Explained: What is cyberbullying and how you can stop it – Times of India

The age of the internet came way back in the 2000’s and has only strengthened its presence in the age of man since then. The COVID-19 pandemic proved a great benefactor to online activity as people began spending more and more time on the internet, on social media and other websites and those new to the connected online world had to embrace it on some level. Now that a large number of people across the world have access to the internet and go online frequently, be it on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, the menace of cyberbullying or online bullying is something we all should know and be vigilant about irrespective of whether we have experienced it or not.
What is cyberbullying?
Just as bullying in real world requires someone trying to hector a seemingly calm and timid person face-to-face in places like schools, colleges, shops etc., cyberbullying takes place in the online world through social media and gaming platforms, chat groups etc. It is a repeated, deliberate online behaviour to scare, shame, threaten or besmirch someone online
A few ways this is done online include using abusive or threatening language in messages, sending images or videos to hurt or threaten someone, posting embarrassing photos or videos of the targeted individual on social media, using fake accounts to impersonate others and sending harmful or vulgar messages to others on their behalf, eyc.
As per cybersecurity firm McAfee’s 2022 Cyberbullying in Plain Sight Report, 85% of Indian children reported being cyberbullied as well as having cyberbullied someone else at rates well over twice the international average.
“According to Indian parents, 42% of children have been the target of racist cyberbullying, strikingly 14% higher than the rest of the world at 28%. Extreme forms of cyberbullying reported besides racism include trolling (36%), personal attacks (29%), sexual harassment (30%), threat of personal harm (28%) and doxing (23%), all of these at almost double the global average. India also reported prominent acts of cyberbullying such as spreading false rumors at 39%, being excluded from groups and conversations at 35% and name calling at 34%. Indian children witness and experience the maximum cyberbullying on almost every social media and messaging platform. 45% of Indian children said they hide their cyberbullying experiences from parents, perhaps due to the relative absence of conversation.”, said the report.
What to do in case of cyberbullying?
Here are some ways you can deal with cyberbullying, as per McAfee:
Reach out to the experts and take their advice
If you face online bullying, you should contact counselors, consultants or your local organisations to better prepare for what to do from your side. You should gather resources and knowledge about the mental health effects of bullying, on children and adults.
Be honest with your family and cultivate a culture of open talks
If your child has faced cyberbullying, you need to create an environment of open and honest communication within your connected family. The child should be made to know that these incidents can happen and should be given assurance that they have the parents’ support and guidance with them at all times.
Prepare the children for such an eventuality
As per McAfee, the family should be ready with a plan in case of cyberbullying. The children should be made aware that bullying happens online so that they are better-prepared mentally.
Educate yourself and the children on cyberbullying
The adults should know that activities like making a joke at someone else’s expense or name calling online are types of bullying and inform their kids on it so that they are aware of the menace and don’t take part in it unawares.