Here is How to Stay Protected from Cyber Bullying

Cyber Bullying can be a quite traumatic experience. While there are rules to protect people from cyber bullying in India, it still happens in India. As the different broadband service providers compete to provide the best internet plans, the use of internet by children and adolescents is also increasing. The young adults are more vulnerable victims to cyber bullying and as parents we need to ensure our children are safe from such incidents.

What is Cyber Bullying?

Cyber Bullying is the bullying of individuals using the different digital platforms like social media, email, apps and messages. Anyone can fall a prey to cyber bullying but children and young adults are found to be more vulnerable. There are many ways in which Cyber Bullying may happen. Here are some of the common ways of Cyber Bullying:

  • When someone posts nasty, humiliating and hurtful comments on the different cyber platforms, it is regarded as a case of cyber bullying.
  • When someone creates a fake page about you and shares information that may not be true, this could be regarded as a case of cyber bullying.
  • Threatening a person using online platforms provoking these individuals to kill or harm themselves, it is a clear case of cyber bullying.
  • When someone posts a nasty photo or video of yours on the online platforms, it is also a case of cyber bullying.

How to know if your child is a victim of Cyber Bullying?

The unlimited home wi-fi plans have made internet access easy for people of all ages. Since the internet bills are not high anymore, parents do not hesitate to let their kids use internet. The web is also a good channel to gather information for studies and there is no harm in children using the internet as long as they are safe. As a parent, it is your duty to identify if your child is getting cyber bullied. Here are some helpful ways to identify if this is happening:

  • Observe when your child tries to hide his/her online activities. There can be something fishy in this.
  • Make a note if the child’s mobile usage increases or decreases suddenly. There could be some reason why there is a change in internet use habits.
  • Notice if your child has become suddenly withdrawn and depressed. This could be a sign of cyber bullying if your child uses a lot of internet.
  • Notice if your child suddenly deactivates the existing social media accounts or opens up new accounts. There could be some reason for making a new account.
  • You should also notice if your child intensely expresses to events occurring on the social media platforms and reveals strong happiness or sadness.

You must remember that most children won’t have the tendency to confront parents regarding cyber bullying incidents. That is why it is important that you observe and interact with your children. Make sure the unlimited internet plans are used to benefit the child and not to harm him/her.

What steps can you take to keep your child protected from such incidents?

Even in the times of high-speed internet, there are ways you can protect your child from cyber bullying incidents. Here we have shared some suggestions to help you:

  • Maintain a healthy environment at your home so that the child can freely approach you if there is a problem.
  • Speak to children about cyber crimes as well as cyber bullying so that they are aware of what is happening in the online world. This will help them be careful and not take any foolish steps while surfing the internet.
  • Keep track of your child’s online activities. You should know what your child is surfing while on the internet.
  • Take some time out each day to interact with the daily activities of the children. Many times, children turn to the internet for company when they do not have anyone to talk to at their home.
  • If you observe any cyber bullying incidents taking place, be willing to report it to the cyber crime department so that the cyber bullies are punished.
  • If your child has undergone a cyber bullying incident, you should be willing to provide ample emotional support so that they recover emotionally.
  • Maintain some rules and limits regarding internet usage. This will not just reduce the chances of cyber bullying but also reduce chances of online addiction.