One of the biggest concerns for modern parents is protecting their kids from cyberbullying, which is any bullying that takes place using digital technology. The task is getting tougher because kids in the United States are getting their hands on smartphones sooner than ever. Stanford University studied 250 children for five years and found the average child was given a phone at 11.6 years of age, and Cleveland Health reported in 2022 that half of the children 10 to 12 years old use social media. Most of them will experience cyberbullying.
Is it realistic to expect kids to dodge cyberbullying by avoiding the internet altogether? Probably not. But the internet and social media are not the wolves stalking your innocent children. They are more like the open field where wolves happen to exist. Your job as a parent is to shepherd your children when they head out into the field. Here are 4 things to consider when trying to protect children from cyberbullying.
1. Cyberbullying happens a lot.
Traditional bullying tends to happen in person. Cyberbullying often occurs between people you’ve never met. Cyberbullying can lead to depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. A report done in 2016 by Norton Cyber Security found that 48 percent of parents thought their kids were more likely to be bullied online than on the playground. Girls are more likely than boys to take part in cyberbullying, which can also take place in text messages and mobile phone calls.
2. Cyberbullying often goes unreported.
Your child can experience cyberbullying without ever sharing it. Teachers and parents may never hear or see cyberbullying taking place because it’s so private by nature. Talk often and watch for changes in your child’s demeanor. Any dip in grades at school or anti-social behavior are signs that they may be experiencing some cyberbullying. How do you handle this?
Ask your child if they have been bullied or taken part in bullying. Make them feel comfortable enough to tell you that they have been a victim. Reassure your children that they are loved and valued. Harsh words from peers can hurt, even if they aren’t true. Acknowledge your children’s feelings and comfort them.
3. Cyberbullying can be stopped.
Your kid may look vulnerable to cyberbullies, but you can help them from becoming prey. If you can identify the bullies, speak to their parents or report them to the school. Do this anonymously if you feel your child will be targeted for retribution. Think long and hard about allowing your child to have a social-networking online presence. If you do allow it, set up privacy settings and install software that blocks inappropriate content. Those filters can keep them from seeing things they should not and interating with people who may harm them. And tell your child that you will regularly check her page. You are the best guardrails against cyberbullying,
4. Beware of TikTok.
You may not use TikTok, but a lot of people do. Over one billion people globally have used the social media app. It’s popular in over 150 countries, including the United States, where over 210 million people—or roughly 2/3 of the nation’s population—have downloaded the TikTok app on their smartphones. The company has become a giant in the social media world since launching in September 2016, which isn’t necessarily good news for your child.
TikTok has a nasty reputation for encouraging users to engage in risky or abusive behavior for “likes” or in an attempt to create viral content. It is also a platform where users experience cyberbullying at high rates, from public shaming to something as serious as encouraging suicide. Sexual content is shared freely on TikTok, too. In 2022, U.S. kids spent an average of 113 minutes per day on TikTok, according to Statista. That’s a wide window through which kids can experience cyberbullying.
Have you witnessed the results of cyberbullying? What did you do?
