HOW TO AVOID CYBERBULLYING TIP 1
Never post your personal information online
This includes your name, address, phone number, school name,
passwords, name of any team you play sports with, and any other
information that would be used to try and contact you offline. This
rule applies also to the personal information of others. You do not have the right to post someone else´s personal information. It is considered a criminal offence if you do.
Personal information also includes photographs. If you post pictures of
yourself, make sure your photo is absolutely secure and can only be
viewed by people you know or choose to be a friend online. Before
posting photos of someone else it is best to ask their permission
first.
HOW TO AVOID CYBERBULLYING TIP 2
Always check the TO: field.
Make sure that you are sending the message you are sending to
the right person. Double check the spelling and make sure that you add
your friend to your contact list of your email service or program. Many
mailbox servers block out spam and your message may get caught up in the
junk. So, before you get offended that your friend hasn´t responded,
double check that they have received it in the first place. Some kids
may get angry without a response, jump to the gun and send a hurtful
message that is not warranted.
Also, check that your friend´s email address is personal. Many
families share the same email address, so it may be embarrassing if your
friend´s mother or older sibling read a private message you intended
for your friend´s eyes only. If they do share an email always watch your
language and edit what you have to say.
HOW TO AVOID CYBERBULLYING TIP 3
Don´t be gullible - don´t believe everything you read.
Just because someone posts online that they are 13 years old,
doesn´t mean that they actually are. Or that a girl is really a girl, or
a child is really a child. The problem with internet is that anyone can
hide behind a computer, so you can never be sure who you are communicating with. We tell our own children never to accept any online friends that they have never met in person.
HOW TO AVOID CYBERBULLYING TIP 4
Do not respond to an angry message with anger.
It is best to step away from the computer and cool down. Think
before you send a message. Spontaneous and emotional messages can turn
out to be offensive and hurtful. More times that not, you will regret an
angry message you may have sent. Sending angry messages, which threaten
or harass another makes you a cyberbully.
If you are sent a hateful message from a cyberbully resist the urge to respond.
A reaction is exactly what a cyberbully is looking for. He relishes in
the feeling of power and control through fear and anxiety placed on
their victim. You will show more power by ignoring them than by
reacting.
HOW TO AVOID CYBERBULLYING TIP 5
Never open messages from strangers.
Your mother always said, Don´t talk to strangers on the
street. Well, the same applies to online communication. If you do not
know who the sender is, delete the message immediately, no matter
how curious you are. Not only can it be hate mail, but often times
virus´ are sent this way. Keep your computer safe and ignore strangers.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your parents or an adult.
HOW TO AVOID CYBERBULLYING TIP 6
Do not send chain mail, hoaxes, or long-winded emails.
Although everyone likes to get fun emails, not everyone has the time or patience for them. Ask before you send jokes or long emails.
Chain emails clog up email servers and can even scare younger kids.
Some cyber stalkers use chain mail to find new victims to prey on, so
delete any that you receive. Hoax emails can also unnecessarily scare
others with information that is simply not true and contain legends,
rumors and myths. This kind of email can offend some people who may not
react so kindly to your message.
HOW TO AVOID CYBERBULLYING TIP 7
Use the BCC: field when forwarding messages.
If you decide to forward a message to more than one friend, use
the BCC (Blind Copy) to list your email recipients. This way the
receiver does not have to scroll through a long list of email addresses.
This also serves as a security feature. Spammers can get a hold
of email addresses this way and use them to send more spam to people who
are not really friends. Keep your email address, and others´, private
and use the BCC: field (not the TO: field) when forwarding messages to more than one person.
HOW TO AVOID CYBERBULLYING TIP 8
Proofread your messages.
Because there is no tone of voice in text messages, people may interpret things differently from what you intended. Try to avoid shorthand or acronyms.
Read your message again and if there needs to be some explanation then
add an emoticon or word it differently so that your message comes across
as you want it to. Feelings may be hurt and backlashes taken if you are
misinterpreted. If you accidently hurt someones feelings, immediately apologize and explain. It will save someone from turning into a cyberbully.
HOW TO AVOID CYBERBULLYING TIP 9
Beware of certain topics.
We all have opinions on all subjects, but there are certain
topics that we need to be more aware of when giving our opinion. Keep in
mind that internet is global and includes a mix of cultures,
genders and ages. What is ok to say or talk about in the US may not be
in China, Australia or Poland. Try and be respectful to others when discussing controversial topics such as religion, politics, gender, or war.
People can get very emotional about them and, as mentioned before,
emotions and internet do not mix. It is ok to have an opinion, but keep
in mind the point of views of others. And never intentionally try to
hurt someone online to try and get your point across. It simply will not
work and can turn into something dangerous.
HOW TO AVOID CYBERBULLYING TIP 10
Don´t post or mail anything that is very private.
If you have something really private to share, it is best to talk to the person face to face or on the phone.
Messages can be misled or sent to the wrong person unintentionally and
then be used by cyberbullies to harass you. If you are not willing for
others to see it or read it, then don´t post it. Courts allow others to
read your e-mails under special circumstances and recruiters often Google their applicants to see what kind of a person they may hire. Finding a party girl online may cost you a possible job opportunity.
What goes online usually stays online, so it is best to Google yourself from time to time
to see what pops up. If there is anything that could damage your
reputation or lure a cyberbully or possibly even a pedophile, then start
taking action to remove it.
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