Signs of Cyberbullying
What signs should we look for that would indicate someone is being bullied or is bullying?
Changes in behavior are usually good indicators that something is amiss. If your kid is withdrawn, angry, sad, or even overly focused on a particular website then you might want to explore what's going on.
Most cyberbullying happens in its own little "ecosystem"—where many kids participate and play different roles (as the aggressor, the victim, the bystander and the "upstander") at different times. So it's possible that if you suspect something is going on, then your kid may have participated in different ways. And given that, they may be very reluctant to report it.
Explain to your kid that even if they themselves participated in cyberbullying, your most pressing concern is the safety and well-being of your child and the kids they may have hurt. And if they hurt someone else, they should understand why it was wrong and why there are consequences of that behavior.
Growing up is a learning process—and now that kids are able to communicate online in a public way—they are kind of growing up in public. Being a part of an online community implies a kind of trust—and if they cyberbully then they've broken the trust of the community and they may need to earn it back. They will make mistakes, but continue to talk to them about the importance of responsible, respectful online behavior. Explain that they can always come to you—or another trusted adult—to talk about anything that happened online.
Information provided by Caroline Knorr, Parenting Editor of Common Sense Media. For more tips about teaching your kids to be safe online, visit Common Sense Media.
report abuseMost cyberbullying happens in its own little "ecosystem"—where many kids participate and play different roles (as the aggressor, the victim, the bystander and the "upstander") at different times. So it's possible that if you suspect something is going on, then your kid may have participated in different ways. And given that, they may be very reluctant to report it.
Explain to your kid that even if they themselves participated in cyberbullying, your most pressing concern is the safety and well-being of your child and the kids they may have hurt. And if they hurt someone else, they should understand why it was wrong and why there are consequences of that behavior.
Growing up is a learning process—and now that kids are able to communicate online in a public way—they are kind of growing up in public. Being a part of an online community implies a kind of trust—and if they cyberbully then they've broken the trust of the community and they may need to earn it back. They will make mistakes, but continue to talk to them about the importance of responsible, respectful online behavior. Explain that they can always come to you—or another trusted adult—to talk about anything that happened online.
Information provided by Caroline Knorr, Parenting Editor of Common Sense Media. For more tips about teaching your kids to be safe online, visit Common Sense Media.
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