What is Cyber Bullying and How to prevent it successfully?

As rightly said by Bill Gates - “The internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow”.

In the current digital age where the internet is becoming the prime option for communication and interaction, it also has some serious concerns in the form of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying refers to harassing or intimidating via the use of digital platforms such as social media, messages, websites, or other online tools. On the said platforms, bullying can take place in the form of threatening messages, rumors, spreading lies, and more and can reach the masses in no time which makes cyberbullying a big concern. 💻

The types of cyberbullying extend from harassment, impersonation, outing, doxing, exclusion, and cand cyberstalking to flaming. The anonymity of digital platforms provides the ease for individuals to engage in bullying. 🔥

Impact of Cyber Bullying

The consequences of cyberbullying can be profound, the emotional and psychological impacts are huge on the victim. Depression, Anxiety, Low self-esteem, Social withdrawal, and Suicidal thoughts are some serious outcomes of cyberbullying. The effects are prominent on all stages including children to adults to aged individuals. 🤝

Considering the ill effects, it is advisable to take certain precautionary measures to prevent cyberbullying. The below pointers can help prevent the same:

1. Privacy Setting: - On your social media platforms set the accounts to private. Limiting the audience to see your content is the first step to prevention.

2. Think before you post: - Being mindful of sharing content on the internet is very important as it stays and travels everywhere.

3. Block and Report: - If someone is bullying you online, immediately block that person or account on an immediate basis. Reporting the bullying via a proper mechanism of the laid platform is very important to stop the bullying further.

4. Educate and raise awareness: - Creating awareness and learning the ways of prevention helps to prevent you from being the victim. The tutorials on settings, reporting, and other measures are available easily. One should learn and understand everything before using online platforms to be safe from bullying to a large extent.

5. Document the bullying: - Save the evidence of bullying, it could be a message, post, or picture. It can be very useful for reporting and resolving the issue further.

6. Avoid Retaliation: - Bullying back can verse the situation. Don’t take an impulsive call if you are facing any kind of bullying. Stay calm and report the incident via the proper channel.

7. Use anti-bullying tools: - Some apps and websites offer tools to help prevent or report bullying such as parenting locks or monitoring apps.

Some measures can also be taken at the Organization/ Institute level to prevent Cyber Bullying:-

1. Develop Clear Policies: - Organizations or Institutions should create detailed policies including the consequences of bullying online or in person. Communication the same with gravity to employees, students, or stakeholders and taking strict action against the found case build a strong anti-bullying foundation. 📝

2. Encourage open communication: - Open communication and proper mechanisms to share bullying information should be a part of the system. Ease to reach out for report helps prevent the same at an early stage. 📣

3. Offer support service: - Counselling, offering emotional support and sharing platforms should be available for victims as they need support and care to cope with the situation. 🙌

As we understand that cyberbullying is a significant issue in today’s world, properly addressing the same is the need of the hour. By taking precautionary steps, one can create a shield around and ensure prevention from bullying. By remaining vigilant and proactive, a safer, secure, and healthy platform for communication and sharing can be created. 🌎

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