Cyberbullying

One of the most challenging and negative aspects of social media is The use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.cyberbullying. Unfortunately some people can be unkind, rude, disrespectful and deliberately disruptive. If you are on the receiving end, it can be extremely upsetting and in some cases devastating.

What if someone I know isbeing bulliedon Social Media

Look out for the warning signs of Posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community with the purpose of provoking an emotional response or disrupting the normal on-topic discussion.trolling and The use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.cyberbullying so you can help yourself, your friends and family if you spot bad behaviour. If someone who is being bullied asks you to help them, reassure them that you are there to support them so they do not feel alone. It's also really important to help them document what is happening and report it.

These guidelines will help you if someone tries to bully you or anyone close to you.

• Don’t keep it a secret

  If your friend needs additional support, encourage them to reach out to someone they trust to talk about the situation. If you’re worried about your friend’s safety, tell someone immediately.

• Reassure your friend they are not ALONE

  Let your friend know that you want to help them handle this. Bullying can happen to anyone. It's easy to worry that somehow you are to blame if someone starts being mean, so it is important to share anxieties with people you trust.

• Look after YOURSELF so you can do a good job of looking after those you care about

  It's the oxygen mask principle – if you were in an aeroplane in an emergency situation, the oxygen masks would come down from the ceiling. It would be important to put your own oxygen mask on before you help anyone else. It's the same thing supporting friends or family on social networks, make sure you are safe and model good behaviours online so that you can better help those around you.

• Offer SUPPORt

  Ask your friend what you can do to support them, but don’t speak for your friend unless they ask you to.

• Inform AUTHORITIES

  If you are worried anyone is in immediate danger, make sure you report what is happening to someone in authority.

• FIND a way to avoid conflict

  Try to help your friend avoid Make or become more intense or serious.escalating the situation or acting aggressively. Sometimes it is better to defuse a situation by choosing not to react or engage. Bullies are often just looking for a reaction, so not giving them one may discourage them. It is wise to avoid conflict online, and ensure you never post anything while feeling angry or emotionally fragile.

• END the connection

  Remember whoever is being bullied can unfriend or block someone on social media if they are being unkind or aggressive. They might still try to tag you in their posts, but you have broken the direct link so they cannot directly message into your inbox.

Let’s consider some key words from the tips above. Observing the first letter of each of these words in the list below, rearrange the order of the words to create an acronym to help you to remember how you can help yourself or others in a The use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.cyberbullying situation.

Tip: Think about protecting your safety, or staying safe.

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