Justin Beiber, Sydney Dalton and Social-Cyberbullying
Sydney Dalton has been having a rough week. The teenager isn't a fan of pop sensation Justin Beiber. As a result, she tore up some of his posters and recorded it.
When, by virtue of sharing her actions, she became an instant target of cyberbullying via social media. The topic has trended steadily on Twitter and she has become the object of heated scorn.
Check out the video below of the repercussions that Dalton is experiencing, in which the bully says “I’m going to hit you the f*&kin' face with a full wine bottle, cork and all.”
This is a prime example of how social media can turn the tide on anyone. So, how do parents protect their kids from this sort of behavior?
According to Geoffrey Arone, co-founder of SafetyWeb – an online resource that provides parents with real time alerts about their children’s online activity – there are a variety of things parents can do.
Here are some questions I asked him and his advice:
What are the top three tips you'd give parents about protecting their kids from cyber bullies?
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Search your children’s names and personal information on Google.
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Set up alerts to monitor what others say about them online.
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Talk more openly with your kids about what they are doing online.
What steps should kids take when they feel they are being bullied online?
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Determine severity of situation and take action immediately: contact school/law enforcement;
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Track what’s going on: Be sure to NOT erase any traces of what you find online as they (e.g. comments, messages, photos, etc.) can help in taking action against a cyberbully.
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Contact websites where offenses occurred after sharing with proper authorities: Specifically, contact the web site(s), social networks, or mobile phone providers that might have been used as a platform for these offenses.
What do you think the role is of these social platforms in cyber bullying?
The social platforms need to make it easy for users to report offenses without feeling embarrassed. They need to message their users directly, and regularly, informing them of appropriate terms of use and encourage a culture of zero tolerance for abuse. Finally, they need to make it easy for parents and users to reach out for help and take swift and decisive action when offenses occur.
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