Oct. 14, 2020 | More and more students are spending time online as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, in an effort to protect our children and adolescents from infection from the coronavirus, we may be exposing them to another serious problem. Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. It includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior. The most common places where cyberbullying occurs are social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Tik Tok, text messaging and messaging apps on mobile or tablet devices and online forums, chat rooms and message boards, such as Reddit.

Oct. 14, 2020 | With the prevalence of social media and digital forums, comments, photos, posts, and content shared by individuals can often be viewed by strangers as well as acquaintances. The content an individual shares online – both their personal content as well as any negative, mean, or hurtful content – creates a kind of permanent public record of their views, activities, and behavior. This public record can be thought of as an online reputation, which may be accessible to schools, employers, colleges, clubs, and others who may be researching an individual now or in the future. Cyberbullying is troublesome because digital devices offer an ability to immediately and continuously communicate 24 hours a day, so it can be difficult for children experiencing cyberbullying to find relief. And with so many students in classes online, teachers and parents may not overhear or see cyberbullying taking place, making it harder to recognize.

Oct. 14, 2020 | Digital media and apps allow children to communicate and express their creativity, connect with peers, and share their feelings. However, they can be an avenue through which cyberbullying occurs. There are many types of apps and sites available for free that give users the ability to search for people and share or post information about themselves anonymously. Parents may not be aware of the apps that their children use regularly or may not be aware of the risks involved in using them. There are many ways that cyberbullying can be hidden in apps and sites, such as texts, videos, and web calls that disappear or do not appear on the device’s call or text message logs. Many apps also make it easy for users to access, view or participate in adult or harmful content. Privacy and location settings may make them more vulnerable to stalking, cyberbullying, exposure to adult content, or other dangers.

Oct. 14, 2020 | Playing videogames is a popular activity for teens. Many video games – whether they are on a computer, game console, cellphone or tablet – allow users to play with friends they know in person and others they have met only online. While gaming can have positive benefits like making new friends, it is also another place where cyberbullying occurs. Anonymity of players and the use of avatars allow users to create alter-egos or fictional versions of themselves, which is part of the fun of gaming. But it also allows users to sometimes gang up on other players, sending negative or hurtful messages and using the game as a tool of harassment. If someone is not performing well, other children may curse or make negative remarks that turn into bullying, or they might exclude the person from playing together. Some anonymous users use the game as a means to harass strangers or to get their personal information, like user names and passwords.

Oct. 14, 2020 | While you may not be able to monitor all of your child’s activities, there are things you can do to prevent cyberbullying and protect your child from harmful digital behavior. It’s a good idea to monitor a teen’s social media sites, apps, and browsing history, if you have concerns that cyberbullying may be occurring. Take time to review or re-set your child’s phone location and privacy settings. Stay up-to-date on the latest apps, social media platforms, and digital slang used by children and teens. Parents who want to protect their children from cyberbullying, harmful digital behavior, and exposure to adult content can use parental control and monitoring software to help them set up systems that are less invasive to their children. There are free software options and apps available to help parents restrict content, block domains or view their children’s online activities, including social media, without looking at their child’s device every day