How students can prevent themselves from Cyberbullying

Tips learners can take to prevent themselves from cyberbullying 

There are many various proactive steps that learners can do to protect themselves against cyberbullying and other online risks while creating a safer, more positive digital environment for themselves and others.

Manage Privacy Settings

The following is a video tutorial on how to adjust social media privacy:

Learners should review and adjust privacy settings on their social media accounts to ensure that only trusted friends and family can view their profiles and posts. Most platforms offer options to limit who can see personal information, photos, and posts. They should avoid sharing sensitive information such as home address, phone numbers, school details, or daily routines online. This may reduce the risk of identity theft or becoming a target for cyberbullies. Furthermore, they should only accept friend requests from people they know personally. This helps to minimize exposure to fake profiles or strangers who may have harmful intentions.

Create Strong Passwords

Learners needs to use a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to create strong, unique passwords for their online accounts. They must never try to share their passwords with anyone, not even close friends. This helps prevent others from accessing their accounts and potentially misusing them. Where applicable, they should enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), which adds an extra layer of security by requiring both a password and a second form of verification.

Stay Aware of Online Threats

Students should be aware of what cyberbullying may looks like, including hurtful messages, rumors, or exclusion from online groups. By realizing these behaviors
, they can take early steps to protect themselves. They should avoid engaging with individuals who post inflammatory or negative comments intended to provoke reactions and, they should report and block these users.

Report Cyberbullying or Harassment

Many of social media platforms and online services have reporting mechanisms for harmful content or bullying. Learners should familiarize themselves with how to report cyberbullying forms, like harassment, or any inappropriate content. Should they experience or witness cyberbullying, they should inform their parent, teachers, or school counselor. Early reporting can prevent the situation from escalating. If they is being bullied online, they should take screenshots or save messages as evidence. This can be helpful when reporting the issue to school authorities or platform moderators.

Limit Screen Time and Social Media Use

Students should take regular breaks from social media and other online platforms. Spending too much time online can increase their likelihood of encountering negativity or becoming fixated on unhealthy comparisons. They should be cautious about joining new apps or social media platforms without understanding their risks or privacy settings. It is a good idea to research the platform’s reputation and safety measures before signing up.

Legal consequences of Cyberbullying

What are the consequences of cyberbullying?

Sometimes, online bullying like other kinds of bullying can lead to serious long-lasting problems. The stress of being in a constant state of upset or fear can lead to problems with mood energy level , sleep ,and appetite. it also can make someone feel jumpy, anxious or sad. If someone is depressed or anxious  cyberbullying can make things much worse. Student who are cyberbullied can struggle to concentrate in school which can affect their performances.

The following flow chart shows steps learners can take if they experience cyberbullying:

Its not just a person being bullied who gets  hurt . The punishment for cyberbullying can be serious. More and more schools and after school programs are creating systems to responds to cyberbullying. Schools may dismiss bullies from school team or from school. Some types of cyberbullying may violate school codes or even break anti-discrimination or sexual harassment law. A bully may face serious legal trouble. 

The video below shows an interview with a legal expert. It emphasizes more on legal consequences of cyberbullying. 

 

How school can prevent Cyberbullying

Strategies to prevent cyberbullying

Schools play a crucial role in preventing cyberbullying, as they are central environments for students’ social interactions and development. Implementing a comprehensive approach to prevent cyberbullying requires a combination of education, policies, community engagement, and support systems.

 The podcast link below discussed strategies school can  use to assist in prevention of cyberbullying. 

https://open.spotify.com/show/4gNXCRX7j4qNfD0eqKXUxO

Strategies to prevent cyberbullying include:

 Educate Students and Staff About Cyberbullying

One of the most effective ways to prevent cyberbullying is through education. Schools should organize workshops, seminars, and campaigns to raise awareness about the harmful effects of cyberbullying. This can be achieved through educational initiatives such as:

Digital Citizenship Programs: Teach students how to behave responsibly and ethically online. Emphasize the importance of respectful communication and the consequences of cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying Awareness Sessions: Educate students on the various forms of cyberbullying, how to recognize it, and the emotional and psychological impacts it can have on victims.

Teachers can empower student in recognising, responding and prevent cyberbullying effectively

Training for Teachers and Staff: Train educators to recognize the signs of cyberbullying, even if it happens outside the school environment. Teachers should be aware of how to respond to incidents and offer support to affected students.

Create a Safe Reporting System

Many learners often hesitate to report cyberbullying because of fear of retaliation, embarrassment, or a belief that nothing will change. To counter this, schools should create anonymous reporting systems (such as online forms or suggestion boxes) where students can report cyberbullying without fear of being identified. Schools should ensure that learners feel safe and supported when they report incidents, and guarantee confidentiality. Schools should also provide a designated counselor or staff member whom learners can approach if they become victims or witnesses of cyberbullying.

Promote a Positive School Climate

A positive school environment discourages bullying of all kinds, including online. Schools should aim to foster a sense of community, respect, and inclusion by encouraging kindness and respect. Schools should promote activities and campaigns that celebrate diversity and inclusivity. Build strong peer relationships and encourage learners to look out for one another and report bullying behavior. Introduce peer support programs, where learners are trained to help mediate conflicts or support victims, can also be effective. Teachers and staff should model positive, respectful interactions in both online and offline settings. Schools that promote open dialogue between students and teachers tend to have less bullying 

Engage Parents and the Community

Parents and caregivers play a critical role in preventing cyberbullying. Therefore, schools should host parent workshops on topics such as online safety, monitoring children’s online activities, and how to talk to children about cyberbullying. Provide resources for parents, such as tips for identifying signs that their child may be involved in or affected by cyberbullying. Involve community organizations, such as local businesses, law enforcement, or mental health professionals, to support anti-cyberbullying initiatives. By creating strong partnerships between the school, parents, and the community, learners are more likely to receive consistent messages about appropriate online behavior.

 Encourage Responsible Technology Use

Since much of cyberbullying happens through digital devices, schools should teach responsible technology use and provide practical tools for students. Encourage the use of privacy settings on social media to control who can see personal information and posts. Educate students on how to block or report abusive users on social media platforms. Promote limited screen time and mindful use of technology to reduce the opportunity for engaging in or being affected by cyberbullying.

A link to an organisation that can provide support for school in preventing cyberbullying

https://www.lifelinechildline.org.na/

Effects of Cyberbullying

 Effects of cyberbullying on learners

Cyberbullying could have profound psychological, social, and academic impacts on students. In Africa, like in other continents of the world, this issue has become more prevalent with an increased access to digital platforms. 

Visit the podcast link below to listen to the audio that explained the effects of cyberbullying in schools 

https://open.spotify.com/show/4Kd50GdkhZb7wzsrLrWQLf

Now, let us discuss the effects of cyberbullying in schools.

Psychological Impact

Cyberbullying could lead to significant emotional and mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. For instance if a student has become involved as a victim in a school, he/she is repeatedly harassed online by classmates. The bullies can spread malicious rumors about this student through social media platforms, attacking his/her appearance and accusing person of behavior he/she never engaged in.

To this extent, such student can feel isolation, extreme sadness, and worthlessness. He/she may became withdrawn, lost his/her appetite, and suffer from sleep disturbances. His/her confidence plummeted, and heshe can found it hard to engage in activities that he/she once loved. These psychological effects can lead into more severe mental health issues, such as suicidal ideation, which is a growing concern in Namibia  and in Africa at large.

Social Impact

Cyberbullying can significantly affect a student’s social life, leading to isolation and difficulty forming trusting relationships. If student's friendships is deteriorated because some peers have participated in the bullying or avoided him/her out of fear of becoming the next target. That particular student will lost a sense of belonging, and his/her social circle shrank.

In some communities where reputation holds great significance, the online bullying can also extended to victim's family. As people gossiped and spread rumors', the learner may feel stigmatized, shame and fear of judgment cam make it difficult for him/her to seek support. This type of social exclusion can have lasting consequences on a young person’s social development, causing distrust in relationships and long-term difficulties in building healthy interpersonal connections.

Academic Impact

Cyberbullying can greatly impact academic performance by disrupting a student’s ability to focus on their studies. A learner, who has once a bright student with aspirations of attending tertiary university, saw his/her grades suffer as bullying intensified. he/she may skip school frequently to avoid facing bullies in person, and his/her concentration waned, leading to lower academic performance.

Teachers  can experience the change in the behavior of the learner, but in many cases, schools struggle to address cyberbullying effectively due to limited resources and awareness. learners often fall through the cracks, with their academic potential hindered by the emotional toll cyberbullying takes. 

Psychological trauma, social isolation, and academic decline that result from cyberbullying underscore the need for more robust intervention strategies.

 The following  video shows a real life story of how she survived cyberbullying.

For more information about this video follow the link below

https://youtu.be/qA1TJjJgdz8

Types of cyberbullying

 Forms of cyberbullying

There are many various forms of cyberbullying. These types or forms  of cyberbullying may be explained as harmful behaviors that occurs on online platforms or through uses of digital devices. This post is only going to discuss five different forms of cyberbullying.

Harassment

Harassment is defined as an act of repeatedly sending of offensive, rude, or insulting messages through social media, texting and emails without knowing that psychological you are humiliating someone's emotional negatively.

Spreading Rumors

This refers to spreading of false or malicious information about someone which can damage  reputation

Public Shaming

Public shaming happen when people share embarrassing photos or videos, or stories about someone online with the intention to humiliate them.

Outing

Outing refers to when  a person reveal someone's personal or private information like sexual orientation or mental health issues without their consent

Cyber-talking

This happen when people use the internet to stalk or harass an individual, causing fear, anxiety through threatening messages or monitoring other people's online activities. 

Each type of cyberbullying can have serious emotional and psychological effects on the victims, and it’s crucial to address and combat these behaviors effectively.

The following podcast link discussed different types of cyberbullying in schools. 

https://open.spotify.com/show/3qfKxZjw5ID3so2enHKlbm

Define Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying 

Is when someone uses technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person. It happens on devices like smartphone, computer, tablet and gaming systems. Cyberbullying hurts people and in some cases is against the law.

Sometimes cyberbullying can be easy to spot. For instance instance, if a child shows parent a comment, text or post that is harsh, mean or cruel. Other acts are less obvious, like posting someone's personal information, or using photos or videos that hurts or embarrass another person. Someone might make a fake account or screen name to harass and bully.

Cyberbullying has became an increasingly significant issue in Namibian school. Although current statistics specific to Namibia are limited, cyberbullying is a growing problem affecting many students across the country. Globally cyberbullying affects up to 25% of student, with the most vulnerable age group being 15-17 years old. In Namibia subjective evidence suggests similar rates. Various initiatives, including national policy and school based intervention are being developed to tackle the issue, emphasizing educational and digital literacy as key components to prevent and reduce the impacts of cyberbullying.

The following image shows the a boy who is being bullied online:

For more information about cyberbullying visit the following link;

https://youtu.be/vtfMzmkYp9E