Sundaymail Editor
Technology and social media play an ever-present part in teen’s lives, making them vulnerable to cyberbullying. However, there are a few things that teens can do to reduce their chances of getting bullied.
Educate yourself
To prevent cyberbullying from occurring you must understand exactly what it is. Research what constitutes cyberbullying, how and where it occurs, and talk with your friends about what they are seeing and experiencing.
Protect your password
Safeguard your password and all private information from inquisitive peers. You do not want to give bullies the opportunity to post false/private/embarrassing information or pictures on your social media pages or send them to the whole school through email.
Pause before you post
Before sending a racy photo of yourself to a peer or posting it online, consider if this is something you would want others to see, especially your family. Bullies can use this picture as ammunition to make your life miserable. Do not post anything that can compromise your reputation. People will judge you based on how you appear to them online.
Raise awareness
Bring awareness to cyberbullying, whether it be through a movement, a club, an event or campaign. Knowledge is power.
Set up privacy controls
Restrict who can see your online profiles to only trusted friends.
“Google” yourself
Every once in a while search our name on all major search engines and see if any personal information or photos come up. If you find something that can be used by cyberbullies to target you, take action and have it removed.
Never open messages from
people you don’t know
Delete all messages without reading them from people you do not know, as they could contain viruses and infect your computer. The same goes for messages from known bullies. It is best to not engage and ignore them.
Don’t be a cyberbully
Remember the phrase your parents instilled in you as a kid: “treat others as you want to be treated”. If you are mean to others online, it reinforces the idea that that kind of behaviour is acceptable.
Log out your accounts on public computers
Similar to not sharing your passwords, do not give anyone the slightest chance to pose as you or to share false information. Also, by staying logged in, you run the risk of the bully changing your password and locking you out for a period of time. — momsteam.
Online Reporter