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Cyberbullying - What It's All About
Cyberbullying – What It's All About
Part 1
By Nerds On Call
These days we spend more of our lives online than ever before and our kids are
certainly no exception. Parents and caregivers hear more and more about the
risks our kids are exposed to on the internet and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed
by the flood of risks and tips. One question we get over and over from parents
is how to protect their family from cyberbullying. In this 2-part series, we'll
explain the lingo and give you some tools to arm your kids in cyber-land so you
can protect them even when you're not with them.
There are so many terms that refer to online abuses; it can be hard to keep them
straight. "Cyberbullying" is harassing or intimidating someone over the internet
through mediums such as email, instant messaging, social networking sites (e.g.
Facebook and MySpace) and cell phones. There are several types of cyberbullying:
Flaming and Trolling – sending or posting hostile messages intended to
“inflame” the emotions of others.
Happy-Slapping – recording someone being harassed or bullied in a way
that usually involves physical abuse, then posting the video online for public
viewing.
Identity Theft/Impersonation – stealing someone’s password and/or
hijacking their online accounts to send or post incriminating or humiliating
pictures, videos or information.
Photoshopping – doctoring digital images so that the main subject is
placed in a compromising or embarrassing situation.
Physical Threats – sending messages that involve threats to a person’s
physical safety.
Rumor Spreading – spreading gossip through e-mail, text, or social
networking sites.
Unfortunately, anytime your child is online they can be targeted. From social
networking sites to online gaming (both via the computer and through a console
like X-Box or PS3), to texting and chat rooms, our kids are spending more time
exposed than ever before. However, it's not as scary as it sounds, I promise,
particularly if your kids avoid riskier behaviors that can leave them more
vulnerable. Recognizing the risks and communicating about how they can protect
themselves is the first step to keeping them safe.
Cell Phones: A recent study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project (www.pewinternet.org)
shows that teens (ages 12-17) use text messaging to communicate with their
friends more than e-mail or instant messaging. "Sexting" is a sexually-explicit
text or picture message sent by one minor to another. According to Pew, only
about 4% of the teens they surveyed say they have sent sexually suggestive nude
or nearly nude images of themselves to someone via text message; however, 15%
have received one, and older teens are more likely to be the recipient.
Online Gaming: Online gaming allows your child to communicate with hundreds
(sometimes thousands) of other people inside a giant chat room. The anonymity
can provide your child with some safeguards - if they don't tell anyone who they
are then no one is likely to target them. However, they can leave themselves
pretty exposed if they share too much personal information, or get too
emotionally invested in the game. These games often have a competitive aspect to
them, from fighting with other players for in-game items to "killing" other
players, sometimes extremely realistically. Bullies may feel empowered to be
mean and can go to extreme lengths to follow another player around, mock them,
repeatedly "kill" them or spam them with nasty messages.
Social Networking, E-mail and Instant Messaging: Children sometimes forget that
what they share or post can be forwarded just as instantly as it was received,
setting themselves up as a potential target if they share private information.
Some kids intentionally post or share intimate details of their lives because
they believe it will help them gain popularity. This can leave them a prime
target for a cyberbully.
With all the ways they’re potentially exposed to danger, should you just unplug
and live off-grid? Next week we will share our tips and tricks to help keep your
kids safe online. In the meantime, drop us a note on Facebook (www.facebook.com/nerdsoncall)
or chat LIVE with a NERD at
www.callnerds.com for help with your family’s cyber situation.
About Nerds On Call
Established in a spare room in Redding, Calif., in March 2004, Nerds On Call
offers on-site computer and electronic repair services to consumers and
businesses. Nerds On Call provides trouble-shooting for PCs and Macs, home and
office networks, printers, iPods® and MP3 players, handheld devices and cell
phones, home theaters and game systems, and virtually every other form of
digital entertainment. In 2009 & 2010, the company was named to Inc. magazine’s
list of 5000 fastest growing private companies. With 15 locations across
California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona & South Dakota Nerds On Call serves more
than 40,000 satisfied customers per year.
For more information, visit
www.callnerds.com or call 1-800-919-NERD. |
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