What is bullying?

Bullying is a type of behaviour that can threaten or harm other person. People, who do that, usually mock someone who is weaker or who is a loner, they repeat their actions again and again.

Bullying can be of different forms:

Physical harm, for example, beating, pushing and so on.

Emotional harm, for example, mockery of other person’s behaviour, appearance, way of speech. Writing of offensive things in e-mail or on-line journals (blogs) is also considered kind of bullying.

Girls are more prone to emotional bullying. Boys usually use emotional and physical bullying. Since this is the essay on cyber bullying, we will talk more about this particular form of bullying.

Boys as well as girls participate in cyber bullying, namely bullying via Internet. It means that high technologies are used to send offensive messages and images, or to spread gossip. Emotional bullying does not leave bruises, but its harm is equally big and serious.

If you know that someone is threatened or someone threatens other person, it is important to stop bullying.

Why is it important to stop bullying?

Bullying is an extremely serious problem for everyone who participates in it. Person, who is bullied, constantly feels bad and depressed. If it is a child, he or she usually does not want or is afraid to go to school. Sometimes they take extreme measures, for example, take weapon to school or use cruel methods to revenge. It may lead to tragic results.

Internet or cyber bullying

Internet gives new possibilities for offensive behaviour. People can publish online gossip, photos or other kind of personal information, or send malicious messages anonymously or on behalf of others. Modern cell phones open new possibilities not only for entertainment, but also for misuse. Bullying at school usually finishes after classes, but in Internet an offender can get his victim at any time. Besides, such offenders have a list of users, whom they can bully in Internet. If a child likes to communicate via Internet, such risks should be discussed beforehand. Also you should give an advice how to act if someone starts to disturb the child.

It is very important to discuss such possible situations, because cyber bullying usually happens when adults are absent. Also children often think that they can make the situation worse if they tell their parents about bullying. Anonymity and little possibility to be punished lead to the fact that people start doing something they usually do not do in other circumstances (for example, they can say someone something that they can not say in personal communication). Internet bullying is quite simple, because to threaten someone all you need is a couple of clicks.

Here is useful advice for you: even if your child does not face insults on the Internet, it is recommended to discuss with him / her the following issues:

- do not share contact or personal information , for example, photos, without thorough thinking of possible consequences. Internet friendship may come to its end. When it happens personal information may be sent to offenders.

- every person has right to be respected on Internet.

- chat, e-mail client or computer can be shut down or switched off at any time.

- children should have an opportunity to talk to their parents about negative experience.

Remember that regulations and laws that work in real life work equally on Internet. It is forbidden to offend or slander other users on Internet. Also remember that anonymous users can be found. Nevertheless, police will not take any measures if there is no reason to suspect someone in a crime.

If a child receives threatening messages via e-mail or cell phone, tell the chills that there is no need to open such messages or messages from absolutely strange people. The child should not answer such messages. However, it is better to keep these messages in case if other person gets in the same situation. If you discover that offender goes to the same school with your child, contact the school administration. If bullying does not stop, you can change e-mail address or child’s phone number.

If you discover that someone publishes on the Internet offensive texts about the child or his / hers photos, you should do the following: save all the pages where you have seen the published material for further actions; contact the administration of a website and ask to remove offensive information or ask to tell you who publishes it; if an offence is very serious it is considered a crime, and you should contact the police.

Personal information and photos of the children on the Internet

On many websites users are asked to give their personal information. Commercial organizations can collect contact information about children or teenagers for marketing purpose, but before fulfillment of marketing activity they should get the agreement on the legal basis.

Nevertheless, administrators of the websites can not always keep the confidentiality of personal information, even when this information is protected by the Data Protection Act. Teach your children to be careful when they share personal information.

In this case a good advice is to give only the necessary information. As a rule, it is needed to give a small amount of obligatory information. Also, do not keep personal information in a browser. It is not recommended to keep your personal information or passwords in an Internet browser or other programs, which are connected to the Internet.

Publication of children's photos and personal information

Today it is easy and quickly to publish photos on the Internet. If a photo is published it is difficult to prevent its spread, change or use in different contexts. The photo can be copied and its absolute removal is almost impossible. So think twice before publishing your personal information with photo. If you want to publish a photo of other person, you should get his / hers agreement.

Remember that you should not give your personal information if you do not know the person who asks it and the purpose of using this information.

Information about protection against bullying on the Internet for teens

Here are some useful tips how to protect yourself from cyber bullying.

Do not react. If someone tries to threaten you, remember that hooligans wait for your response. Do not encourage them.

Do not revenge. Taking revenge you act as a hooligan. Put an end to the scandals.

Keep proof. Keep even small proofs so that you can show them to someone who can help you.

Block the bully. It may not solve the problem, but at least you will not receive offensive messages. Sometimes when the bully does not get response, he loses interest and stop bullying.

Ask for a help. You have the right for support. Talk to your friends or an adult whom you can trust. It is better to involve your parents or school psychologist. If you are ashamed to speak about something, you can make a complaint anonymously.

Be polite. Even if you do not like someone, you should always be polite and do not behave as your offender.

Do not become bully. Put yourself in the place of other person. Just imagine for a moment what other person feels and you can stop being angry or irritated.

Do not stay aside. Try to make the bully realize that his / hers actions are wrong and offensive, try to convince him / her that there is nothing good in a mocking attitude toward others. If you can not stop the bully, at least try to help the victim and report about bullying.

Now, having read this cyber bullying essay, you know more about this phenomenon, its causes and consequences. You are also aware of what to do to prevent cyber bullying or to stop it. More useful essay on various topics you can find on our website Puressay.com. The team of highly professional writers is always ready to give you a hand in essay writing. Contact us and you will not be sorry!