Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place online. Unlike bullying, which is offline, online bullying can follow the child wherever they go, via social networks, gaming and smartphones. 

Cyberbullying is different to traditional bullying because of its 24/7 nature – as we are in a more technology connected world, you can be contacted at any time of the day or night, through many platforms. There are numerous ways of bullying someone online and some people can experience multiple ways of being cyberbullied.

“Cyber bullying is rife on the internet and most young people will experience it or see it at some time. In our recent national bullying survey, 56% of young people said they have seen others be bullied online and 42% have felt unsafe online. Cyber bullying can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and it can go viral very fast.”
BullyingUK

Why Cyberbullying Matters

My child is being Cyberbullied. What should I do?

  • Gently explore with your child to see what may have gone on before they received the unwanted message or post. To help start and explore this conversation, please see this guide for 11-13 year olds and this guide for 14+ year olds.
  • Ask your child to block the user that sent it, and report the message. Every platform has a way of blocking unwanted messages and it will ensure that no further messages can be received from that account.
  • Screenshot to save the messages so you have evidence of them.
  • Inform your child’s form tutor and/or pastoral to make them aware of what has been happening. If your child feels harassed or threatened, tell the police.

Work with your child to build up their digital resilience check in with them regularly, encourage them to review their privacy settings to prevent unwanted messages/posts in the future. Bring digital experiences up into normal, everyday conversations. Remember, there is often little distinction between what your children do online and offline.

Further Support

For more information, help and advice, I highly recommend checking out the ‘Recommended resources’ section on InternetMatters.org’s fantastic cyberbullying page.

Reach out to me directly on esafety@brockington.leics.sch.uk for any advice and support. As the College’s CEOP Ambassador, I regularly help and support students with any E-Safety issues/queries/concerns.