Internet+Safety

 What is Cyberbullying?  Cyberbullying is a form of bullying; it is different to 'normal' bullying in that it happens while you are communicating with someone via technology. For example if you were in an internet chat room, on your mobile phone, using IM, on Facebook or MySpace, email. It is when you are targeted and made to feel uncomfortable, scared, threatened, and humiliated by another user. Cyberbullying is between teens and children or adult and adult but when there is an adult and child involved this becomes known as cyberstalking or cyberharassment.
 * Cyberbullying by Leona and Georgia. **

Some suggestions of what to do if a student or parent of a student suspects that they or their child is being bullied: If a student or parent of a student suspects that they or their child is being bullied, there are actions that they can take immediately to stop it.
 * 1. Keep a record ** (including time and date). This may help you (or the police) to find out who is sending the messages.
 * 2. ** ** Tell someone. ** Talk to someone you trust, a parent, friend, school counsellor or teacher. Check out this fact sheet for more info.
 * 3. ** ** Contact your phone or Internet service provider and report what is happening. **They can help you block messages or calls from certain senders.
 * 4. ** ** If messages are threatening or serious get in touch with the police **. Cyber-bullying, if it's threatening, is illegal. You don't need to put up with that!
 * 5. ** ** Don't reply to bullying messages **. It'll only get worse if you do. By replying the bully gets what he or she wants. Often if you don't reply the bully will leave you alone.
 * 6. ** ** Change your contact details **. Get a new user name for the Internet, a new e-mail account, a new mobile phone number and only give them out to your closest friends.
 * 7. ** ** Keep your username and passwords secret **. Keep your personal information private so it doesn't fall into the hands of someone who'll mis-use it.

Source: http://www.reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=2879

List some strategies that people could use to ensure that they aren’t cyberbullied in the first place. Here are some strategies that many help to ensure that you don’t become a victim of cyber bullying:

** 1. Guard your contact information. ** Only give your cell phone number, instant messaging name or e-mail address to trusted friends, and keep a note of who you’ve given it to. Consider using caller ID blocking to hide your phone number when making calls. Similarly, don’t leave your name on your voicemail. Don't give your details to people you don't know – or don’t want to know! Here is a link to a site with videos about cyberbullying and how they dealt with there ordeal.
 * 2. Take a stand against cyber bullying. ** Speak out whenever you see someone being mean to another person online. Most people respond better to criticism from their peers than to disapproval from adults.

http://www.wiseuptoit.com.au/videoclips.htm

Links for you to find out more about cyberbullying and what you can do:

http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/

http://www.bullyingnoway.com.au/talkout/spotlight/cyberbullyingmain.shtml If you are feeling depressed or need support because you have been bullied, here are some places you can contact: ** Kids Help Line ** (1800 55 1800) is a free and confidential, telephone counselling service for 5 to 25 year olds in Australia. [|www.kidshelp.com.au] [|http://www.lifeline.org.au]
 * Lifeline** (13 11 14) is a free and confidential service staffed by trained volunteer telephone counsellors who are ready to take calls 24-hour a day, any day of the week from anywhere in Australia.