Social media and technology have become a huge part of everyone’s life, especially kids and teens. And this makes them prone to cyberbullying. But with a few simple measures, you can help prevent your kids from falling into this trap. Want to know about some practical steps? Read on to find out.
1. Teach Yourself and Kids About Cyberbullying
Firstly, teach your kids what is cyberbullying and how it happens. Even keep yourself up-to-date with the issue. From social media to email, to forums to gaming, and text messages, cyberbullying can happen on any platform where kids participate or share content. Additionally, you can even Google your kid’s name to check if any of their personal information or content pop-ups that can be used against them.
2. Tell Your Kids Want Not To Do To Prevent Cyberbullying
Since cyberbullying can happen on any platform, make your kid aware of what not to share on the net or otherwise. Sharing any vital information, phone number, location, personal pictures, and inappropriate, upsetting, or dangerous text should strictly be prohibited. Discuss rules for online safety and Internet use with your child.
Ask them to protect their devices with passwords and not to share them with anyone, even with their best friends. Also, tell your kids to use privacy tools and settings on every social media platform like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, among others. And to be careful while sharing pictures online, especially the ones with the geotags.
3. Build Trust With Your Kids
Always try to build a good and understanding rapport with your kids. In case they are being bullied, do not blame your child. Instead, try to find out for how long were they being bullied and how is it affecting them. Just don’t tell them to forget about it. The emotional pain of bullying can have a long-lasting effect on your child. Understand and support them and try to find solutions together.
And do not take away their devices. But tell them not to respond to the bully or threats online. Also, instead of deleting the messages, take its screenshots/printouts along with other necessary details and report to the authorities.
4. Ask Them To Think Before Posting
Not everything needs to be posted on social media. So, ask your kids to take their time and determine whether their post is something that needs to be shown or told to the public or not. Ask them to think about it consequences, if any.
Teach your kids the right way to use social media like not forwarding any inappropriate messages, blocking potential threats, not responding to bullies, and reporting to adults/authorities about dangerous content online.
5. Log Out From Public Devices
Always tell your kids to log out completely from their email accounts, social accounts, or online shopping accounts while working on public computers or laptops at the library, school, or elsewhere. Staying logged in can give others a chance to change the password and impersonate your child to post false posts, and messages, putting your kid in the bad light.
Cyberbullying can have negative affect on your child. So, ask your kids to use the Internet responsibly to prevent them from being the victim of cyberbullying.
You can also read 5 Ways to Teach Your Child How Not to Be a Bully
