How to Protect Yourself from Cyberbullies

Are you being bullied online? Do you see bullying happen when you’re online?No type of bullying should be tolerated, especially when it’s online where everyone can see it.

No type of bullying should be tolerated, especially when it’s online where everyone can see it. This is why it is important to protect yourself (and others) from cyberbullying.

Bullying and cyberbullying are two things I hate with a passion. It is not only outrageous and disgusting, it is in many places considered a crime. I absolutely, unequivocally cannot and will never make excuses for any form of cyberbullying. No matter how flat you make a pancake it has two sides right? No matter how you view bullying, it is always wrong.

here are lots of articles about kids and teens being bullied at school or suffer through cyberbullying online.

Let’s talk about adults bullying and cyberbullying each other, how to identify it, and protect yourself from cyberbullying.

This is not just an adolescent issue. Trust me.

I want to take time to give the adults who are being victimized some tips, advice and suggestions.

Cyber bullies can hide behind a mask of anonymity online and do not need direct physical access to their victims to do unimaginable harm.

Did you know 81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person?

I am not surprised. It is so easy to hide behind a computer.

Bullies have been around forever. Technology and social media has given them a new platform to conduct their bullying behaviour. Name-calling, spreading rumours, online attacks, and threats.

Defining Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is any form of bullying that takes place over digital devices. Cyberbullies conduct their activity through social media, forums, threads, and SMS.

Bullies will send and share privately or publicly mean, harmful, false or negative content about a person.

This includes profanity, hate speech, and sexual remarks.

The content shared will cause the victim shame, embarrassment, and humiliation. It is repeated behavior intending to harm. It is often motivated by anger, revenge or frustration.

The worst type of cyberbullying is when it is done for entertainment at the expense of the target. Bullies often surf the Internet under pseudonyms, therefore the victim rarely knows who is doing the bullying.

Examples Of Bullying VS. Cyberbullying

Common forms of bullying:

• Hurting people physically
• Picking on someone
• Spreading rumors
• Excluding people
• Making fun of a person’s physical attributes
• Teasing
• Making someone a target

Cyber-bullying:

• Sending mean messages with use of email, text messages, and the internet
• Creating fake accounts to harass someone
• Using social media to embarrass and hurt
• Posting nasty pictures or messages about others
• Getting another person to do the “dirty work” online
• Public Shaming
• Hacking into a person’s account to cause them pain by using their profile for negative activity (impersonation)

Adult bullying exist everywhere. Their main goal is to assert power over another person and make themselves look untouchable by demeaning their victims. They take pleasure in making life difficult and uncomfortable for others.

Many bullies like to do their dirty work by hiding behind screen names. Others are bolder and use their personal accounts to hurt others.

The worst part is that many of these people do not see their behaviour as being harmful.

They feel a sense of power and do it for their own pleasure and entertainment.

Not only children engage in these behaviour. It is very common among adults. They attack each other with harsh words, threats, pictures, and information. Any of us can fall victim to cyberbullies. You may have high self-esteem but words can still hurt.

Threats that may seem harmless to you might hurt another person deeply.

How to Protect Yourself from Cyber Bullying Today

Ignore the Bully

If you or anyone you know is a victim of cyberbullying, do not respond to minor teasing or name calling. Sometimes bullies are simply seeking attention waiting for someone to react negatively to something they post.

Record & Save the Evidence

Cyberbullying may be easier to do, but it is also easier to prove that you are being bullied. Take screenshots of any cyberbullying messages you receive. If you can show these messages to a trusted adult – like a family member, teacher or school counsellor – it may be easier to show who the bully was if they bully you on multiple accounts.

Reach Out to Someone

The most important thing to do in any cyberbullying situations is to talk to an adult you trust as soon as you realise there is a problem. Your parents, a teacher, school administrators, counsellors, and even police officers have experience in handling problems and can help you deal with cyberbullying. Your school has rules against cyberbullying, and they are now taking into account what happens online, as well. It’s also helpful to talk to friends or a counsellor so you can get their support when you are feeling upset by hurtful comments. There is no reason to suffer alone when you are the target of cyberbullying.

Cut off the Bully

If and when the situation escalates, stop all communication with the bully when possible. For example, block their phone number so you no longer receive their calls or texts. Mobile apps and social media platforms also allow you to block users so that they can no longer interact with you. If for some reason it’s not possible to block a cyberbully, you can always screen their calls and delete their messages without opening them.

Go High-Tech

If you’re being bullied via a website, chances are that the bully is going against the website’s terms of use. Reporting bullies to the website administrator may get them kicked off the site. Some of the most popular sites for cyberbullying activity, you can report cyberbullying incidents to the sites’ ‘safety centres.’ In many cases, the providers can look into the bullying incident to uncover an anonymous bully and may also be able to take down offensive posts.