Warning signs to watch out for
Aggressive behaviour
Self-isolation
Lack of appetite
Hesitancy to go to school
Over consumption of the internet and online games
Sudden behavioural changes
Visible signs of self-harm
Tips to prevent cyberbullying
Have regular conversations
Bring digital experiences up into normal, everyday conversations.
Remember
There is often little distinction between what your children do online and offline.
Encourage respect
Remind your child that they should always treat others as they want to be treated.
Use the news
Talk to them about any prominent cases of cyberbullying in the media and any trending apps or platforms as a starting point to discuss the issue.
Talk about consequences
Discuss the potential consequences of what they say and do online, along with the ‘stickiness’ of the web. Once it’s out there, it’s very difficult to remove content.
How to be an upstander
Talk about how they would deal with seeing someone else being bullied and what steps to take.
Promote positive behaviour
Help them to understand that their behaviour in online environments should reflect their offline behaviour.
Report and block
Check to see if they’re aware of how to report or block people on the apps they use.
Help from others
Make them aware of places to turn for help like Ditch The Label who have a dedicated online support hub and community available at DitchtheLabel.org.
Use privacy settings
Encourage your child to set high privacy settings and not to connect with anybody they don’t know offline.
Develop digital literacy
Help them gain the social and critical skills they need to navigate the online world.
More on cyberbullying conversation starter guide
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