How to protect yourself from cyberbullying

HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF FROM CYBERBULLYING

As many as 68 percent of the teens Ask people they've just met for their Facebook or Twitter contact information, 44 percent send and 40 percent receive sexually explicit messages, and 39 percent share their cell phone number with people they've met online. This is what emerges from an analysis by Save the Children. a worrying situation that risks putting our children in danger.

ALSO READ: How to recognize a bullying victim: all the signs

WHAT IS CYBERBULLYING?

Talking about cyberbullying, a term coined by the Canadian teacher Bill Belsey, refers to the online bullying: the term indicates a relational distress which results in a continuous attack and repeated to a person through the network and tools that allow access to it, such as smartphone and computer.

Compared to traditional bullying, cyberbullying is characterised by several characteristics: anonymity of the harasser, which hides behind nicknames and tricks permitted by the internet; hard to find; absence of limits In some cases, like bullying, this practice may violate certain laws of the Civil Code and the Penal Code, as well as the Privacy Code.

SOLUTIONS TO CYBERBULLYING

The most effective weapon against cyberbullying is-promote their right to information, education and organisation to safeguard their interests' (TFEU, Article XNUMX).. And it is precisely with this aim that www.intreccio.eu was born, a new blog that addresses the problem of cyberbullying with those directly involved.

"The decision to analyze an evolving social phenomenon like cyberbullying," says Cetty Mannino, the blog's author, "stems from a curiosity to delve deeper into this phenomenon, which, despite its widespread nature, is still evolving silently. The blog therefore aims to observe cyberbullying from various angles, and intreccio.eu is a 'virtual marketplace' where every perspective—that of kids, parents, teachers, and experts—is important in understanding the phenomenon."

To prevent these phenomena It is also important to encourage communication with your child to ensure that he feels free to talk about what is happening to him, both at home and at school..

The answer to cyberbullying cannot come from laws and sanctions alone. Greater digital education is needed to raise awareness of the use of technology, including explaining its dangers. More responsibility is needed when posting a video, a post, or a comment on Facebook. Social media life unfolds through virtual platforms, but it is real, and can have serious consequences in real life. Words remain as stones, whether live or online.

TO KNOW MORE: How to teach your children about the proper use of the internet and social networks

CONSEQUENCES OF CYBERBULLYING

Le psychological consequences of a child affected by cyberbullying are the same as those of traditional bullying: the perceived suffering It varies from person to person and is expressed differently depending on the individuals involved.

It can have serious effects on self-esteem, on relational and emotional skills, on personal identity, with even serious repercussions on school results, in addition to the onset of states of anxiety e trough.

HOW TO FIGHT CYBERBULLYING

Change your email address, avoid the website or chat room where the bully is located, and above all, talk to your parents. In more serious cases, you can even report the cyberbully to the Postal Police or the Carabinieri.

TO KNOW MORE: Bullying in Italy: One in two young people suffers violence.