Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that occurs using digital technology such as mobile phones, computers and tablets. Cyberbullying may occur via SMS, text, and applications, and also online in social media, digital forums, and games where individuals see, engage in, or exchange material. It’s defined as sending, uploading, or spreading hurtful, damaging, false, or derogatory content about another person. It might include disclosing personal data about another individual, which causes shame or humiliation.
According to the 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey by the National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice, around 16% of students from grades 9-12 suffered cyberbullying nationally.
Some forms of cyberbullying are illegal or criminal in nature. Examples include:
- Fabricating falsehoods about someone or sharing humiliating photographs or videos of them on social media
- Using messaging systems to send hateful, abusive, or threatening texts, photos, or videos
- Impersonating someone and sending hurtful comments on their behalf or using phony accounts
Bullying in person and cyberbullying can frequently occur together. However, cyberbullying leaves a digital trail, which may be used as proof to help halt the harassment.
Why Does Cyberbullying Occur?
With the rise of social media and digital forums, people’s comments, images, postings, and information are largely viewed by outsiders as well as acquaintances. As a result, the stuff that someone puts online, both personal and nasty, offensive or harmful, forms a permanent public record of their opinions, actions, and conduct.
This public record may be regarded as an online reputation that schools, employers, universities, clubs, and anyone studying an individual now or in the future can access. Cyberbullying may ruin the reputations of everyone involved, not just the individual being tormented but also those who do or participate in the bullying.
Those who are bullied online not only frequently blame themselves for the anguish and abuse they endure, but they are also left feeling tremendously anxious. According to one research, approximately 35% of individuals targeted by cyberbullies exhibited stress symptoms.
How Can We Prevent Cyberbullying?
Every state has legislation mandating schools to respond to bullying. As the use of technology has increased the prevalence of cyberbullying, several states have included cyberbullying charges in their statutes. Schools may take action according to the law or municipal or school regulations that allow them to discipline or take other action.
Bullying is also addressed in certain states if it impairs academic achievement. You may read about each state’s laws and practices, including whether they include cyberbullying.
It’s also critical to teach your tweens and teenagers how to use social media securely and responsibly, as well as what to do if they are bullied online.
Safeguard Your Accounts And Devices.
It is critical that your youngster use passwords on everything to prevent cyberbullying and related actions such as catfishing. Passwords are among the most efficient methods of safeguarding accounts and devices.
Make Use Of Privacy Tools And Options.
Whatever your kid does online, ensure you are fully aware of the organization’s privacy settings and options. Privacy options are available on almost every social media network, like Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and TikTok.
Control Location Sharing
Users of some cell phones may update their location with friends. This implies that if they disclose their location to others, those people will constantly be aware of where the users are. Speak with your child about who they can reveal their location to and if they can disclose it at all.
Summing Up
There are several advantages to being online. However, like with many things in life, some hazards must be avoided.
If you are the victim of cyberbullying, you should remove particular applications or go offline for a bit to allow yourself some time to heal. However, disconnecting from the Internet is not a long-term solution. You didn’t do anything wrong, so why should you be reprimanded? It may also send the incorrect signal to the bullies, promoting their inappropriate behavior.
A college campus is like a second home for students. So, if you’d install a sophisticated security system in your home, shouldn’t institutions do the same for their students? Some schools are thinking along these lines.
According to the most recent data from the U.S. Ministry of Education’s Campus Safety and Security trends, 49,870 criminal acts were recorded on college and school campuses in 2014. However, this figure has decreased by approximately 35,000 since 2005, with technology most likely playing a significant role.
In terms of communications, technology has improved campus safety’s capacity to successfully interact with our communities via the internet, social media, mass texting, and intercom and sound systems, especially during emergency circumstances.
- Apps and Technology for Personal Security
With nearly all university students bringing cell phones to campus, mobile applications are valuable for improving emergency communication, expediting crime reporting, and collecting predictive data about campus security. According to a piece in the higher education online magazine Campus Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, like Kansas State, has been utilizing the student-created TigerSafe app (downloadable for Android and Apple) over the last few years to make public safety more available and simpler to report. - Video Surveillance
IP-enabled cameras, common in home security, have also been deployed on numerous college campuses to improve reaction time to safety problems. The growth of powerful video analytics, not just for video surveillance, but also for operational excellence, is another trend that will have a significant influence on video management systems. - Anonymous Technology
The Anonymous Alerts app is another piece of technology that can assist in avoiding bullying or other extreme and hazardous circumstances on campus, such as using a weapon. Students and staff can use this app to report occurrences anonymously on their Apple or Android devices. Such technology aims to make children feel secure and comfortable when discussing safety and security problems. - Panic Buttons and Metal Detectors
During the day, teachers can wear tiny emergency buttons on their belts or pockets. If a problem or a threat emerges, the instructor can press the button, which sends an alarm to both the authorities and the school officials. While first responders arrive at the school, officials will notify everyone in the building of the threat. Infinite Protection Ltd has developed an alternative to this mobile panic feature with the launch of The Property Scout which come equipped with their latest Scouting Technologies to detour and ultimately stop an incident from occurring. Metal detectors and x-ray equipment are essential for securing school entrances, particularly in inner-city schools where crime and drugs are prevalent. This will allow firearms, knives, and other weapons to be detected before they are carried onto school property and/or campuses.
Conclusion
Infinite Protection’s Scouting Technology was designed with the current school safety needs in mind and to help increase deterrence and fast response to acts of shooting and violence on the any school property or campus. It is safe, quick to respond, and designed to keep students safe and free from violence and crime.
With all of the headlines about school shootings, it is becoming increasingly vital to use modern technologies to make schools safer. Implementing efficient high-technology security systems can be costly and time-consuming, but they are necessary to make the best selection for your institution.