Cyberbullying
How to stay safe...
Having a problem?
There are many things to do if you are in trouble. Here are three of the most important things to do.
1. Information
To avoid this situation in the first place, you need to put the least amount of information possible about yourself online. Also, if your friends put anything about you online that you don't want, you need to tell them to take it off immediately.
2. Tell someone
If you experience a problem, one of the wisest things to do is to tell someone you trust. For example, the closest family members, a best friend, or even call a service to help, like CEOP (Child Exploitation & Online Protection).
3. Report!
Arguably the most important thing, you must report someone if they trouble you. Most websites must have a report button, so there is always a way out of a bad situation.
Three Terms & Conditions to Always Follow
Most people scroll though the T&C when signing up to a social media platform, usually because it is excessively long. T&C is basically showing actions with a consequence, for example: if you post a picture on Instagram, it now owns that picture, even if you take it off.
1. Never post rude or hurtful comments about someone
The consequence for this is people have the rights to report or take down your page. In extreme cases, legal action may be taken. Home can be viewed as a safe place, but for some people the safety is taken away.
2. Never continuously troll someone
Similar to the previous point, trolling can be far more harmful then you might think, and you could potentially get banned from a website if it continues.
3. Never exclude people
Although it seems irrelevant, the game 'Piggy in the Middle' can be used to describe how this feels to someone. Being in the center is incredibly frustrating, and the outside people feel like they have to exclude the person in the center. You could get in trouble for acting as if the person in the middle has less value. The consequence can be seen as living with the guilt of potentially sending someone into a depression.