There has been in increase in cyberbullying among young people for some years.
In the US, it has been reported that nearly half of US teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 had experienced at least one of six cyberbullying behaviours, according to Pew Research. The website cyberbullying.org shows that between 10% and 40% of teenagers have suffered cyberbullying.
Violence is not always physical, but extends to a verbal, online and written frame. And nowadays, hurting someone through digital is one of the most common ways of violence, according to Check Point Research.
Cyberbullying shares many similarities with in-person bullying: it involves the repetitive harassment of a young person by one person or a group of people, with long-term distress.
The digital aspect of cyberbullying adds new specific characteristics. It’s a harassment hidden behind the anonymity provided by the screen, one way of violence that can persist even longer (because the content published on the internet is very difficult to erase completely), an aggression in which many people can be involved, and finally, a persistent and cruel act that can cause serious psychological damage to the victim.
Cyberbullying appears in different ways: generation of fake content, sexual cyberbullying (publishing intimate photos or unauthorised sharing of sexual content), the collection of a person’s data and its dissemination, the posting of photos or videos without consent, identity theft and other methods.
Check Point Software recommends the following measures to protect against cyberbullying:
* Don’t answer cyberbullies and block them.
* Don’t share personal information. Don’t post your address, passwords, phone numbers, or banking information online and be aware of the kind of photographic content you are sharing.
* Privacy settings: On social media, you can use privacy settings to ensure that your content is only visible to your friends.
* Save evidence for prosecution. If you experience cyberbullying, keep valuable information for later reporting.
* Ask for help. Always report the situation to the platforms, school, and authorities.
* Online safety: Having basic online safety knowledge is essential. Set secure passwords and learn how to use the internet with more caution.
* Education: Education is a fundamental key to preventing cyberbullying and any type of harassment. Teaching younger generations to behave respectfully and not cross harmful boundaries is our responsibility.
* Protection: Parents should also pay attention to how their children interact in the virtual world.
The good news is that countries around the world are waking up to the need for heavier penalties and stiffer regulations against cyberbullying. In the US, 44 US states have criminal penalties for cyberbullying, while internationally, some countries like Canada, UK, Australia & New Zealand, India, Japan and the Philippines have cyberbullying laws.
However, with the proliferation of the internet and the growth of a digital lifestyle, increased cyberbullying will be seen. Parents, teachers and students themselves can help to reduce and stop this trend.
“At Check Point Software, we recommend prevention as the best security measure to help children have a safe online experience. One of the fundamental points for keeping students safe in the virtual world is education. Daily tasks prevent parents from being constantly vigilant about their children’s online activities, so it’s a need to teach them about basic cybersecurity measures; that’s how they can avoid dangers on their own,” explains Pankaj Bhula, EMEA regional director: Africa of Check Point Software.
“Developing habits like not sharing sensitive information with anyone, avoiding opening and downloading files from unknown users, and using strong access passwords are just a few examples of the security measures that young people need to learn to stay protected in the virtual world.”