As more and more people use the Internet, online bullying has become a major problem. Things like cyber bullying and cyber bullying are rearing their ugly heads quite often. These threats must be taken seriously; Otherwise, they can affect a person’s well-being, both physically and mentally.
When a person is being harassed on the Internet, they must first assess the seriousness of the harassment. Many people may say hateful words or even slander another person due to the anonymity that the Internet offers. It could just be rudeness. On the other hand, hate speech or threats should never be ignored.
If you feel you are being harassed online, record all comments and emails you receive from the harasser. If necessary, even take screenshots of comments on forums and other web pages. Print all the evidence, so you have a hard copy.
Set up a Google Alert for your name and nicknames so you can track all comments that mention your name in cyberspace.
Internet bullying often begins when a person’s email account is hacked. Therefore, it can be useful to change the passwords of your email accounts. Try to use a combination of numbers and letters to make passwords more secure.
If the harassment becomes unbearable, report the matter to the relevant authorities. The FBI has a special branch to track online crimes. You can report harassment at this branch. If harassment has arrived at your doorstep and you are no longer restricted to the Internet, please report the matter to your local law enforcement agency. You can also report the person to your Internet Service Provider, but do so with caution. Sometimes the internet service provider can cut off the stalker’s internet connection, but this can further aggravate the situation. Harassment can start to harass you even more. Therefore, consult the police before reporting the person to your Internet service provider.
Do not communicate with the harasser. Don’t even try to threaten the harasser by saying that you will take legal action against him/her. Instead, stop all forms of communication.
Although it may seem impossible, try to remain calm throughout the process. Most of the time, you won’t know who the stalker is. So, you are not aware of how far the person can go. The last thing you need is internet bullying coming to your doorstep. If this happens, be sure to report the matter to the police without delay.
Internet bullying should be taken seriously, especially when children are involved. There have been cases of children harming themselves after being cyberbullied. Therefore, parents must be vigilant.
