Top 10 Steps To Respond To Cyberbullying

This week in class, we talked about cyberbullying, which is bullying that takes place using electronic technology, how it has affected others, and in some cases, ended lives. I found an article, called “Top 10 Steps to Respond to Cyberbullying”, which had a lot of information on cyberbullying that people may want to take note of. The article starts off talking about how cyberbullying has affected all of us at some point in our lives, whether were a tween or a grown man. There are various forms of cyberbullying which we also spoke about in class, this can range from sending hurtful or threatening messages to someone, to making cruel websites about a person, and to spreading rumors about someone else via the Internet. The steps that were provided to respond to cyberbullying are to disengage immediately, print out the evidence before it is erased, block/delete/ban the bullies, report bullying to the site, consult an attorney if the case turns legal, take the proof to the police, monitor yourself for feelings of depression/anxiety, help a “target” get involved in the real world, have the “target” join a support group, and to not sleep with your phone in your room. I feel like all these steps are common sense but at the same time, some people do not know how to disconnect from social media and therefore continue to be cyberbullied, such as Megan Meier. I personally have been cyberbullied by an ex boyfriend, who sent me threatening messages over the internet when I was in high school. The way I dealt with this is by blocking him from all social media. I did not have any feelings of depression or anxiety because I ended the possibility of him threatening me again, as soon as I saw his messages for the first time. I feel like a lot of people would be cyberbullied less if they dealt with the situation at hand as quickly as possible, by deleting their social media account or by blocking their harasser. I agree with the article, that everyone has been cyber bullied once, even celebrities. If I go on Instagram and go to Kim Kardashian’s page, she even gets cyber bullied in the comments under her pictures, as people say hurtful things about her appearance and call her names. The article also pointed out that someone who ‘likes’ or ‘retweets’ a cruel Tweet are just as guilty as the person who created the content. These people are seen as bystanders or participants, because they did nothing to prevent or stop the cyberbullying. There were also tips provided on how to deal with cyberbullying if your child is a target. I thought this information was essential since parents can play a big role in preventing the cyberbullying to turning into something even worse, such as a physical attack or a suicide. New social networking sites are being created every year and without proper measures being taken and without monitoring of what things people are saying to one another, I don’t think cyberbullying will ever go away.