One purpose of equipping humans with technology is to empower them, but science and technology sometimes become a curse when it is misused. On one hand, the world has become a global village due to the use of the internet, on the other hand, childhood is at stake due to threats like cyberbullying. Social media platforms, which are being used for online crime and bullying of children, have become almost autocratic. Due to this, the risk of cyberbullying is also continuously increasing. UNICEF, a United Nations organization working on children's education and health, has shared 11 tips to avoid cyberbullying.
UNICEF has worked with social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Twitter to better understand how to prevent cyberbullying. Apart from social media platforms, messaging, and gaming platforms users are also at risk of cyberbullying. People with a criminal mentality target the young generation using smartphones. These cyberbullying criminals try to scare, embarrass, or incite innocent users to do something wrong out of anger and rage.
Harassing others is also cyber bullying
The scope of cyberbullying is very wide due to mediums like the internet. Spreading lies about someone on social media, trying to influence someone's character by sharing embarrassing photos or videos. Using threatening messages, photos or videos is also cyberbullying. Harassing others by using an ID in someone else's name, fake social media accounts, and sending obscene and lewd messages is also cyberbullying.
Contact the national helpline, help from professionals like counselors
Cyberbullying is even more dangerous because misleading and defamatory information spreads more rapidly in the digital world. There is also an advantage of being in the digital world. Abuse can be curbed based on records of activities. Digital evidence can be used effectively in cracking down on such criminals. According to UNICEF, to avoid cyberbullying, help from professionals like psychologists and counselors can also be sought by contacting the national helpline.
Vandana Kandhari, an expert on children's health and their rights, said that the impact of cyberbullying on mental health can be different. The side effects are different depending on mobile, social media, and other mediums. For example, bullying via text messages or using photos or videos on social media platforms has been proven to be very harmful to teenagers.
Are efforts being made to threaten people online using cyber means?
How to understand the difference between joking and threatening someone? What and how much effect does cyberbullying have on mental health?
How can cyberbullying affect the mental health of children and youth?
Who should a victim talk to if someone is bullying them online? Why is reporting of such cases important?
Despite knowing that you are a victim of cyberbullying, you are afraid to talk to your parents about it. Whom and how should the victims contact in such a complex situation?
How to help your friends who are victims of cyberbullying? Especially if they are psychologically weak and do not want to talk about these matters, then how to motivate them?
How to stop cyberbullying without giving up using the Internet?
How do I prevent misuse of my personal information to avoid being manipulated or humiliated on social media?
Is there any punishment for a heinous crime like cyber bullying?
Technology companies do not care about online crimes like cyberbullying and harassment of children and youth. Are companies being held accountable if such incidents are proven?
Are there any authentic online anti-bullying tools to protect children or youth from cyberbullying?
PC Social media
