Cyber-Bullying

What is cyberbullying, exactly?

"Cyberbullying" is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones. It has to have a minor on both sides, or at least have been instigated by a minor against another minor. Once adults become involved, it is plain and simple cyber-harassment or cyberstalking. Adult cyber-harassment or cyberstalking is NEVER called cyber bullying.

How cyber bullying works

There are two kinds of cyber bullying, direct attacks (messages sent to your kids directly) and cyber bullying by proxy (using others to help cyber bully the victim, either with or without the accomplice's knowledge). Because cyber bullying by proxy often gets adults involved in the harassment, it is much more dangerous.

Stop, block and tell
If you are targeted by a cyberbully:

• STOP!Don't do anything. Take 5! to calm down.
• Block!Block the cyberbully or limit all communications to those on your buddy list.
• and Tell!
  Tell a trusted adult, you don't have to face this alone.