How to Respond to Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can be stopped if parents respond correctly.

Cyberbullying can take many forms and, as a parent, you may not be sure how best to respond. Nancy Willard of the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use advises you to contact the police if the cyberbullying involves threats, child pornography, hate crimes or stalking. In cases where there isn't such immediate danger, however, you can respond in ways that will help bring the cyberbullying to a decisive end.

Instructions

1. Instruct your child not to respond to the cyberbullying behavior. By engaging the cyberbully, your child may inadvertently escalate the bullying behavior.

2. Save all communications from the cyberbully. Because of the anonymity of the Internet, it can be difficult to prove who is responsible for cyberbullying behavior. Even if the messages and images don't seem to constitute criminal behavior, everything the cyberbully sends can help prove identity if the bullying escalates and the police become involved.

3. Check the Terms of Service for the Internet service providers, websites, cell phone plans, messaging systems and other online platforms the cyberbully is using to transmit offensive or threatening communications. If the cyberbully has clearly violated these policies, the providers may put a stop to the behavior.

4. Contact the cyberbully's parents. They may not be aware that their child is engaged in this behavior and could correct it themselves.

5. Contact the school if you suspect the cyberbully is using the school district's Internet resources to transmit offending messages. If so, the school could be held liable and will have cause to take action.

Tips & Warnings

• Assure your child that she is not to blame for the cyberbully's behavior.

References

• CSRUI: Educator's Guide to Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats
• Stop Bullying Now: Cyberbullying