Cyber Bullying And Online Safety

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 What is cyber bullying? It is the use of technology to intimidate, harrass, or threaten someone through the social media, messaging apps, or online gaming platforms. The proliferation of social media and online communication has brought countless benefits to mankind, but it has also given birth to a new and insidious form of bullying called "Cyber bullying". Find some types of cyber bullyings here:

1. Harassment: 

Cyber bullying can come in the form of repeatedly sending threatening or mean messages to an innocent person online. 

2. Exclusion: 

It can come in the form of intentionally leaving or excluding someone out of online groups or activities beneficial to the person.

3. Impersonation:

Cyber bullying can take the criminal form of creating fake accounts or pretending to be someone else which the impersonator is not, with the intent to hack another person's account, or perpetrate another evil against the unsuspecting victim.

4. Flaming:

This aspect of cyber bullying engages in online fights or arguments.

5. Cyberstalking:

It means repeatedly sending unwanted messages or threats to someone online. 

Some online safety tips for children are:

1. Do not share your address, phone number, or other vital personal details online because you do not know who is who.

2. Choose a unique hard-to-guess password for your online accounts.(Please, I did not say that your password should be too long and complex such that you cannot always remember it.)

4. Children should be cautious with links and downloads. Do not click any link or download anything you are not sure of. If you do, you may end up exposing your private information to the online predators and wolves. If any person or source is constantly urging you to click or download any link, do not do it!

5. Use built-in system features to block or report cyber bullies and suspected account hackers.

6. Report any online incident or concern to your parent or experienced online user. Do not keep silent until online predators lure you into problems, or you get to the point of contemplating suicide due to their harrassments and threats! Do not die in the hands of worthless fools!

What can parents, caregivers, educators, and teachers do to safequard children from cyber bullying and online predators? 

1. They should set boundaries and rules. Establish guidelines for online behaviours and monitor all activities.

2. Regularly discuss online safety and cyber bullying with your children and wards.

3. Monitor online activities which your children engage in. Use parental control softwares to track online behaviours.

4. Encourage empathy and kindness. Teach your children and wards to treat others with kindness and respect online.

5. Stay up-to-date with the latest online safety trends and concern.

Cyber bullying has far-reaching and devastating effects on individuals, communities, and the global society as a whole. The impacts of cyber bullying include:

1. Cyber bullying can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

2. It causes low self-esteem. Constant online harassments can erode a person's self-confidence and self-worth.

3. In some cases, cyber bullying can drive its victim to contemplate or attempt suicide, or even death. There are cases where cyber bullied individuals or victims committed suicide.

4. Cyber bullying can lead to social exclusion, making it difficult for victims to form and maintain lasting relationships.

5. It strains family relationships. It does not only affect the victims but their family members as well, causing emotional distress and strained relationships.

6. Victims of cyber bullying may struggle to form healthy relationships in the future due to the loss of trust, emotional scars and stigmas.

7. Cyber bullying can cause disrupted sleep patterns, thereby leading to fatigue, insomnia, decreased concentration and absorptive capacity, and other physical health problems.

8. In some cases, cyber bullying can escalate into physical violence, resulting in injuries, or even death.

Cyber bullying led to the tragic deaths of the following persons:

1. Amanda Todd (Canada): In 2012, a 15-year-old Amanda Todd took her own life after she was cyber bullied and blackmailed by an online predator and murderer.

2. Tyler Clementi ( USA): In 2010, an 18-year-old Tyler Clementi committed suicide by jumping from George Washington Bridge after his room mate had secretly recorded and broadcast his intimate encounter with another man online.

3. Phoebe Prince (USA): In 2010, a 15-year-old Phoebe Prince took her own life after being subjected to relentless cyber bullying and harassment by her classmates.

4. Ryan Halligan (USA): In 2003, a 13-year-old Ryan Halligan committed suicide after being cyber bullied by his classmates who sent him threatening and harrassing messages online. 

International agencies have shown much concern to the surging spate of cyber bullying which is buffeting the world. Hence, they have taken bold steps to address the issues of cyber bullying in schools across the world. The UNESCO has declared the First Thursday of November of every year as the International Day against Violence and Bullying at School, including cyber bullying. This initiative aims to raise awareness on  the issue of cyber bullying and promoting safe and inclusive learning environments. The UNESCO also provides resources and guidance for educators, parents, caregivers, and students, to prevent cyber bullying and to always respond promptly to it. The UNICEF has launched a massive campaign to prevent cyber bullying, providing tips and resources for children, parents, caregivers, and educators. The organization emphasizes the importance of reporting cyber bullying incidents and seeking help from trusted adults. The UNICEF also collaborates with social media platforms to promote online safety and prevent bullying. Not only that, international agencies are working with social media companies such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok to prevent cyber bullying. These platforms have implemented measures such as reporting tools, blocking features, and community guidelines to address online harassments. 

The international agencies are also focusing on creating awareness on cyber bullying, and promoting education on online safety and digital citizenship. What is digital citizenship? It means behaving well and respectfully when communicating with anyone online. What do we gain from harrassing, threatening, and exposing another person's private life or information to the whole world? What is our gain for indirectly killing and maiming fellow human beings through cyber bullying? By proactive collaborations, international agencies aim to create a safer and more supportive online environments for children and adolescents across the world. The European Union has implemented regulations and laws to counter online harrassments, including the European Union's Code of Conduct on Countering Illegal Hate Speech Online. In a bid to drastically reduce the rising spate of cyber bullying, some Europeans Union Member-States have amended existing legislations to include cyber bullying and online harassments, while others have launched national campaigns to raise awareness on cyber bullying with the intent to prevent it. The European Union agency providing knowledge to assist in the development of better social, employment, and work-related policies has published reports on workplace bullying, harassments, and cyber bullying. The US Government is not left out in the fight against cyber bullying. The US Government supports organizations such as the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, which operates the Cyber Tipline, an online reporting system for online child sexual abuse cases. The US Government has also enacted laws to address cyber bullying such as the proposed Online Safety Bill, which aims to improve internet safety. In addition to that, the US Government has launched an awareness creation campaign to educate the unsuspecting public on the dangers of cyber bullying and online harassments, and threats. 

In summary, the fight against cyber bullying requires a collective efforts from parents, caregivers, educators, teachers, policymakers, and the young people themselves, to create a proactive culture of kindness, respect, and inclusivity online. Children, teenagers, and adolescents should also desist from the unwholesome attitudes of committing suicide due to the harassments, threats, and insults from cyber bullies and online vampires!

Please, kindly share this post with your friends and loved ones. You may save lives hanging in the balance of death by sharing this post. Thank you very much.

 

 




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