As more and more people use the Internet, online bullying has become a major problem. Things like cyberbullying and cyberbullying 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 over the Internet, you must first assess the severity of the harassment. Many people may speak hateful words or even slander another person due to the anonymity that the Internet offers. It could just be rude. On the other hand, hate speech or threats should never be ignored.
If you feel you are being harassed online, keep a record of all the comments and emails you receive from the harasser. If necessary, even take screenshots of comments on forums and other web pages. Print all the tests to have a hard copy.
Set up a Google alert for your name and nicknames, so that you can track all comments that mention your name in cyberspace.
Often times, online harassment begins when a person’s email account is hacked. Therefore, it may be useful to change the passwords for your email accounts. Try using a combination of numbers and letters to make your passwords more secure.
If the harassment becomes unbearable, report the matter to the appropriate authorities. The FBI has a special branch for tracking crimes online. You can report the harassment to this branch. If bullying has arrived at your doorstep and you are no longer restricted to the internet, 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 interrupt the stalker’s Internet connection, but this can further aggravate the situation. The stalker may start to harass you even more. Therefore, consult the police before reporting the person to your Internet service provider.
Do not contact the harasser. Do not even try to threaten the stalker by telling him / her that you will take legal action against him / her. Instead, stop all forms of communication.
While it may seem impossible, try to stay calm throughout the entire process. Most of the time, you will not know who the stalker is. Therefore, he is not aware of how far the person can go. The last thing you need is for internet harassment to come to your doorstep. If this happens, be sure to report the matter to the police without delay.
Bullying on the Internet should be taken seriously, especially when children are involved. There have been cases of children hurting themselves after being cyber bullied. So, parents need to be vigilant.
