Cyberbullying

Music: Touch Your Soul by Alex Stoner (cc)

Images: Powtoon stock images

Script:

Cyberbullying.

‘Is when people use technology to bully others. Its when someone says or does something to make you feel sad or scared using a phone or the internet.’ Kidshelpline (2018).

What does cyberbullying look like? (eSafety, n.d., Bullying. No Way!, 2019).

• Gossip
• Humiliation
• Abusive Emails
• Abusive Texts
• Inappropriate tagging
• Hurtful Images
• Exclusion
• Imitation

Cyberbullying. (eSafety, 2016)

• 50% Socially excluded
• 28% Spreading of lies and rumours
• 12% Impersonated
• 6% Personal information posted without consent
• 39% Called names
• 17% Received threats
• 9% Account hacked

Being cyberbullied can make you feel……(eSafety, n.d.)

• Alone
• Unsafe
• Afraid
• Stressed
• Rejected
• Ashamed
• Angry

What can you do if you are being bullied online? (eSafety, n.d., human rights, 2011., Kidshelpline, 2018., Bullying. No Way!, 2019)

• Ask for help
• Talk about it
• Report it
• Do not retaliate or respond
• Block the bully
• Change your settings to private
• Start collecting evidence – save texts and messages
• Have a break from being online

Visual – (eSafety, 2016)

22.9% of kids aged 7 – 13 years have experienced bullying.

25% of those kids experienced bullying online.

50.2% asked for help.

How can we support our students to be safe online?

According to Vygotsky, student’s learn through social interaction (Howell, 2011. p. 29). Social networking or Web 2.0 applications are the new way of communicating and socialising online. Therefore, the students need to have explicit teaching on how to use social networking responsibly (Howell, 2011. p. 159).

Gaining an understanding and awareness of Web 2.0 applications aids in the students’ development of digital content and adds to their digital fluency (Howell, 2011. p. 159).

Teach our students to…..

Not share their personal information (humanrights, 2011).

Not respond to texts and messages if they are hurt or angry (humanrights, 2011).

Block and report on each social media site they visit! (humanrights, 2011).

Only accept friend requests from people they know personally (humanrights, 2011).

Ask them these questions?

What do they think their digital reputation is? (Bullying. No Way!, 2019).

When they are online, how do they make decisions about their behaviour? (Bullying. No Way!, 2019).

When they post photos online, what messages are they sending? (Bullying. No Way!, 2019).

How do their posts and photos impact, themselves, their family and friends? (Bullying. No Way!, 2019).

When they are online, how do other people see them as a person? (Bullying. No Way!, 2019).

Are you treating other people the way you would like to be treated? (Bullying. No Way!, 2019).

How do we know if students are being cyberbullied?

Their attendance at school may suddenly decrease.

They may start to seem depressed or withdrawn.

They may start skipping school.

They may have a reduction in appetite.

They may start to avoid using technology.

(Morales, 2011)

Why bully online?

Physical size is irrelevant.

The bully does not see the direct effect of the harm on the victim.

Cyberbullying is non-physical and does not leave physical marks on the victim.

It is harder for the bully to be identified so they can keep causing harm without punishment.

(Barlett, 2011).

If you are being cyberbullied and need someone to talk to you can call…

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800

Lifeline: 13 11 14