Cyberbullying

1. Cyberbullying What Every Person Needs to Know about Cyber-bullying

2. What is Cyberbullying? Cyber-bullying is being cruel to others by sending or posting harmful material or engaging in other forms of social aggression using the Internet or other digital technologies, such as cell phones and iPads.

3. Different forms of Cyberbullying • Flaming: Online fights using electronic messages with angry and/or vulgar language. • Harassment: Repeatedly sending nasty, mean and insulting messages. • Denigration: “Dissing” someone online. Sending or posting gossip or rumors about a person to damage his or her reputation or friendships. • Impersonation: Pretending to be someone else and sending or posting material to get that person in trouble or danger, or to damage that person’s reputation or friendships.

4. Different forms of Cyberbullying, continued • Outing: Posting or sharing someone’s secrets or embarrassing information or images online. • Trickery: Talking someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing information and then sharing it online. • Exclusion: Intentionally and cruelly excluding someone from an online group. • Cyberstalking: Repeated, intense harassment and denigration that includes threats or creates significant fear.

5. When does Cyberbullying occur? • At home • On the computer • Via cell phone • Via iPad • Other electronic devices • At school: • On the computer • Via cell phone • Via iPad • Other electronic devices

6. Who is a Cyberbully? • A person the victim knows • An online stranger • Anonymous • Others who do not know victim, but were asked to participate in online bullying and harassment

7. Your student or child may be a victim of Cyberbullying if… • He/She unexpectedly stops using the computer • Appears nervous or jumpy when an instant message, text message, or email appears • Appears uneasy about going to school or outside • Appears to be angry, depressed, or frustrated after using the computer • Avoids discussions about what they are doing on the computer • Becomes abnormally withdrawn from usual friends and family members

8. Your student or child may be Cyberbullying others if… • He/she quickly switches screens or closes programs when you walk by • Uses the computer at all hours of the night • Gets unusually upset if he/she is restricted from computer use • Laughs excessively while using the computer • Avoids discussions about what they are doing online • Uses multiple online accounts, or uses an account that is not their own

9. What can teachers and parents do? • Ensure that your child feels (and is) safe • Convey unconditional support • Work with your student or child to develop a plan to end the bullying and to ensure that the bullying does not continue • Contact school officials, particularly Guidance, to make sure that the bullying is not occurring at in other classrooms/areas of school • Work with parent(s) of offender • Work with Internet and Cellphone providers to obtain and/or remove harmful material

10. What else can parents do to prevent Cyberbullying? • Educate your children about appropriate online behavior • Utilize an “Internet Use Contract” and a “Cell Phone Use Contract” that fosters a clear understanding of what is and is not acceptable while using technology • Monitor your child’s online activities • Review your child’s text messages and posts on social media websites • Rationally discuss with your child any concerns that you may have after observing his/her online behavior

11. Resources • Cyberbullying Research Center, www.cyberbullying.us