Cyberbullying and Online Safety

cyberbullying And healthy online interactions

key • Part 1 - Introduction • Part 2 - the dangers of being online • Part 3 - The positives of being online • Part 4 - coping with cyberbullying • Part 5 - Where to seek help • Part 6 - UK government’s advice • Part 7 - real life cyberbullying stories • Part 8 - Cyberbully or cybervictim

Part 1 - introduction • Brief introduction • Definition of cyberbullying • Different intentions • Examples of cyberbullying • Why do kids cyberbully • cyberfootprint

Brief introduction • I believe that online resources and interactions can be very beneficial and there is nothing wrong with having online friends • There is a balance between real friends and online friends but both should be treated as such • I want to raise awareness of the positives of online interactions while shedding light on the negatives • I would like my audience to realise that most people online are just like them looking to have some fun or make friends but i also want them to be aware of the dangers in an extremely small part of the online community

Definition of cyberbullying • Cyberbullying is the use of social media or online platforms used with the intent of purposely hurting or embarrassing a person • any form of bullying that uses online platforms Is considered a form of cyberbullying. The uk has set different laws on cyberbullying compared to bullying in 2012 • It is harder to confront a cyberbully as they are harder to track, in order to prevent most of cyberbullying only talk online to people you already know in real life, try and avoid online meeting places

Different intentions • A rude comment is a hurtful comment that was not intended to harm • A mean comment is a hurtful comment that was intended to harm • Cyberbullying is the repeat use of hurtful comments that are intended to hurt the victim • Understand that not every rude comment is cyberbullying. Online people have no idea of your background and your beliefs including religious • Some of their comments may be very offensive to you but not all of them have bad intentions, if someone is talking about a topic that with your cultural background you consider taboo or offensive simply ask them to stop • Unless they are actively trying to cyberbully you they will certainly stop

Examples of cyberbullying • Posting insulting messages on the interned or DM’s • Sending offensive text messages • Defamatory websites • Fake social network profiles • cyberstalking

Why do kids cyberbully • Anonymous • Detachment, they can’t see the person face to face • Less risk of being caught • Always remember to treat people online as you would want to be treated

cyberfootprint • Always remember that whatever you do online is often recorded leaving a cyberfootprint • Remember your cyberfootprint can reflect who you are • Make sure when talking online you put yourself in a positive light • Be nice and respect everyone

2 - The Dangers of being online • address or location • IP snatching • Ddos • Blackmail

Address or location • It is important to never give out your address online and to never meet up with someone you know online, especially in a desolate place • Be aware that your location can also be leaked like for example posting pictures on public Instagram pages of which location can be recognized by specific landmarks • Even just by posting pictures inside or near your home can be dangerous if seen by the wrong people

Ip snatching • Using online chatrooms without end to end encryptions can result in ip snatching where the other party can find out your ip, ip snatching is particularly bad on skype • This can also be done by pressing suspicious links, your browser will block links suspected to snatch your IP, if someone online sends you a link that gets blocked by your browser don’t click ignore but immediately close the tab • IP’s can be used to find a general location like a country and a city but another great danger of it is also ddosing

ddos • Ddos is done when a person has your ip • By sending a large amount of packets to your computer your router can be forcefully crashed. It will keep crashing until the ddos has ended • Ddos stands for denial of service and as long as it is active your internet will be completely offline • Ddos is illegal and for damages of over 3000$ the fbi is involved

blackmail • It is important to not share any uncomfortable information with anyone you cannot trust • As a rule of thumb never share pictures of yourself or private information as those can be used as blackmail • Blackmail is a very severe form of cyberbullying and you should report it to a parent or guardian regardless of what the aggressor is telling you

3 - The positives of being online • Wide range of friendships • Cultural exchange • Overcoming shyness

Wide range of friendships • Interaction and friendships with people of all different ages can be made online • Strong friendships can be made with people of all ages even 20+ years, it is interesting to talk to people who were your age not long ago and lived in a similar technological era • At the same time do not share any pictures of yourself or private information • It is important to understand the value of genuine friendships between people of different ages online who would normally given the structure of society not meddle with each other

Cultural exchange • The online community is worldwide and contains people from all over the world providing for massive cultural exchange • At the same time because you may not know other people’s backgrounds it is imperative to be careful when speaking and not going on touchy topics or you may unknowingly become the cyberbully

Overcoming shyness • Online before can help shy people gain confidence, as there is no face to face contact they will feel more at ease and speak with more confidence • This can also be translated into the real world, however don’t become too confident • People who are too confident online can become cyberbullies or trolls • Always treat people online with the same respect you would treat real people

4 - coping with cyberbullying • What to do if you are cyberbullied part 1 • What to do if you are cyberbullied part 2 • Questions to ask yourself • You’re not alone

What to do if you are cyberbullied • Tell someone like a trusted adult about the cyberbullying • Don’t open or read messages sent by cyberbullies • Tell the police if you are threatened • Tell your school if it is related to your school • Don’t send a message fuelled by anger as it cannot be unsent

What to do if you are cyberbullied • Don’t give out private information such as passwords, pins, name, address, phone number, school name, or family and friends names • Protect yourself, never agree to meet someone you met online • If you are able to block the bully on that social platform make sure you do that • Don’t erase the messages as they may need to be used as evidence

Questions to ask yourself • Are my actions or words hurting someone else’s feelings? • Are my actions or words hurting someone else physically or making that person feel afraid? • Would I want someone else to do this to me? • Am I unfairly taking my anger out on someone? • Am I trying to control someone against his or her will?

you’re not alone • In 2015 34% of students report to have been cyberbullied in some point of their lives • Over 40% don’t report the cyberbullying to anyone and over 38% report it to another online friend, it is important to report it to someone you know and trust personally

5 - Where to seek help • Websites • A parent or guardian • Videos on cyberbullying

Useful websites • http://www.antibullying.net/resourceswwwlinks.htm • http://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org/ • http://www.bullying.co.uk/ • http://www.stopbullying.gov/ • These websites can provide further advice when it comes to bullying and cyberbullying, some even provide online advice if you still don’t have the courage to speak to a parent about it

A parent or guardian • Over 80% of cyberbullying victims don’t reach out to any adults in their life • Around 80% either do nothing is speak about cyberbullying with another online friend • It is important to be in the 20% that tells a parent or guardian as they have more experience in life and will know how to help and comfort you • Even though it might be frightening at first reaching out to an adult near you, it doesn’t have to be a parent or guardian but it can be your grandparents or favourite teacher, speak to however you are most comfortable is as long as you speak to someone

Videos on cyberbullying • These short 1-5 minute videos will inspire you to stop cyberbullying • If someone is cyberbullying you it may be worth a try to send them one of these videos to make them think about their actions as most people which cyberbully aren’t bad people but just aren’t aware of the effect they have on people • The final 15 minute video is made by a young girl and can provide a very person insight to how bullying is like and how to cope with it • Even if some of these videos are more specific to bullying rather than cyberbullying the two things are very similar. Just like you should ask your bully to stop you should do the same with your cyberbully

Videos on cyberbullying

6 – UK Government’s advice • Who to call and where to go • Getting offensive content taken down • Signs of cyberbullying • Parental controls

Who to call and where to go • The Uk government suggests this website specifically to inform yourself and protect yourself from cyberbullying https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-centre/parents-and-carers/safety-tools-social-networks-and-other-online-services • There is also another website which is the Italian equivalent. This useful website provides a very large amount of free resources and even a free help centre you can call. This can help you if you are not as confident speaking English as you are reading it and would prefer speaking to someone in Italian https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-centre/parents-and-carers/safety-tools-social-networks-and-other-online-services

Getting offensive content taken down • To get content removed the fastest way is to contact the social media platform directly, for example on Instagram you can report someone simply for posting a picture of you without consent, it doesn’t even need to be offensive • Before reaching out to the social media provider ensure you read their TOS to be certain of what other users can and cannot do • It is also a good habit to read social media’s tos before you start using them to ensure you are kept safe • The user will likely be banned or their account will be suspended stopping the cyberbullying, ensure cyberbullies cannot reach out to you on other platforms

Getting offensive content taken down • If the material of you that is being posted online like on a website you need to contact the police • By contacting the police instead of the website itself the content can be taken down a lot more quickly • Above that the police and cybersecurity department will have much more authority and might even be able to track down your cyberbully • The police and schools take cyberbullying very seriously, especially threats done online

Signs of cyberbullying • The uk government has put together signs that parent will see to find out if their child is being cyberbullied. This PowerPoint not only teaches victims to speak up to their parents but also teaches parents to recognize cyberbullying and speak to their children If they are too shy to reach out to them • These are the signs which are most common: • Being upset after using their phone or the internet • Not wanting to go to school • Low self esteem or difficulty sleeping • Unwilling to share their online activities

Parental controls • We suggest parents to not be too invasive in their children’s online behaviour and friends as that could be something private • However parental controls can help excessive use of social media or blocking social media that is considered dangerous and a common site of cyberbullying • You might even ask your parents to put on parental controls to help you • Parental controls can be set on the router or phone, parents can also blacklist or whitelist websites or social medias they find appropriate for their children • This website from the uk government provides personalised advice for different forms of social media, simply look it up to research information about it: • https://www.net-aware.org.uk/

7 - real life cyberbullying stories • Premise • Rachael neblett • Ryan halligan

premise • These real stories show the absolute worse actions cyberbullying has caused people to do, it’s purpose is to inform about the severity of cyberbullying and to persuade cyberbullying victims to speak up before their cyberbullying gets this bad • These stories also have the video to inform cyberbullies who may not realise the impact they have on people just how much weight words they type without thinking can carry • These stories may be uncomfortable to a younger audience and talk about the absolute worse of cyberbullying which is causing suicide, if you are part of this audience skip this section of the PowerPoint • If you are thinking of suicide IMMIDIETLY call a suicide hotline or someone trusted: • http://www.suicide.org/hotlines/international/italy-suicide-hotlines.html

Rachael neblett • Rachael neblett was a 17 year old student from Kentucky • In summer 2006 she started receiving threatening emails on her myspace account • Rachael reported the emails to the school principal which concluded they were coming from someone in the school • After receiving a very threatening message implying she would be killed she stopped going to school or seeing her friends • Shortly after receiving that message she took her own life • Her sister describes the loss as a “big, black hole” in her chest showing that suicide isn’t only a waste of our own precious life but it also hurts those around us and those who love us • Source: https://www.puresight.com/Real-Life-Stories/rachael-neblett.html

Ryan halligan • Ryan died at the very young age of 13 after being cyberbullied online by his own school peers • Ryan had been bullied since 5th grade by a boy who later started also cyberbullying him • The boy made up a story about ryan having allegedly done something that would’ve made him gay • Ryan’s father worked towards preventing cyberbullying and became a motivational speaker talking with young people • This stories shows the respect that needs to be given to the LGBTQ community as well as not using gay as a bad derogatory term, even if ryan were gay calling him “gay” is the wrong thing to do, people shouldn’t be labelled for what they are but respected for who they are • Source: https://www.puresight.com/Real-Life-Stories/rachael-neblett.html

8 - Cyberbully or Cybervictim • The vicious cycle • Messages sent with anger • The blurred line • conclusion

Vicious cycle • Being cyberbullied often causes the cybervictim to also become a cyberbully, the insecurities given to them by their cyberbully can be eased by also cyberbullying someone • The scary thing is this can happen almost subconsciously, however you still are the one in control who Is able to stop this • If you are being cyberbullied ask for comfort to the people around you instead of taking out your anger on someone else on the internet • Make it your objective to stop this cycle of hate that can start on the internet, if you feel the message you are sending is mean or resembles what your cyberbully has previously sent you delete it and send a kind message like a compliment

Messages sent with anger • Cybervictims report instances in which being cyberbullied and the want to have revenge led them to take actions similar to their cyberbullies that they can no longer undo • Instead of taking the matter into your own hands and threatening or confronting your cyberbully speak to an adult or you will become a cyberbully and be just as bad as them • Whenever you are feeling angry or sad carefully read the message before you send it is, is it mean? Can it be interpreted badly? Are you trying to hurt your cyberbully back?

The blurred line • Relating to the vicious cycle cyberbullying can cause it can also blur the line between being the cybervictim and being the cyberbully • Saying back what your cyberbully is telling you is also cyberbullying, you need to be careful to not become the bully yourself • This website gives these stories in greater detail and provides real life examples of people who might be in your situation and may have done things that they have regretted • https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/could-i-be-cyberbully

conclusion • In conclusion the main things you need to remember are • Speak to a guardian or parent or reach out to someone • Be aware on how to conduct safe and fun online social interaction • Do not give away any personal information especially that which shows your location • Do not share anything you’d be uncomfortable sharing with a stranger • Ask your parents what safe social platforms you should use • Have a healthy balance of online and real friends • Be aware a large amount of people online are the same as you, not everyone has bad intentions but also be aware that there are a minority of bad intentioned people

Bibliography – every website visited • These are all the domains of the websites I have visited in doing my research, for the purpose of shortening this list there is only the website domain rather than every single page of that website that was visited • www.kidshelpline.com.au • www.suicide.org • www.puresight.com • www.net-aware.org.uk • www.mirror.co.uk

Bibliography – every website visited • www.iplocation.net • www.generazioniconnesse.it • www.saferinternet.org.uk • https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/623895/Preventing_and_tackling_bullying_advice.pdf • www.youtube.com • www.stopbullying.gov

Bibliography – every website visited • www.staysafeonline.org • www.helpguide.org • https://rea.frederick.k12.va.us/UserFiles/Servers/Server_134842/File/ParentsandStudents/SchoolCounseling/reams_cyber_bullying_121216.pdf • www.siwm-cyberbullying.weebly.com

Cyberbullying and Online Safety