Contents:
- What is cyberbullying?
- Cyberbullying is an act of oppression that is as dangerous as bullying at school
- This is what parents must do to protect children from cyberbullying
- 1. Invite children to discuss cyberbullying
- 2. Create strict social media rules
- 3. Limit the time online
- 4. Discuss what can and should not be shared online
- 5. Tell the child not to respond to threats or comments on social media
Today, it seems that it is rare to find small children and teenagers who do not have cellphones or other wireless gadgets. That's why parents need to be more attentive and aware of what children do in cyberspace to protect it from cyberbullying. Yes. Although technology does make it easier for humans to learn, get information, and communicate, it is undeniable that there are a handful of people out there who abuse it to do evil.
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is any form of bullying and intimidation carried out through the internet or other digital technology. Cyberbullying is generally in the form of terror text containing abusive comments, ridicule, slander, insults, extortion, to threats targeted at one individual or group - both directly on the target of bullying or indirectly by leading other people's opinions.
Oppression in cyberspace can also take the form of photos, pictures, or videos aimed at embarrassing and tarnishing the good name of the victim. Not infrequently, content of intimidation in cyberspace can lead to things that are sexual and child pornography.
The motivation for cyberbullying varies. Maybe there are those who feel offended and angry at your child so they want revenge, just want to look for attention, or even some who just because it fills in spare time.
Cyberbullying is an act of oppression that is as dangerous as bullying at school
You may be more familiar with bullying at school. In addition to perhaps his actions which are more clearly visible to the eye, the cases of school bullying are also more often reported in the mass media. Like it or not, bullying is still a cultural norm in many schools in Indonesia.
But no matter where, how, and whatever the medium is, bullying is an act of violence that cannot be tolerated. Likewise with bullying in cyberspace.
The effect of cyberbullying is the same as the effects of bullying in the real world. It might even be worse. Bullying can make a child's emotions become unstable, feel isolated, vulnerable to depression, feel physical pain, not concentrate on studying at school, to trigger suicidal desires.
This is what parents must do to protect children from cyberbullying
Reporting from Kumparan, UNICEF data in 2016 states that almost 50 percent of Indonesian teens aged 13-15 years have been victims of cyberbullying. Do step by step below to start protecting children from cyberbullying.
1. Invite children to discuss cyberbullying
Most children who are very young don't have a mature mindset. They only know that having a social account will make it look cool, and what is written or uploaded will be seen by many people viral. They do not quite understand that every human act must have its own consequences, including in cyberspace.
The first thing you have to do is make your child feel safe and comfortable to talk openly with you. Take the time to discuss with him what is meant by cyberbullying, what are the effects if it happens to him, and what are the consequences for him if your child is the culprit.
Explain the topic in a simple language so that your child understands, and don't immediately give "public lectures" with a variety of topics at one time.
2. Create strict social media rules
Technology and social media are not always bad, depending on how we use them. So, you also need to first learn about social media or sites that have the potential to be a means of oppression. Try to use it for some time to test how safe the site is for children.
You can also set special settings ongadgetchildren who are safe and appropriate for their age. Usually, on some social media there are special settings that automatically create social media accounts that will not generate negative comments, adult content or violence.
3. Limit the time online
Parents also have to make strict rules when children use social media, for example by setting the duration of children online. Ninety minutes to two hours is the ideal time limit for social media children in one day, and has been approved by many health experts and world psychologists.
Also agree on how often children can use laptops, cellphones or other gadgets while on the move. For example, children can only use handphone during school breaks, children may not play cellphones while eating or until tasks are done, and so on.
4. Discuss what can and should not be shared online
Help children to determine what is allowed and may not be shared online on social media. This includes photos, videos, and personal data such as full names, physical descriptions, telephone numbers, schools, and home addresses.
It would be better if you knew all your friends online and what he did in cyberspace. By following his social media account, you will more easily monitor your child's activities when he uses social media.
Also let him know that he must reject friend requests with strangers or unclear accounts. We recommend that you receive friendships from friends, family, and relatives you know. This aims to prevent all forms of terror and the intrusion of bad people.
5. Tell the child not to respond to threats or comments on social media
Tell the child not to be afraid to report the acts of cyberbullying that he receives in cyberspace. Find out how long the bullying cases have happened to the child and invite him to find a solution together.Tell him not to respond to these negative threats and comments.
Encourage your child to collect all the evidence of cyberbullying that he has received, screen messages that contain threats, save photo evidence, including also record e-mail addresses, usernema accounts, or profile photos on social media Use this evidence to report the acts of bullying directly on the social media platform.
Usually the perpetratorcyberbullying hard to trace. So, report the case and ask for help from the school or the police to take action against the case.
