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Top Tips To Give Your Children

GOLDEN RULES FOR CYBERBULLYING

DON’T RETALIATE

Do not respond to abusive messages or threats. It could make things worse and you might be accused of cyberbullying. Internet trolls want a reaction from you – why give them what they want?

TELL SOMEONE YOU TRUST

Don’t try and deal with this alone – talk to somebody you trust such as your parents, a friend, a family member or a teacher about it. New perspectives can help you to find new solutions.

SAVE EVIDENCE

Record and store any abusive posts, emails or messages. Some types of cyberbullying, harassment and online abuse constitute a criminal offense, and you might need to demonstrate ‘ongoing harassment’ for legal action to be successful at a later date. For help with how to store evidence, visit our technical advice section.

BLOCK AND REPORT

You can stop someone from sending you abusive messages and posting nasty comments on most major platforms by blocking and reporting them to the site administrator. Visit our social media guide to learn more about the reporting procedure for each individual social media platform.

ASK YOUR SCHOOL

Schools and colleges should have an anti-bullying policy which covers cyberbullying and online abuse. Ask what support your school can offer.

NEVER SHARE PASSWORDS

Never share your passwords with anybody, even your friends! If you do, you could lose control of your own accounts, and have trouble regaining control of them. People can then share your personal information publicly. Treat your passwords like your toothbrush – change them frequently and don’t share them with anybody!

NEVER ARRANGE TO MEET IN REAL LIFE

If anyone you don’t know tries to arrange to meet you, tell your parents or somebody you trust immediately. Never meet anybody you don’t know and don’t share personal information with them such as real names, addresses, emails or phone numbers.

THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK

Most online problems start with a misunderstanding, so think about what you really want to say before you start to write. Everybody that uses the internet should have a basic understanding of netiquette.

DON’T GET CAUGHT UP AND DON’T BE A BYSTANDER!

Avoid becoming involved in cyberbullying campaigns. Don’t pass on or promote an abusive or rude comment, message or picture just because “everyone else is doing it.” Stop and think about how that person feels. If you feel you can do it safely, reach out to the victim and point them towards our Global Support Service.

REPORT CYBERBULLYING

If you see someone is being cyberbullied don’t just stand by and let them suffer. Report it to the platform you are using, your parents or a teacher at your school. You can learn more about reporting abusive content online in our social media guide.