Understanding Cyberbullying

• Personal Development
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Understanding Cyberbullying

OCN Level 1

Unit Focus

Learning Outcome	Assessment Criteria
1. Understand cyberbullying.	1.1. State what cyberbullying is. 1.2. Identify forms of cyberbullying.
2. Understand the effects of cyberbullying.	2.1. Identify the effects of cyberbullying. 2.2. Identify emotions associated with cyberbullying
3. Recognise sources of help and support for cyberbullying.	3.1. Outline sources of help and support for those involved in cyberbullying
4. Know how to safeguard against cyberbullying.	4.1. Identify how an individual can safeguard against bullying on: a) social networking sites b) mobile phones and smart phones c) emails and chat rooms. 4.2. Outline ways to record incidences of cyberbullying.

What is Cyber Bullying?
Give examples of how it can occur.

Cyber Bullying

Cyberbullying (online bullying) is using the internet, email, online games or any digital technology to threaten, tease, upset or humiliate someone else.

Why? 

Sometimes people choose to embarrass, upset, pick on or intimidate other people using the internet or a mobile phone because it feels safer this way. Sending a nasty message or text can be done quickly and it means the person doing the bullying can’t see how much it hurts the other person. They might feel more distant from what they're doing.

Mobile or smart phones

Social network websites

Gaming 

consoles

Smart phone 

apps

Calls, texts etc.

Where does it take place?

Snapchat, WhatsApp, etc.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

Xbox Live, Playstation, etc

NI Anti-Bullying Forum: http://www.endbullying.org.uk/what-is-bullying/online-bullying/

Cyber bullying includes:

• Posting hurtful, embarrassing or threatening
  material on social networking websites.
•  Sending nasty text messages or leaving rude
  voicemails on a mobile phone.
  
•  Excluding someone from an online game.
  
•  Sharing, or threatening to share, embarrassing or
  inappropriate photos of videos to humiliate someone.
• Setting up fake profiles on a social network to make fun of others.

Two thirds of all bullying is spoken or written. It is often done by text messages, on internet chat rooms or by instant messaging. Bullying can be subtle but most know who is doing it to them.

Here are some specific examples of online bullying.

Childline - Bullying and Cyberbullying

Online Gaming

Being abusive towards or harassing someone on an online multi-player gaming site like Minecraft or Call of Duty is also a kind of online bullying. People may also steal or destroy your belongings or creations in games.

Sexting

Sexting is when someone takes a sexually explicit picture or video of themselves and then sends it to someone else. Bullies may ask for these kinds of images so they can send them on to others.

Social Networking Sites

Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram and Youtube can be used in lots of different ways to bully someone. 

Text Messages

Sending abusive, nasty or threatening text messages to someone is a type of bullying. This could include sharing those texts with other people who might join in the bullying.

Online Grooming

This could be if someone is threatening to share a private or naked photo online. 

Abusing Personal Info

Sometimes people involved in bullying might post someone else's photos or personal information without permission. This could include pretending to be someone else and writing fake comments or blogs.

Email

Sending abusive emails is a type of bullying. Sometimes those emails might be shared with other people. Sending computer viruses or hurtful videos and pictures by email is also online bullying.

Instant Messaging (IM) and Chatrooms

Sometimes people might get nasty messages when they are using instant messaging or chat rooms. Sending those types of messages using someone else's account without their permission is also online bullying.

Which of these are signs of cyber bullying?

1. Acting Withdrawn
2. Alcohol or Drug Use
3. Skipping class
4. All of the above

Effects of Cyber Bullying

The effects of cyber bullying may not be noticeable at first, but the stress factor builds up over time. Many students experiencing cyber bullying feel alone and scared. In most instances, cyber bullying doesn’t start online, but in person. The situation then escalates. The signs of cyber bullying include:

• Not wanting to go to school / college or skipping class
  
• A sharp drop in grades and performance.
  
• Sudden self-esteem issues.
  
• Complaints of illnesses.
  
• Acting withdrawn.
  
• Use of alcohol or drugs.

Can you identify some
emotions/feelings associated
with cyber bullying?

Impact of Cyber Bullying

• Cyber bullying and textual harassment are equally disruptive and threatening. In fact, cyber bullying can be worse than the traditional school yard variety because a cyber bully can remain anonymous by posting unsigned attacks on his/her online social network.
  
• Victims of cyber bullying are literally humiliated in a worldwide venue which can occur 24 hours a day. When bullied in this fashion, whether text or image, it is virtually impossible to get everything removed from cyber space.

Help When Cyber Bullying Occurs

• The Law (NI Anti-Bullying Forum fact-sheet)
  
• Support for parents
  
• Make sure you know how you should behave online - ‘netiquette’, having good manners when using the internet or mobile phone.
  
• Never give your password to anyone
  
• If you experience or witness cyber bullying you should talk to a parent or another adult about it
  

Safeguarding/Preventing Cyber Bullying

• NISCC Standards of Conduct and Practice 5.9 - You must not “Use social media or social networking sites or other forms of electronic communication in a way that contravenes professional boundaries, organisational guidelines or NISCC standards”.
• Don’t respond or retaliate
• Save the evidence
• Tell the person to stop
• Reach out for help – especially if the 
  behaviour's really getting to you
• Protect your accounts. Don’t share your
  passwords with anyone

How would you safeguard against cyber bullying on the following?

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/11_18/

Social Networking Sites

Mobile phones and smart phones

Emails and chat rooms 

https://www.childnet.com/help-and-advice/online-bullying-11-18-year-olds/

How would you
record instances
of cyber bullying?

How did you find this lesson?

😒🙁😐🙂😃