9 May Etwinning Day

 What are the effective ways of resisting pressures?  discussion in forum

Don’t judge a person by what you hear from others!

Cyber Bullying is bad, don’t make others feel sad!

♦ Talk to someone you trust, like a parent or teacher. They can offer support and develop a plan to end the harassment.

♦ Only open emails and messages from people you know. If you’re not sure, check with an adult first.

♦ Give your cell phone number and email address only to those people you know and trust.

♦ Resist the urge to reply to hurtful messages.. make them think you just don’t care.

♦ Keep your personal information private...don’t give out information in chatrooms.

♦ Save copies of hurtful and abusive messages...you might need them later as proof.

♦ If you are being bullied, leave the area or stop the message activity (e.g., chat room)

♦ Avoid putting information online that you wouldn’t want other classmates to read, even in an email.

Words can hurt: Cyberbullying

Along with the growth of technology comes with the rise of cyberbullying. Technology is great, it brings about many beneficial progress to our lives, however when taken advantage of, it can ruin lives. As we become more connected with each other in the cyber world, it makes us more vulnerable to other’s opinions and comments.

Singapore is no stranger to cyberbullying. According to CNA, it is reported that 3 in 4 youngsters have been bullied online. When our online identities are made accessible to the public, perpetrators can easily hide behind an anonymous account and leave vicious comments, with the ill intention to hurt. This is especially common among influencers and celebrities, as their every move is closely scrutinised by the public eye. Many suffered from the effects of cyberbullying, and one of them was a Netflix star Hana Kimura. Kimura, aged 22, is a pro-wrestler and a star of the reality TV show ‘Terrace House: Tokyo’ on Netflix. She had received hundreds of hate comments on her social media page after her appearance on the show, which could allegedly be linked to her suicide. Her death led to a discussion of cyberbullying and it prompted Japan’s government to make plans on expanding cyberbullying laws.

This is the reality of cyberbullying. You could be questioning, why not just take action against those cyberbullies? Of course, with some actions, cyberbullying would stop, but to what extent? According to CNA, 9 in 10 victims took no action. Some say that by taking action, the bullying would only become more frequent, others think that it is a point of weakness to ask for help. Therefore, many victims are silent sufferers and there are detrimental effects of it.

Many studies have shown that depression among youths are closely interlinked with cyberbullying. Victims feel hurt, humiliated, helpless, ashamed, angry, and more importantly, traumatised after experiencing cyberbullying. Their self esteem and confidence shatters, and slowly, they start to seclude themselves from the world. Words are powerful, it can make or break you. If you are constantly surrounded by negative annotations, you start to associate yourself with them, and one day, it reaches a breaking point. It has been reported that young people are twice as likely to self harm or attempt suicide if they receive any forms of cyberbulling. This is why there has been many cases of suicide caused by online bullying, similar to what happened to Hana Kimura.

While we cannot completely stop cyberbullying from happening, we can protect ourselves and our loved ones from becoming a victim of it. Here are 3 actions you can take:

1. Private your social media accounts

By having a private account, it limits the interactions you have with only your followers. If you have a limited following circle, you can easily single out bullies when they leave hurtful comments on your accounts.

2. Block and report

Cyberbullies thrive off receiving emotional reactions, so rather than responding and getting involved emotionally, block and report the user.

3. Keep your parents and teachers in the loop

Always, always take action instead of suffering silently! Inform your parents and teachers, keep screenshots and evidence of bullying. Let them be your pillar of support that you can turn to during difficult times.

You might not be a victim of cyberbullying, but you may know someone who is a victim of cyberbullying or a cyberbully, and you should not turn a blind eye to it. Always stand up for what is right - encourage your friends to speak up if they suffer from cyber bullying, stop your friends from bullying someone online. You should also play your part in practicing mindful posting, always think before you post as you may unintentionally hurt someone with the pictures and words you put online. If a community plays their part in advocating for a healthier internet space, it can reduce the act of cyberbullying.

You can click see the source

Cyberbullying: Resources for Intervention and Prevention article 

• Block the bully. Most devices have settings that let you electronically block emails, IMs, or texts from specific people.
• Limit access to technology. Although it's hurtful, many kids who are bullied can't resist the temptation to check websites or phones to see if there are new messages. Keep the computer in a public place in the house (no laptops in children's bedrooms, for example) and put limits on the use of cellphones and games. Some companies let you turn off text messaging services during certain hours. And most websites and smartphones include parental control options that give parents access to their kids' messages and online life.
• Know your kids' online world. Ask to "friend" or "follow" your child on social media sites, but do not abuse this privilege by commenting or posting anything to their profile. Check their postings and the sites kids visit, and be aware of how they spend their time online. Talk to them about the importance of privacy and why it's a bad idea to share personal information online, even with friends. Write up cellphone and social media contracts that you are willing to enforce.
• Learn about ways to keep your kids safe online. Encourage them to safeguard passwords and to never post their address or whereabouts when out and about.

source: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/cyberbullying.html

How to deal with cyberbullying

Research shows that cyberbullying on social media is linked to depression in teens. It’s essential that parents remain engaged with their teens and talk about ways to seek help.

• Don’t judge or fix: Teens need parents to listen without judgment. They also don’t want their parents to start calling other parents or the school right away. The best first step is to listen and ask follow up questions to understand the scope of the cyberbullying. Unconditional support is key. If you listen, empathize, and work together, your teen will continue to seek your help.
• Document everything: Take screenshots of any cyberbullying found on devices and send them to your phone. Document your conversations as well. Rehashing cyberbullying with school personnel and other authorities can be anxiety producing. Stories might lack details or seem different when teens are under pressure. Documenting your conversations will help you help your teen communicate what happened.
• Identify a safe person at school: Teens need a touchstone at school – someone they can go to when overwhelmed by the real-life fallout of cyberbullying or to seek help in the moment.
• Respond thoughtfully: Resist the urge to blast out your concerns on your own social media channels. This won’t help your teen and might make it worse.
• Work together to formulate a plan: Your teen needs help, but your teen also needs the autonomy to use problem-solving skills that work for her him. Brainstorm possible solutions, including the best point person at the school (this might a counselor or specific member of the administration), and work together.
• Use the tools within the apps: Chances are your teen knows how to block users and protect passwords, but it can’t hurt to review privacy settings, scroll through friend lists to identify potential fake accounts and report fake accounts, harassing comments, or inappropriate photos. 
• Talk about upstanders: Discuss the importance of reporting bullying or inappropriate content even if it doesn’t directly impact your teen, leaving positive comments when others are leaving negative ones, and reaching out to kids being victimized online. When teens are empowered to help other teens, they learn that they have the power to combat online negativity by sprinkling kindness and support.

Cyberbullying can leave lasting effects, including depression and anxiety. If you suspect that your teen is the victim of cyberbullying, talk to your teen and make a plan to get help. 

source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/worry-free-kids/201711/how-help-teens-cope-cyberbullying