Internet and mobile phones have become an inseparable part of our lives. When the internet was out, there were restrictions on its usage that were imposed on children by the parents almost everywhere. At least they would use it under an adult’s supervision. Now that the use of the internet has become inevitable because of the school requirements and its necessity in the making of assignments and projects, parents really can’t help but make it accessible for their children.
Since we all are aware of the risks and dangers of cell phones and the internet entail, we ensure that they don’t adversely impact our children and their vulnerable brains. Are the web restrictions like age gate, safe search and family filters enough to keep our kids protected from every kind of possible harm in the cyber world? Do we only need to worry about that inappropriate content on the internet or there are other things too?
“Cyber bullying is a term used for bullying kids using technology including digital or social media. It involves the use of harassment, threat, and provocation that leave a negative impact on the mind, mood and overall psychological position of the child. It occurs in kids and teens and normally young children of all age groups. In adults, the same acts constitute a legally punishable crime known as cyber-stalking or cyber-harassment.”
Misuse of your child’s photos, messages or any other thing on digital media, any messages or calls that tend to scare your child out of their wits, acts like calling names, causing embarrassment and insult, faking identities etc., all are acts of cyber bullying. Most victims of cyber bullying don’t share their grief with their parents or teachers. According to a recent study, 1 in every 4 children encounters cyber bullying.
The consequences of cyber bullying vary from child to child. Some children are not that seriously affected by it while others can develop conditions like depression, anxiety, and disorders involving high stress. In some rarely reported cases, some children have even committed suicides that were either provoked by cyber bullying or merely attempted to get rid of it.
It’s not really difficult to spot if a child is being bullied online if we’re smart enough and know our children. Cyber bullying can result in increased distress for the victims along with increased anger and frustration. They will vent this out on various occasions, and it might force them to get addicted to the virtual world where they can have several identities to hide their real one.
The victims will automatically have lower self-esteem since that is the sole purpose of bullying. Prolonged bullying will lead to severe withdrawal from their family and friends. They will begin favoring isolation most of the time and indulging in harmful activities like drugs and alcohol.
Cyber bullying is a serious issue, and it can be truly horrific to go through such a difficult period. Staying strong and fighting back is the only option against these bullies. It’s possible to get over it and live your life again. Seeing a counselor can help the victims handle the incident in a better and a safe way. Life does not get over if you are a victim of cyber bullying and it is possible to fight back.
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