• Parents should establish an open dialogue with their children to help fight off cyberbullying as soon as it starts.
• ISPA has shared some tips that will help parents address cyberbullying and how children can defend themselves.
• Surveys show that more than 50 percent of teens experience cyberbullying.

As more South Africans come online, more people will come into contact with the more horrible denizens of the internet. Cyberbullies and trolls pace the same digital halls we do and children are particularly vulnerable in this case.

Results of a survey of 200 parents conducted by Digimune in 2021 found that 51.5 percent of parents said their children had been cyberbullied. In 2018, Pew Research reported that 59 percent of US teens had been bullied and harassed online. While many who grew up online tend to wave the internet off as “not real”, what happens online does, undeniably have consequences in the real world.

While one can feel helpless, parents can and should be aware of their child’s well-being and whether they are being cyberbullied or harassed online. To assist, the Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) has shared ways parents can help their children should they be bullied or harassed online.

First and foremost, parents should be aware of the apps, platforms and games their child is using. This will help parents understand the spaces their child interacts in and may help spot warning signs that something untoward is happening earlier.

Then, parents should broach the topic of cyberbullying and harassment to establish an open dialogue with their children. This should include telling the child how to approach situations where they feel what is being said or done to them is upsetting.

Ways children can protect themselves include:

• blocking the bully,
• not responding,
• not retaliating,
• saving evidence for parents, guardians or even teachers, and
• reporting the bully on the platform.

In more extreme cases, parents can approach the police and request a case be forwarded to the SAPS Cybercrime Division. In terms of the Protection from Harassment Act, a protection order can be applied for at a Magistrate court.

“On a more general note, and with the giving season in mind, remember to check the security and privacy settings of any smart new and older toys that can connect to the internet. With the family spending more time together, also remember to secure electronic devices that should not be accessed by children. “Don’t underestimate your children’s ability to guess your PIN,” advises ISPA.

[Image – Road Ahead on Unsplash]