Identifying and Dealing with Online Bullying Is Not Impossible

Bullying is a much more complex problem than what we might superficially perceive, like some mean comments thrown around to hurt someone. The very fine line that helps us identify bullying is sometimes downright invisible, but there are ways to educate ourselves and our children to better deal with this growing issue.

Bullying is not a new problem. It would be naïve to believe that it suddenly appeared out of thin air. The most significant difference is that bullying is now taking over the online space, giving bullies new ways to reach victims and aggravating an already severe issue.

Some 59% of teens in the US say they have been bullied, threatened or harassed online, and one in three people aged between 13 and 24 in 30 countries have confirmed some form of cyberbullying that prompted them to skip classes. Moreover, three-quarters of surveyed kids and young adults participating in a UNICEF poll say that Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter were among the most common platforms for cyberbullying. Clearly, bullying is not an isolated problem that can be ignored with the hope that it’ll go away on its own.

Identifying bullying

One obstacle people face when dealing with bullying is identifying it. Many believe it simply means hurtful comments or physical action taken against someone. That, however, is just scratching the surface.

For example, revealing private information about someone can also be a form of bullying, even if it might not conform to the ingrained idea of what bullying is. The same can be said about excluding people from groups or activities or instigating other kids to isolate someone.

If we add all the forms of actual bullying to all the forms of online bullying, the problem becomes almost too complex to comprehend or fight. The good news is that the more people know about the problem, the easier it will be to prevent it or deal with it when it arises. Let's use the #StopCyberbullying month to teach a new generation how to stay and feel safe online.

To help children, parents and teachers, Bitdefender put together a presentation that sheds light on all forms of bullying, primarily actions coming from the online space. It also deals with the importance of children's personal information. It’s perfect for the fifth- or sixth-grade level, and the accompanying documents allow adults to understand the information and present it to children in a comprehensive and easy-to-understand way.

Bitdefender - Internet Is Not Your Friend - School Presentation

Bitdefender - Internet Is Not Your Friend - Guide for Presenters