Cyberbullying: what should I do?

If you are being bullied:
• speak to someone else about what’s going on – whether that’s a parent, sibling, friend or teacher. It is best to tell another adult, but if you’re not comfortable, start with a friend.
• block communication with the cyberbully – delete messages without reading them or block them as a ‘friend’ on social networking sites. In Facebook, you can block people using the “block people” box on the My Privacy page. You can also control how much people see about you by setting up a “Limited Profile”.
• If it is Facebook, you can use the “report” link. You can also report the problem to an internet service provider or website moderator
• It is always possible to close an online account, with whoever it is.
• If you’re getting bullied over the phone, BT recommend that you stay calm and try not to show emotion.

If you are worried your child is being bullied:
• It’s a good idea to speak to the child to see if they have any anxieties or concerns. Try that first. Ask what sites they visit, who they talk to when they go there and what they do.
• Filtering software can help keep younger children away from worrying content or areas. Your internet service provider will almost certainly have some that is free for all of their customers
• Try and avoid “taking the internet away” or removing a child’s mobile phone. We need to learn how to use these things, not abandon them.

For more information, go to the following websites:
cybermentors.org.uk
beatbullying.org
thinkuknow.co.ukdiana-award.org.uk
parentport.org.uk

Eleven-year-old Challis was a victim of cyberbulling - read how she was helped