Definitions of cyber bullying and sexting
Cyber bullying is when kids (or adults) use text-messaging, e-mail, IM, our social networking sites to harm another person’s self-esteem or standing in a social group. It can include insults, gossip, unflattering photographs, polls (e.g. “vote here for the ugliest kid”), lies, threats, and videos aimed to humiliate others.
Sexting encompasses sending a nude or sexually revealing photo of oneself or someone else by cellphone or internet. It is estimated that approximately 20% of teens report having sent nude or semi-nude photos of themselves by phone or internet.
Tackle cyber bullying and sexting by teaming up with your kids!
- Talk to your children regularly about their on-line activities. Let them know that they should always tell you or another trusted adult if someone is bullying or harassing them on-line.
- Stress the importance of treating others with respect, even when you aren’t face to face. Don’t become unwitting accomplices of a cyber bully.
- Stress the important of respecting themselves, too, and ensuring that what they type and post conveys self-respect.
- Remind them to think before they click! If they want the words or images they’re about to send to remain private, then it should not be in cyberspace.
- If they are upset, take 5! Walk away from the screen and don’t send anything until they’ve had a chance to calm down.
- Limit who has access to your children’s information on-line.
Encourage your children to block or limit communication with people who are hurtful on-line. - Google your children and encourage your teens to google themselves from time to time to see what is being posted about them.
Resources
- www.stopcyberbullying.org
information on cyberbullying and resources for parents. - www.wiredsafety.org
posts information on a range of Internet safety and privacy topics. - www.thatsnotcool.com
set-up by the Family Violence Prevention Fund resources for teens, including videos, to learn about texting, and online social networks. - ‘Sexting’ lands teen on sex offender list
CNN Article on Sexting Prosecution April 8, 2009 - www.commonsensemedia.org
a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization, providing information and tools, as well as an independent forum on the all of the different media we consume (including books, movies, TV, and cyberspace). - www.blogsafety.com
a website that has forums for parents and others to discuss blogging and other aspects of social networking. - www.getnetwise.org
a website set up by a consortium of Internet firms and public- interest groups, provides links to monitoring and filtering software as well as safety advice. - www.netsmartz.org
a service of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, offers videos and online learning activities to teach kids, teens and parents how to be safe on-line.
