Do you have any idea about this cyberbullying? Cyberbullying is a crime that is done through digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. This is a widely spread criminal these days so read this article to know what is cyberbullying, the role of social media in cyberbullying, and more!
Cyberbullying causes mental health issues such as depression and anxiety for both the victim and perpetrator. So, if you are a social media addict or a teenager, it is essential to know about these criminals. It can come in difficult forms such as texting sarcastic messages, sending threatening emails, forwarding personal pictures or messages, or posting on social media forums, and can become just as serious as traditional bullying. If you are a victim, a normal user, a social media addict, or a teenager, read this article!
A brief explanation for cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is ignorant behavior that is actioned repeatedly, usually by someone in a position of power over the victim, be it physical, social, or psychological, in an effort to cause harm through digital devices. Then, cyberbullying normally takes the form of repeated offensive, threatening, humiliating, or otherwise harmful interactions. This cyberbullying is widely spread among teenagers and youngsters worldwide. So, if you are a teenager or younger, always be careful about these cyber attacks.
The most important places you need to know where cyberbullying starts are:
- The most popular social Media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok
- Text messaging and messaging apps like WhatsApp, Imo, Viber
- Quick messaging, direct messaging, and online chatting online
- Using online forums, chat rooms, and message boards such as using Reddit app
- Online gaming communities
Examples of this cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is simply imperious with the use of digital technologies. It happens a lot in media, messaging platforms, gaming platforms, and mobile phones. Cybercriminals always aim at scaring, angering, or shaming those who have targeted victims. Examples include:
- Always spread lies about or post messing private photos or videos of someone on social media
- Sending hurtful, rude, or threatening messages, images, or videos via messaging apps or platforms
- Limit people and send mean messages to others on their behalf or via fake accounts
The role of social media in cyberbullying
If you are a teenager, young people, or adults that are more familiarized with and addicted to spending a day on social media, the opportunity to cyberbully grows. Social media platforms are always free and open to sharing thoughts can become a very damaging environment for cyberbullying victims. Where spread threats, aggressive, demotivating, or offensive comments or messages, or edited videos or images, can be created and shared outside of the victim’s control before they have a chance to respond.
People can hide online bullying from their friends and family in real life if the issue is addressed. Furthermore increasing have feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety. The victims may not be able to open up about their problems due to a lack of recognition and support, which can cause unstable mental health. So, online bullying can be a course of mental health and suicide among most teenagers. Always be careful to use social media for good things and use social media carefully!
Key effects of this cyber criminals or cyberbullying
Cyberbullying can have increasing negative effects on both the victim and the bully. And it courses easily down both your mental health and physical health. The negative effects can easily expand with the frequency, duration and severity of cyberbullying. These victims are at increased risk for depression, anxiety, and externalized negative behaviors, as well as an increased risk for suicide. Furthermore, they can easily turn to crime. These are the key effects of these cybercriminals. So, always protect your children from these criminals and cyberbullies.
Research these websites to learn more about cyberbullying:
- Cyberbullying Research Center
- Nemours Kids Health
- StopBullying.gov
How can parents help to decrease this cyberbullying?
Parents should be careful about their children! Due to many reasons, many children choose not to inform adults about cyberbullying. According to the “Cyberbullying Research Center”, a child may be the victim of cyberbullying if certain behaviors are displayed, including:
- Always being nervous, fearful, sad, or angry during or right after being online
- Staying away from family members and friends
- Losing interest in previously enjoyed activities.
- Stay away from daily work and entertaining things
So, always clarify these changes in your children and parents approach these conversations calmly and with an open mind to get to the bottom of why a child catches up with bullying. For many reasons, children may not realize the harm this cyberbullying can cause!
Always use social media for good things!
With the wide spread of social media and digital platforms, comments, photos, posts, and content shared by individuals can easily be viewed by strangers as well as familiarity. If you share any content with individuals both your personal content as well as any negative, mean, or hurtful content creates a kind of image of your views, activities, and behavior.
So, always use social media to widen your creative mind, reach your business success, promote your business, create a large audience, and do other good things! Using social media, you can get these advantages:
- You can publish your thoughts online easily
- Social media is a free source to widen your knowledge
- You can make social contacts
- It lets you to the truth to get out
- Social media is a great communication tool for you
- It is a better platform for self-development
- It can be educational
- You can increase your business success through social media
- You can improve your career opportunities
- You can touch with the world daily
- It supports and encourages creativity
- It entertains your life
- You can easily earn money with social media
- It can help disarm the social stigma
- It stores unprecedented amounts of historical information
Final thought
Cyberbullying is public, and pervasive, and provides anonymity not observed with traditional bullying. There is no need to have a negative mind about social media in this situation. You can use social media to do good things! Then, you can protect your privacy and decrease cybercrimes.