Cyber bullying
What is cyber bullying?
Cyber bullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Electronic technology includes devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets as well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages, chat, and websites.
Examples of cyber bullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing photos, videos, websites, or fake profiles.
How cyber bullying works.
There are two kinds of cyber bullying, direct attacks (messages sent to your kids directly) and cyber bullying by proxy (using others to help cyber bully the victim, with or without accomplice's knowledge). Because cyber bullying by proxy often get adults involved in the harassment, it is much more dangerous.
Why cyber bully?
Who knows why kids do anything? When it comes to cyberbullying, they are often motivated by anger, revenge or frustration. Sometimes they do it for entertainment or because they are bored and have too much time on their hands and too many tech toys available to them. Many do it for laughs or to get a reaction. Some do it by accident, and either send a message to the wrong person or didn't think before they did something. They do it to torment others and for their ego. And then the people who are getting bullied may start out defending themselves from bullying only to find that they enjoy being the tough guy or gal. Mean girls do it to help bolster or remind people of their own social standing. And some think they are righting wrong and standing up for others.
Stop, block, and tell!
If you are targeted by a cyber bullying:
STOP!
Don't do anything. Calm down.
BLOCK!
Block the cyber bullying or limit all communications to those on your buddy list.
and Tell!
Tell a trusted adult, you don't have to face this alone.