How to Stop Cyberbullying
As wonderful as it can be, the Internet also facilitates anonymous forms of electronic aggression. Cyberbullies can send nasty messages to email accounts, post ugly remarks in forums, and otherwise make life miserable for their chosen targets. Though cyberbullying remains prevalent among children, many adults also engage in such behavior: trusting the facelessness of the Net to hide their tracks. Dealing with cyberbullies isn't easy, but it can be done--and may be necessary if you want to enjoy your web-surfing in peace.
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Instructions
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Stay calm. Cyberbullies thrive on the reactions they provoke, and responding with anger will only encourage them. If you can refrain from responding, do so. If you have to respond, respond with logic and reasonable arguments and wait 24 hours before doing so. You'll be in a better frame of mind when you do.
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Report the instance of cyberbullying to the web server. Most forums have strict rules about content, and while you shouldn't go running to them just because someone adopts a strident tone, you're perfectly entitled to complain if someone has crossed a line. Pay particular attention to physical threats or references to any kind of illegal activity; they merit reporting immediately. If you're a student and you believe your cyberbully comes from your school, report the incident to your parents or a school counselor.
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Practice basic protective measures. Cyberbullies can cause untold amounts of damage by accessing your email accounts and similar personal information. If you think a bully has hacked your accounts, change your passwords or close the account. Never give out personal information such as addresses or phone numbers over the Internet.
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Ban the bully from your personal account. Most email and social networking services allow you to mark email coming from certain addresses as spam, or even refuse to accept them entirely. It's a relatively easy way to get the bully out of your life.
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Take note of others who may be targeted by the same cyberbully. There's strength in numbers and if you can show the same person acting rudely towards other people, you can make a better case for having him banned. People being bullied appreciate knowing that someone is on their side; by supporting the victim, you can help them resolve the incident properly, rather than lashing out and making things worse.
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Print out any correspondence from a cyberbully. If you need to make a significant case, a paper trail provides tangible evidence for your side.
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Tips & Warnings
If your child is being cyberbullied, don't simply restrict access to the Net. It punishes the victim and rarely solves the problem. Instead, talk to your child about the incident, and offer to help her resolve it. Your child should know he can come to you whenever there is a problem.
