Taking aim at cyberbullying
How to avoid and deal with harassment online
By Elysse Zarek
Grade 3 teacher Alexis Powell* was surprised when an easygoing student suddenly became withdrawn. She was even more surprised when she learned why. Using e-mail and Facebook, several classmates were sending him nasty messages that were eroding his confidence.
Cyberbullying — the use of technology to threaten, harass, and damage reputations and friendships — is becoming increasingly common as kids spend more time online. Kids are being bullied not only in the schoolyard during class hours but also at home 24/7.
That means even a kid’s bedroom is no longer safe. “It changes the dynamics of bullying,” says Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Robyn MacEachern, who gives presentations on cyberbullying at schools around the province. “There is no downtime.”
IN THIS STORY:
Get cyberliterate
Nearly one in five students has experienced cyberbullying, according to a February 2008 University of Toronto study of 2,186 students. And cyberbullying often happens within their peer group.
Bullying online is at least as frequent as bullying in the schoolyard because kids can’t see whom they are bullying and therefore don’t understand the results of their actions. In fact, a 2005 study for the Media Awareness Network found that some kids act bolder online for this very reason: 10 per cent of children from Grades 4 to 11 have assumed a false identity online so they “can act mean to people and not get in trouble.”
How can your kids stay safe online? Help them become literate online. John Grandmont, a teacher in London, Ont., recently developed a series of Cyber Safety lessons for Nortel’s LearniT, an initiative that provides teachers with the tools to ensure students are aware of Internet safety.
- Keep private information private. Many children and teens unwittingly give out too much personal information. Help kids understand the dangers of posting personal information and encourage them to use the privacy settings on social networking sites.
- Know who your friends are. The best way your kids can prevent bullies from contacting them is by adding only close friends and trusted people to friend lists. If your kids wouldn’t talk to a person at school, then there’s no reason for your kids to talk to that person online.
- Monitor Internet use. Tell your kids not to delete their search and chat histories. The History and Favorites folders show your children’s Internet footprints. These folders tell you which web sites your children have visited and could help if you suspect a problem.
Don’t dismiss attacks
What should you do if your child has been attacked by cyberbullies? The experts recommend the following steps for handling the situation.
- Use privacy settings. Explain to your children that they don’t have to put up with nasty e-mail or instant messages. Show your kids how to use the security features to remove bullies from buddy lists, says Grandmont. Responding to bullies will only make the problem worse. Tell your kids to leave an online forum if they feel uncomfortable.
- File a complaint. An ISP can cancel a user’s account or shut down a web site if there is evidence of inappropriate behaviour. The ISP or the web site provider may ask you for copies of chat logs or printouts of the offensive material before taking action, explains Sgt. Robyn MacEachern. Make sure your kids don’t delete their search history or online conversations. MacEachern also notes that the police and schools will want the history if an investigation is launched.
- Apply the real-life test. If you’d call the principal or the police in real life, then don’t hesitate to get them involved now. That’s exactly what Powell did when she discovered her student’s problem.
Not all cases of cyberbullying are as easy to spot as the case of Powell’s student. In fact, many students will try to hide cyberbullying.
MacEachern says most kids are terrified to tell their parents because kids are afraid of being suspended from the Internet. “Kids have many positive interactions with their friends online and would rather suffer through some bullying than lose that privilege,” adds Grandmont.
Although the Canadian Federation of Teachers recently requested that cyberbullying be added to the Criminal Code, cyberbullying is already punishable by law. Kids who repeatedly send threatening messages to a classmate can be charged with harassment.
That’s why it’s so important to get parents, schools and teachers working together to prevent cyberbullying in the first place. Says MacEachern: “We have to get past the mindset that what happens online is different.”
*Some names have been changed by request.
