There is definitely tons of information available online and is just a click away for so many online users today, specifically for teens and young adults. CyberSafety Awareness week brings forth a time to reinforce the detriment and serious impact that lurks behind the computer screens for numerous teens that fall victim to cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a problem that affects almost half of all American teens. The American Academy of Pediatrics calls cyberbullying the “most common online risk for all teens.”
Today, countless youth are literally fighting to endure the cruel and harsh words that class mates express from their own computers and with the use of online games.
Cyberbullies can be classmates, online acquaintances, and even anonymous users, but most often they actually know their victims.
Whether you’ve been a victim of cyberbullying, know someone who has been cyberbullied, or have even cyberbullied yourself, there are effective steps youth can take to stop cyberbullying and stay cyber-safe.
How Can I Prevent Cyberbullying?
- Refuse to pass along cyberbullying messages
- Tell friends to stop cyberbullying
- Block communication with cyberbullies
- Report cyberbullying to a trusted adult
You can also help prevent cyberbullying by:
- Speaking with other students, as well as teachers and school administrators, to develop rules against cyberbullying
- Raising awareness of the cyberbullying problem in your community by holding an assembly and creating fliers to give to younger kids or parents
- Sharing NCPC’s anti-cyberbullying message with friends
Don’t forget that even though you can’t see a cyberbully or the bully’s victim, cyberbullying can cause long-lasting effects to its victim and unfortunately in some cases, trigger acts of suicide. If you wouldn’t say it in person, don’t say it online. Delete cyberbullying. Don’t write it. Don’t forward it.
Find the latest information on the NCPC cyberbullying campaign; it’s just a click away http://www.ncpc.org/topics/cyberbullying
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