Cyberbullying

Cyberbulling is a growing problem. Here is advice on how to deal with it.

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Online safety

Children spend so much of their time online. It’s important they can socialise and explore the internet. The online world has so much to offer. Here’s some advice to help keep your child safe from cyberbullying or exploitation.

It is vital to have a conversation with your child about how they use their time online. It is also useful for you to keep up to date on the latest technology, sites and communication tools.

What’s the attraction of the Net for Children? If you know why they enjoy going online, you can share their fun. And it’ll be easier to keep them safe.

They use the internet to:

  • Search for information for school assignments using search engines.
  • Chat with friends on Facebook
  • Get followers on Twitter
  • Write or reply to messages on forums
  • Play games online with others through apps
  • Chat with other people on WhatsApp
  • Use Instagram and Pinterest to post pictures
  • Watch videos on YouTube and Vine

If you check out these sites for yourself, you will experience what your child does when they are online. That way you can talk to them about their online world and bring up the subjecto f cyberbullying.

 

 

cyberbullying

Online Blackmail

Blackmailing children online destroys lives. Forcing them to suffer humiliation. The torment of online blackmail suffered alone leads to despair. Together, we can fight that.

Online blackmail is a new form of cyberbullying. A typical case is when someone encourages a child to put sensitive material (such as a naked picture) on the internet. The perpetrator then demands money to remove it. This type of bullying has driven young people to take their own lives. 

When the bully uses online blackmail as a tactic, children feel there is no way out of their predicament. Humiliated, the victim then has to extract money out of their parent to get them out of the situation. Deeply distressing and traumatising, online blackmail is a serious crime.

`Blackmail, which involves extortion, is when the offender threatens to reveal information about a victim or his family members that is potentially embarrassing, socially damaging, or incriminating unless a demand for money, property, or services is met.’

Online blackmail is one of the most serious forms of cyberbullying, but lighter forms of it are difficult to pinpoint.

Anonymity online is a fact of its use and is necessary to protect privacy in the electronic realm. However, AAB believes we should make an example of online blackmail when we see it. We must stop this harmful practice. The penalty for blackmail in the UK can be up to 14 years in prison.

Tips to help keep children safe on the internet and social networks:

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Online dangers.

Children may:

  • Make friends online with someone who is not who they say they are.
  • Come across pornography and other inappropriate content which can make them feel anxious.
  • Give out personal information about themselves or your family to be used by criminals.

Most social networks, gaming sites and browsers have parental controls. These can filter or monitor what your child can see. However, today most children have their own phones and internet access. Therefore, talking to them about the internet is one of the best ways to keep them safe.

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6 Ways to help beat cyberbullying

Stopping your children from using the internet or mobile phones for fear of the dangers won’t keep them safe in the long run.

  • Have the conversation early and often
  • Explore online together
  • Know who your child is talking to online
  • Set rules and agree boundaries
  • Make sure that content is age-appropriate
  • Use parental controls to filter, restrict, monitor or report content
  • Check they know how to use privacy settings and reporting tools

Where else can you go for help?

You can phone the National Bullying Helpline 

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