The speed at which information travels online can be frightening, and because most people use aliases, cyberbullies are hard to track.

Imagine a student taking a picture of an unsuspecting victim in a locker room with a cell phone. The photo is sent directly from the cell phone to a list of e-mail addresses and then sent through IM to another group of contacts. The victim’s picture is posted on a defamatory personal website that calls for visitors to rate and comment on the victim’s appearance. By the end of the day, the victim has been forced to endure humiliating glares and jeers at school and then comes home to a barrage of hurtful e-mails and texts.

Parents: Learn How to Help Your Children

If your child is cyberbullied:

• Teach them to not respond to rude and harassing e-mails, messages, and postings. Children should keep a record of them so that you have evidence if necessary. Make a report at www.cybertipline.com and contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or cell phone provider.
• Delete their current e-mail accounts and open a new one.
• Contact your ISP to remove websites created to demean your child and, if necessary, law enforcement to investigate any threats.
• Get your child’s school involved. Learn the school’s policy on cyberbullying, and urge the administrators to take a stance against all forms of bullying (3).

• Teach them to keep their personal information private and to only share their passwords with you. Help them to create strong passwords and change them often.
• Make sure they use the block feature and other security settings of instant messaging programs to prevent cyberbullies from sending messages.
• Visit NetSmartz.org and watch the cyberbullying series with your children. Discuss what they can do to protect themselves from online harassment.

• Never post your personal information, such as cell phone number, address, or the name of your school. Only share your passwords with your parents or guardian.
• Think before posting your photos. You never know who could gain access to them and how they could be used to hurt you.
• Never respond to harassing or rude e-mails, instant messages, or postings. Talk to your parents or guardian if you are harassed; get help reporting this to your ISP, school, or local law enforcement.
• If you are cyberbullied, save the evidence for law enforcement or school officials. This includes names, e-mail address, phone numbers, and the content itself.
• Never send inappropriate videos or pictures through your cell phone. These images can be forwarded to anyone and you will never be able to get them back.
• You can’t take back things you post online, so always think before posting a message or sending an e-mail. You could really regret messages posted in anger.