THE INTERNET IS USEFUL… it brings many benefits
…but it can be misused for activities that annoy, harass and intimidate people. This can be relatively harmless or very damaging. So…
Connect with Respect CYBERBULLYING – SOME EXAMPLES Personal Intimidation
- sending threatening texts
- posting abusive and threatening comments on the victim’s profile or other websites
- sending threatening messages via instant messaging.
Impersonation
- setting up fake profiles and web pages attributed to the victim
- gaining access to someone’s profile or instant messaging account & using it to contact others
- bullying while impersonating the account or profile owner.
Exclusion
- blocking an individual from a popular online group or community such as a school or class group.
Personal Humiliation
- posting images or videos intended to embarrass or humiliate
- sharing and posting images or videos of victims being abused or humiliated offline
- sharing personal communications such as emails or texts with a wider audience than was intended by the sender.
False Reporting
- making false reports to the service provider
- reporting other users for a range of behaviours with a view to having the users’ account or website deleted.
CYBERBULLYING – KEY ADVICE Don’t Reply to messages that harass or annoy. Don’t respond in kind – beware – they might complain about you!
Keep the Message. You don’t have to read it, but keep it. Record details, dates and times of any bullying that you experience. This can be used to investigate the bullying.
Ask for Help. Tell someone you trust – parent, friend, teacher, youth leader etc. For example talk to a teacher you trust or to a guidance counsellor. You can also call Childline in confidence on 1800 66 66 66 or get help through their online services at www.childline.ie.
Block the Sender. Don’t put up with it – block it! It may be possible to restrict unwanted communications (check the device manual or seek adult help). Mobile networks can’t bar numbers but they will help you change phone number in the case of serious bullying.
Report Problems. Don’t put up with offensive content – report it! Many websites and mobile phone operators provide ways to report bullying content or other offensive material.