By: Mimi
Cyberbullying has become a widespread problem throughout the US and it needs to be stopped. In this article you will learn how to handle cyberbullying and how other people can help.
How to Detect It:
Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that uses a device to mentally harass others. It includes photos, messages, or pages that don’t get taken down, even after the bully has been instructed to do so. Most of the time the bullying focuses on a person’s gender, religion, sexual orientation, race, or physical differences. Cyberbullying is illegal in many states but because of usernames, the amount of people, and locations can make it difficult.
Outcome of Cyberbullying:
Cyberbullying hurts many people: the victim, bystanders, and can even hurt the bully. Cyberbullying jeopardizes the victims mood, and mental health. It can cause them to be anxious or even depressed. If the bully is caught they can be dismissed from sport teams or any extracurricular activities, and can even be suspended from school.
What You Can Do:
If you are experiencing cyberbullying- or you know someone who is- you don’t have to be embarrassed. By speaking up, you can help future victims and stop the bullying from getting worse. Here are some options to help you speak out and stop the bullying:
- Tell someone. Even though it might be hard you should always tell a trusted adult, guardian, or teacher. If you are worried that your parents might take extreme measures such as losing your computer or device privileges, you should express your fear to them. Say the things you are worried about and try to negotiate and come to an agreement with them. The main reason for this option is having a helping hand to get the bullying under control.
- Walk away. Ignoring the bully is a great way to stop the bullying. By doing this you take away their power because they will see you’re not bothered and they will eventually give up. The best way to do this is to step away from the computer or any other device and take a break. Don’t forward the message to anyone, you don’t want anyone else to have the same information you have.
- Resist the urge to retaliate. Not retaliating or responding is a great way to get away from the toxic messages. Engaging with the bullies will only cause the problem to get worse because that shows them it affected you in some way. By responding, they will most likely continue to bully
Overall cyberbullying is a hard thing to deal with and this article can help people through it, and might even put an end to it. If you know anyone who is a cyberbully, politely let them now that cyberbullying is not okay and can even put you and them in danger. For more information you can go to the website listed to learn more about cyberbullying.
The Middle Seat 