What Can Adults Do To Prevent and Address Cyberbullying?

Adults may not always be present in the online environments of children and youth. Therefore, it is extremely important that adults pay close attention to cyberbullying and the activities of children and youth when using these newer technologies.

1.  Suggestions for Parents: Tips To Help Prevent Cyberbullying:

• Make an agreement with your children to keep all internet capable devices out of children's bedrooms.
• Talk regularly with your child about online activities that he or she is involved in.
• Talk specifically about cyberbullying and encourage your child to tell you immediately if he or she is the victim of cyberbullying, cyberstalking, or other illegal or troublesome online behavior. Explain that you will not take away their technology if they confide in you about a problem they are having.
• View the SBN! Campaign's Webisodes with your child and discuss in particular Webisode 5 that addresses cyberbullying.
• Encourage your child to tell you if he or she is aware of others who may be the victims of cyberbullying.
• Explain that cyberbullying is harmful and unacceptable behavior. Outline your expectations for responsible online behavior and make it clear that there will be consequences for inappropriate behavior. Explain that treating others well online may also protect them from being harassed or cyberbullied.
• Although adults must respect the privacy of children and youth, concerns for your child's safety may sometimes override these privacy concerns. Tell your child that as a responsible parent you may review his or her online communications if you think there is reason for concern.
• Consider installing parental control filtering software and/or monitoring programs, but do not rely solely on these tools.

2.  Tips For Dealing With Cyberbullying:

Because cyberbullying can range from rude comments to lies, impersonations, and threats, your responses may depend on the nature and severity of the cyberbullying. Here are some actions that you may want to take after-the-fact.

• Strongly encourage your child not to respond to the cyberbullying.
• Do not erase the messages or pictures. Save them as evidence.
• Try to identify the individual doing the cyberbullying. Even if the cyberbully is anonymous (e.g., is using a fake name or someone else's identity) there may be a way to track them through your Internet Service Provider. If the cyberbullying is criminal (or if you suspect that it may be), contact the police and ask them to do the tracking. Jurisdictions and states differ in their definitions of what constitutes criminal behavior, but the following may constitute a crime (Willard, 2007):
  • Threats of violence
  • Extortion
  • Obscene or harassing phone calls or text messages
  • Harassment, stalking, or hate crimes
  • Child pornography
  • Sexual exploitation
  • Taking a photo image of someone in a place where he or she would expect privacy
• Sending inappropriate language may violate the "Terms and Conditions" of email services, Internet Service Providers, Web sites, and cell phone companies. Consider contacting these providers and filing a complaint.
• If the cyberbullying is coming through email or a cell phone, it may be possible to block future contact from the cyberbully. Of course, the cyberbully may assume a different identity and continue the cyberbullying.
• Contact your school. If the cyberbullying is occurring through your school district's Internet system, school administrators have an obligation to intervene. Even if the cyberbullying is occurring off campus, make the school administrators aware of the problem. They may be able to help you resolve the cyberbullying or be watchful for face-to-face bullying.
• Consider contacting the cyberbully's parents. These parents may be very concerned to learn that their child has been cyberbullying others, and they may effectively put a stop to the bullying. On the other hand, these parents may react negatively to your contacting them. So, proceed cautiously. If you decide to contact a cyberbully's parents, communicate with them in writing — not face-to-face. Present proof of the cyberbullying (e.g., copies of an email message) and ask them to make sure the cyberbullying stops.
• Consider contacting an attorney in cases of serious cyberbullying. In some circumstances, civil law permits victims to sue a bully or his or her parents in order to recover damages.
• Contact the police if cyberbullying involves acts such as:
  • Threats of violence
  • Extortion
  • Obscene or harassing phone calls or text messages
  • Harassment, stalking, or hate crimes
  • Child pornography
  • Sexual exploitation
  • Taking a photo image of someone in a place where he or she would expect privacy

If you are uncertain if cyberbullying violates your jurisdiction's criminal laws, contact your local police, who will advise you.

3.  Suggestions For Educators

• Educate your students, teachers, and other staff members about cyberbullying, its dangers, and what to do if someone is cyberbullied.
• Be sure that your school’s anti-bullying rules and policies address cyberbullying.
• Closely monitor students’ use of computers at school.
• Use filtering and tracking software on all computers, but don’t rely solely on this software to screen out cyberbullying and other problematic online behavior.
• Investigate reports of cyberbullying immediately. If cyberbullying occurs through the school district’s Internet system, you are obligated to take action. If the cyberbullying occurs off-campus, consider what actions you might take to help address the bullying:
  • Notify parents of victims and parents of cyberbullies of known or suspected cyberbullying.
  • Notify the police if the known or suspected cyberbullying involves a threat.
  • Closely monitor the behavior of the affected students at school for possible bullying.
  • Talk with all students about the harms caused by cyberbullying. Remember — cyberbullying that occurs off-campus can travel like wildfire among your students and can affect how they behave and relate to each other at school.
  • Investigate to see if the victim(s) of cyberbullying could use some support from a school counselor or school-based mental health professional.
• Contact the police immediately if known or suspected cyberbullying involves acts such as:
  • Threats of violence
  • Extortion
  • Obscene or harassing phone calls or text messages
  • Harassment, stalking, or hate crimes
  • Child pornography
  • Sexual exploitation
  • Taking a photo image of someone in a place where he or she would expect privacy