Online bullying can be as detrimental as the physical kind and more often so when it leads to offline circumstances. As well as causing anxiety and upset for the child, dealing with it when it happens can be a daunting undertaking for parents. Malaysia as a country faces no exceptions to bullying as we currently have over 20.1 million active internet users, with 16.8 million people constantly active on social media.
It can be difficult for parents to get their children to open up about their experience as victims of cyberbullying. To ensure that parents are aware of their childs’ online activities, Facebook has a few quick tips for parents on how to identify when your child is being cyberbullied and steps to take to resolve the issue.
5 Signs That Your Child Is Being Cyberbullied
1) Sudden change in habits
Was your child glued to their device but now they don’t even want to go online? It may be to avoid bullies – just as they would in the real world. A sudden spike in activity might also suggest they’re stressing out about something that’s happening online. Some of the forewarning signs that every parent should pay attention to are self-destructive behaviours including avoidance of any social activities as well as the loss of interest in education and daily activities.
2) Covering-up
When they don’t want anyone to see their screen, they won’t use their computer where you can see it, switch off or change screens whenever someone walks by – that’s a red flag that something unusual may be going on.
3) Dropping hints
“I have no friends.”. “Why are people so mean?”. Has your child ever said these things to you? Well, parents should always give heed to these subtle details as this is indicative of a child going through a hard time. Sometimes a drop in self-esteem can affect posture or tone too.
4) Feeling anxious
When your child is nervous after receiving a message alert when you’re around, or suddenly get angry and slams the laptop shut. Or their mood changes after being on social media.
5) Showing disinterest
When they’re uneasy about going to school, lose interest in regular activities or have trouble
sleeping, or become withdrawn from friends and family.
3 Things To Do If You Suspect Your Child Is A Victim of Cyberbullying
1) Show your support and avoid pinning blame
It’s important for parents to have regular conversations that lets the child know that there’s someone they can turn to for help. That means not judging online behavior or actions and making sure the victim doesn’t feel that the bullying is somehow their fault. This helps to build a trusting relationship where an open dialogue about cyberbullying is encouraged.
2) Working with your child’s school
Cyberbullying hurts a child in many visible and invisible ways, and therefore parents need help when it comes to dealing with the issue especially when their child is at school. Over the last few years, the local Education authorities have been rallying to improve awareness on bullying and cyberbullying through corrective and preventative measures.
3) Make it official
When it comes to online or cyberbullying, Facebook does not tolerate such inappropriate behavior on its platform. To assist every Malaysian parent to combat such ill-suited etiquette, Facebook has developed the Facebook’s Bullying Prevention Hub as a suitable resource for teens, parents as well as educators looking for relevant help in countering the cyberbullying threat.
Cyberbullying can be a harrowing experience for parents and their kids who are being victimised online. The key thing to do is to take the problem seriously and work together to find a way to stay safe online. Please visit our Facebook Help Centre for more information.
