Methods of Technology Used by Cyberbullies

Methods of Technology Used by Cyberbullies

This article is really interesting. It relates both to our ICT and our Cyberpsychology modules. It talks about the most common methods of technology used by cyberbullies. As you can probably guess, the most common ones are email, instant messaging, texts, camera phones, chat rooms, social networks i.e facebook, etc. The article gives a description of how the bully might use these various types of technology and what you should do if you are bullied by any one of these methods. It's actually a really good article and I think its important for everyone to know what they are advised to do should this ever happen to them , cos as we all know it can happen to anyone.

So, I hope you find this one interesting :)

What Methods do Cyberbullies Use?

 E-Mail – Known and used by over 70% of young Canadians, electronic mail has become one of the most popular forms of communication. Encouraged by anonymity and a slim chance of getting caught, bullies take advantage of e-mail to victimize others.

What to do? Never respond to e-mail messages by bullies. That is what they want; do not give them the satisfaction. Do not delete the message. If you are a teenager, show it to a parent or other trusted adult. Report the abuse to the sender’s e-mail service provider (this address is after the @ symbol on the sender’s e-mail).

Use your e-mail service provider to block e-mail from the sender. See if it is possible for your e-mail service provider to track the sender’s e-mail address if it is not displayed. Consider changing your e-mail address and only give the new address to trusted people.

Instant Messaging – Bullies love instant messaging (IM). IM occurs when people are online and chatting in real time through MSN Messenger, ICQ, AOL Messenger, etc. Users have a buddy list of approved people they can chat with and no one else is able to join. For many teens, IM is an integral part of their social life.

What to do? Never allow anyone you do not know and trust onto your IM list. If bullied, block the sender and give the Internet service provider the details. They should take action, maybe even disconnecting the bully from the IM service. Consider deleting the account and reregistering with a new username/ID.

Text Messaging – According to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, 65% of Canadians in the 16-17 age bracket have cell phones; the figure is 30% for the 13 to 15 age bracket. Messages are sent to them at any time and the text messages can be vicious.

What to do? – Never give your cell phone number to anyone you do not trust. If you do get a distressing message, do not respond. Tell a parent or trusted adult and record the details of the message. If possible save it on your phone. Report the abuse to your cell phone company. Get a new phone number if necessary.

Camera Phones – Bullies take pictures of others and download the images onto the Internet or forward them on to others, sometimes altering the pictures in embarrassing ways.

What to do? – Save the photo and tell an adult. Unfortunately it may be impossible to trace the source of the photo and take appropriate action.

Chat Rooms – Teens often chat with people in a virtual meeting room and type messages which immediately appear on the computer screen. The anonymity gives some people the audacity to say things they wouldn’t normally say in person, sometimes cruel and hateful things. Cliques and groups can evolve in chat rooms like they do in school and brutal behavior can result. Most adults would be shocked to see what is written in chat rooms.
What to do? - Prevention is the key here – never give out personal information when you are chatting online. But if you do have problems with bullies, do not respond to them. Leave the chat room and tell an adult. If the chat room has a moderator, let them know what happened.

Social media Web sites - Sites like facebook are an easy mark for cyberbullies. Over three million Canadians are on Twitter. Cyberbullies send messages through these Web sites or post messages on them for everyone to read.
What to do? - Follow the tips for web sites above. Closing down your profile is an easy option as well.