The Most Common Type of Bullying in the Digital Age: Cyberbullying
What is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is the constant and repetitive use of electronic devices (such as tablets, phones, computers) to harm or hurt someone else. It is one of the most common online risks that teens and children are exposed to and/or practice themselves. As the time spent in the digital environment lengthens, the possibility of facing online risks and cyberbullying increases even more. The online world that offers many opportunities can also be used as a tool to harm others.
Where Can Cyberbullying Happen?
- Social media channels
- Messages
- Phones (video call, text, voice call)
- Online chat rooms
- Online games
- Group chats
- E-mails
- Forums
- Blogs
- Websites
Which Behaviors are Considered as Cyberbullying?
- Mocking, name-calling, gossiping, threatening
- Excluding from games, blogs or group messages
- Hacking someone else’s accounts
- Posting on fake accounts
- Posting someone’s pictures without their consent
- Sending texts on behalf of someone else
- Following someone’s accounts on social networks in a disturbing way
- Spreading false information about someone on social media
- Posting embarrassing information or photos of a person on social media
- Constantly making negative and unwanted comments under someone else’s posts
- Sending emails or messages that contain viruses
- Downloading information that contains copyrighted and illegal content
How Can We Protect Ourselves from Cyberbullying?
- Not opening spam messages and emails
- Connecting only with people you know in real life o digital platforms
- Staying away from pop-up games and trivia
- Not clicking advertisements on websites
- Using antivirus or security applications
- Not sharing personal information such as passwords, phone numbers, adresses,school, email adresses online
- Checking security settings of applications
- Generating complex passwords and changing them every six months
- Not believing the information shared on the internet immediately, questioning and confirming it from several sources
Cyberbullying leaves a digital trace behind!
You are not alone if you are experiencing cyberbullying!
You can stop cyberbullying and cause a change in the world if you recognize it!
