Cyber Bullying.

Hey! In today's blog, I'll discuss with you what is CyberBullying, how it occurs, and what to do if you're being CyberBullied.

First of all, what actually is "Cyber Bullying"?

Cyberbullying or cyberharassment is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means. Cyberbullying and cyberharassment are also known as online bullying. It has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers, as the digital sphere has expanded and technology has advanced.

The different types of cyberbullying involve causing humiliation through hateful comments on online platforms/apps, or through SMS or messaging. It comprises posting, sending, or sharing negative, nasty, or false information about another individual for causing humiliation and character assassination.

Following are some of the common types of cyberbullying:

1. Posting hurtful, nasty, or humiliating rumors or comments about an individual online.

2. Creating a fake or nasty webpage about another individual.

3. Issuing online threats provoking an individual to kill themselves or hurt someone else.

4.Triggering religious, racial, ethnic, or political vitriol online by posting hate comments or content

Cyberbullying in India.

With the increasing availability of affordable data services and social media presence, cyberbullying in India has witnessed an alarming rise.

According to research conducted by Symantec, nearly 8 out of 10 individuals are subject to the different types of cyberbullying in India. Out of these around 63% faced online abuses and insults, and 59% were subject to false rumors and gossips for degrading their image.

The same study ranks India as the country facing the highest cyber bullying in the Asia Pacific region, more than Australia and Japan.

Some Horrifying Incidents of Cyber Bullying.

1. In November 2017, an MBBS student in Kerala jumped to her death from the highest floor of her college building. An examination of her Facebook profile showed her displeasure over the nasty comments made by one of her peers. Police suspect that cyberbullying provoked her to take this extreme step.

2. In February 2017, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) attacked students at a literary event in Delhi's Ramjas College.

There are so many other cases of Cyberbullying in India as well as in other countries.

How CyberBullying starts and how we can protect ourselves from it.

See, we can't deny the fact that CyberBullying occurs from our own mistakes. When we trust strangers, share our personal information with them, and give them full access to our lives. I'm not saying you stop trusting everyone, but choose your friends wisely. If you have made an online friend, tell your parents about them. Don't keep secrets from them. Because if you ever fell in some type of trouble, they'll be the first ones to understand your problems and help you get out of it.

Never share your personal information such as contact number, address, which school do you go to with a stranger. Precaution is better than panic.

What to do if you're being CyberBullied.

Tell someone - As with any type of bullying it is important that you don’t suffer in silence and you tell someone about it straight away. It may seem hard but make sure you tell a trusted adult, such as a parent or teacher, and they will help you to decide what to do.

Report the person/group - Cyberbullying is never acceptable and you should report the content (pictures, text, group, etc.) to someone you trust and to the social media site. All social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc have report abuse buttons, as most mobile phone networks have teams to deal with abuse. Games consoles also have advice on their websites. Reporting is usually anonymous so the person will not know that you have reported the content.

Block the person/group - Most social media sites will give you the option to block and report the person/group cyberbullying you. When you block someone it usually means that the person/group will no longer be able to contact you or see any of your content.

Save the evidence - It is really important that you save or copy any of the cyberbullying such as texts or conversations you receive so you have evidence of cyberbullying and can show it to the relevant people.

Don’t reply or answer back - It may be very tempting to reply to the person or group but don’t become a cyberbully yourself. Deal with the bully by blocking and reporting the abuse. It is sometimes hard not to write back, but it is always best not to retaliate. Sometimes the people bullying you are looking to get a reaction out of you and answering back can just make it worse.

Stay positive - Although it may feel like you do not have control of the situation, you can. Make sure you do the steps above and talk to people inside and outside of school that you can trust. These people care for you and will work with you to stop cyberbullying. Stay positive, you are not alone and things will get better : )

Big thanks to Usha for such a great recommendation! ❤

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