Online Sense is ICDL Arabia's philanthropic arm aimed at raising public awareness on Cyber Safety.

Are you being bullied online? Do you see bullying happen when you’re online?No type of bullying should be tolerated, especially when it’s online where everyone can see it.

No type of bullying should be tolerated, especially when it’s online where everyone can see it. This is why it is important to protect yourself (and others) from cyberbullying.

Here’s how:

 

Ignore the Bully

If you or anyone you know is a victim of cyberbullying, do not respond to minor teasing or name calling. Sometimes bullies are simply seeking attention waiting for someone to react negatively to something they post.

Record & Save the Evidence

Cyberbullying may be easier to do, but it is also easier to prove that you are being bullied. Take screenshots of any cyberbullying messages you receive. If you can show these messages to a trusted adult – like a family member, teacher or school counsellor – it may be easier to show who the bully was if they bully you on multiple accounts.

Reach Out to Someone

The most important thing to do in any cyberbullying situations is to talk to an adult you trust as soon as you realise there is a problem. Your parents, a teacher, school administrators, counsellors, and even police officers have experience in handling problems and can help you deal with cyberbullying. Your school has rules against cyberbullying, and they are now taking into account what happens online, as well. It’s also helpful to talk to friends or a counsellor so you can get their support when you are feeling upset by hurtful comments. There is no reason to suffer alone when you are the target of cyberbullying.

Cut off the Bully

If and when the situation escalates, stop all communication with the bully when possible. For example, block their phone number so you no longer receive their calls or texts. Mobile apps and social media platforms also allow you to block users so that they can no longer interact with you. If for some reason it’s not possible to block a cyberbully, you can always screen their calls and delete their messages without opening them.

Go High-Tech

If you’re being bullied via a website, chances are that the bully is going against the website’s terms of use. Reporting bullies to the website administrator may get them kicked off the site. Some of the most popular sites for cyberbullying activity, you can report cyberbullying incidents to the sites’ ‘safety centres.’ In many cases, the providers can look into the bullying incident to uncover an anonymous bully and may also be able to take down offensive posts.