How We Can Prevent Cyberbullying

Both children and adolescents regularly connect to the Internet with all the advantages it entails but also with dangers such as cyberbullying. Parents have to prevent the risks that the Internet can pose for minors.

Unfortunately, there has always been the danger of bullying between children or by an adult, but with new technologies a new phenomenon has emerged, the so-called cyberbullying or cyberbullying . In general, it is associated “with threats, insults, harassment, creation of profiles in social networks that supplant the identity of the victim and associate it with degrading content, labeling of photographs of other people or other types of offensive actions towards the victim”, according to the Guide to action against cyberbullying published by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism.

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is a serious problem suffered by many adults but it becomes an even more serious problem when there is the involvement of minors or adults and minors. The cyberbullying or cyberstalking among school is a particular type of cyberbullying applied in a context in which they are involved only minor.

Some specialists believe that the appearance of this phenomenon is due to the “early immersion of minors in new technologies without having educational support in concepts related to information security, usefulness of personal data and conceptualization of privacy both own as well as others ”, according to the Guide to action against cyberbullying published by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism.

In addition, the lack of knowledge of adolescent children about the viralization of content that occurs when using social networks and how these content can spread quickly without us being able to do anything to prevent it.

These can be threats such as warning another person that serious harm or harm will be done to them or someone close to them, slander and insults or crimes against privacy such  as inappropriate use and without permission of images or personal data.

The victim of cyberbullying often suffers a deterioration in their self-esteem that often causes emotional stress, isolation and social rejection. Cyberbullying episodes can often be linked to bullying situations in real life and bullying.

How to prevent cyberbullying

The first thing is to prevent the prevention of risks of misuse of technologies soon. You have to start in early childhood education, of course, but especially in primary education. Talk to children to inform and sensitize them about risks and dangers. Not only teenagers can take risks on the Internet but also children.

The second is that we have to talk to our children so that they do not share personal information on the Internet. The sooner they start connecting to the Internet, the more danger they can be if they don’t have enough information about the risks.

We have to be aware of what our children do on the Internet. We must know their conversations by email, chats or social networks. It’s very easy for cyberbullies to find out where you live, where you like to go, or who your friends are. That is why it is important that they do not share data such as address, mobile phone, school they attend …

Detect cyberbullying

Once you have detected in the child or adolescent that he or she may be suffering a situation of bullying, especially if the minor is in a situation of confusion about what to do, the best way to address it is through communication with our children . We have to talk to them so that they tell us everything that happens to them and how they are harassed.

Normally, the child who is bullied may feel guilty about what is happening and tends to hide their situation from adults. You have to talk to him and help him to give an effective response. The best thing is to seek professional help that can advise us and go to the school if the cyberbullying comes from it so that the situation can be solved before it worsens.

If we do not know, we do not know who the harasser is, since it may be in their school,  we have to report cyberbullying to the police or the competent bodies in each country. It will be necessary to explain in detail the situation of harassment that the minor is suffering so that they can help him.