10 Ways to Prevent Cyberbullying 2023

Social media interactions have become a norm in society. By 2021 there were over 4.26

billion people on social media platforms, and the number keeps growing steadily. Some

notable sites include Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snap chart,

YouTube and Pinterest. Most of the sites are easy to navigate and can be used by all.

The advantages have made it easy for people, old and young, to use social media for

fun, develop and maintain friendships, share information, explore sexuality and

develop new connections. Despite the good ideas associated with social media, some

people have used the platform to manipulate, harass and defame others. Such acts of

malice can affect an individual's mental health. Around the world, cases of anxiety,

social isolation, and stress have drastically increased due to cyberbullying. Even though

cyberbullying affects all regardless of age, children are more vulnerable. But is there

something that can be done to prevent online harassment? Even though it is difficult to

evade online bullies, there exist a few ideas that can help. This article will give

information about the best ways to prevent cyberbullying.

Keep Personal Information Private

Avoid sharing key details like your mobile number, postal address and email with the

online family. The same should apply to children. Because, in most cases, people hide

their true identity when online, kids should not share information about their school,

parents, relatives, teachers and identities with online followers. People use pseudo-

accounts to gather information and hit back at the appropriate time.

Protect Accounts and Devices

To prevent people from accessing your social media accounts:

1. Use passwords on devices and accounts.

2. Keep it secret and avoid sharing regardless of how much you trust the person. If

you are a parent, ensure your child doesn't share the password with friends.

3. Use different passwords for different logins to avoid online bullies accessing

your personal information or using your password against you.

Ensure you Log out When Using Public Resources

When using public computers and the internet, ensure you log out properly in your

accounts. Encourage your kids to log out from school computers, email, and accounts.

Failure to log out, somebody else may take control of the account, change the password

and use it to bully them by impersonating them through the ill post, comments and

other forms of online harassment.

Avoid Posting Carelessly

It is normal for people to share their good moments and progress in life on social media.

It is a good idea, but you can never tell who is sieving through your posts. Sometimes

bullies take the information you post and use it against you at a later date. Keep private

events private and determine whether or not it is good to share certain information with

online family before going public. Also, train your children on digital etiquette to help
improve their online interaction. Let them know poor use of social media can land them

problems.

Keep Records

Keeping clear records of all the steps you take against online harassers is important.

When the situation persists, you can use the recording as evidence of harassment to law

enforcers and in the corridors of justice. Keep the information in the form of

screenshots, audio and video recordings.

Use Privacy Tools and Settings

Do your account or your child's account take advantage of the privacy tools and

settings on social media accounts to secure the accounts against cyberbullies? Sites like

Snap chart, Tiktok, Twitter and Instagram have privacy settings. Please help your child

to put their account to secure settings to prevent harassment through unnecessary

tagging and access to their content.

Block the Bully

The easiest way to get rid of cyberbullies is to block them through user settings.

Blocking an individual on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook are the same. Check their

profile and block them using a few steps via the user setting.
Avoid Responding to Online Bullies

Whether it is you or your child, avoid entertaining bullies by responding to their fake

and unwarranted posts or comments. Remember, bullies, find happiness in your

suffering; therefore, avoid arguments, explanations and sympathy to deny them an

emotional response. As the bullies keep bombarding you with fake posts and

comments, use that time to piece your evidence together by taking screenshots.

Plan on How to Use Social Media

To ensure the use of social media platforms:

1. Strategize how to use each platform safely to avoid online harassment.

2. Plan and educate your child on how to avoid trolls and online bullies.

3. Let them know how to handle bullies, how to preserve evidence and where to

report when the situation gets out of hand.

Report to Site Administration or Law Enforcers

When you realize the bully has exceeded the standard use agreement, report the person

to the site admin for immediate action. To have a strong case, ensure your records are

intact. These may be through screenshots and audio and video recordings. Depending

on the platform you are using, check out there is a way to flag abuse, contact us or a

page to report the bully. It is good to know some platforms slack the parameters above.

Cyberbullying is an offence that is punishable by law. When you feel your life or mental
wellness is in danger, report the person or account to the nearest police station for

necessary action. If schoolmates harass your child, report it to the school administrators.

Conclusion

It is important to create awareness to reduce cases o cyberbullying. Adults should read

and learn more about cyberbullying. Children should be impacted with online

knowledge from an early age to make them aware and cautious about the subject. In

addition, online etiquette is important. Kids should understand that social media is a

privilege and not a right.