Separating fact from fiction is step one in the direction of making higher parenting choices. Let’s puncture a few of the most typical misconceptions about on-line harassment.
21 Aug 2025
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5 min. learn
Cyberbullying, sadly, is on the rise. Information from the Cyberbullying Analysis Middle reveals that simply over 58% of middle- and high-school college students within the US have skilled on-line harassment of some type of their lives. That’s in comparison with 37% in 2019 and only a quarter (24%) a decade earlier than that. Separate knowledge claims that over two-fifths (43%) of youngster online game gamers have been bullied. Some had been referred to as offensive names. Others had been bodily threatened, whereas many had been despatched sexually express content material.
Mother and father are rightly involved at such developments. However how a lot of what you consider as gospel is definitely true? Like many on-line phenomena, half-truths, myths and misconceptions can distort the truth of cyberbullying – and make it tougher so that you can make the correct parenting choices. Let’s debunk a few of the most typical fallacies:
Prime 10 misconceptions about cyberbullying
1. What occurs on-line stays on-line
Like many on-line developments, bullying is enabled by expertise, however has its roots deep within the human psyche. There are various the explanation why children might interact in bullying habits, from peer strain to low vanity, consideration searching for and home abuse. Digital platforms like social media can allow them to bully others extra pervasively. But it surely’s not confined to the net sphere. Bullies might wish to torment their victims in actual life in addition to on-line. And even when they don’t, the psychological injury they will inflict actually has a real-world impression on their victims.
2. It’s simply children being children
Dismissing bullying as one thing children do as a standard a part of rising up threatens to downplay its potential gravity. The truth is, it may possibly have a critical long-term impression on the social and emotional growth of the person being bullied. It’s additionally true that cyberbullying isn’t simply one thing that occurs to children. Trolling, doxing, revenge porn and stalking are all types of cyberbullying acquainted to most of us. Two-fifths of People declare to have suffered on-line harassment.
3. Ignore it and it’ll go away
This hardly ever works. By the identical rationale, it’s a fallacy to suppose that reporting bullying habits will solely make it worse. The truth is, typically making an attempt to disregard it may possibly truly embolden the bully in the event that they consider their actions are having an impression. As this woman wrote on the Unicef web site, solely by taking concerted motion and difficult the bully immediately can there be hope of decision.
4. My youngster will inform me if there’s one thing unsuitable
In case your youngster is trustworthy and open with you 100% of the time, you’re a fortunate mum or dad. Youngsters transfer by means of a number of distinct phases once they’re rising up, altering their psychological and emotional relationship with their mother and father as they go. Particularly once they transfer into the teenage years, they might be too embarrassed to let you know one thing is unsuitable, or too humiliated. They could not perceive the gravity of what’s taking place to them. Or they might fear that you simply’ll punish them or take their gadget away if they are saying one thing. Reassuring them that you’re there to help, not decide or punish, is among the finest issues you are able to do to assist them open up.
5. Take away the tech and also you remedy the issue
Cyberbullying is enabled by expertise however it actually doesn’t miraculously disappear in case you confiscate your youngster’s smartphone. In the event that they’re being bullied at college, there’ll be ample alternatives for the harassment to proceed offline. Punishing your youngster by eradicating their gadget will delight the bully, and do nothing in your relationship together with your children.
6. It’s virtually not possible to determine on-line bullies
Generally the cloak of anonymity on-line does empower bullies – simply because it allows cybercrime to thrive. However the actuality is that most bullies know their victims, whether or not they’re schoolmates, former associates or romantic companions. It’s additionally true that social media and different platforms are capable of unmask sure customers if they’re confirmed to have damaged the phrases of service by means of harassment or bullying.
7. It’s simple to identify
The problem with cyberbullying is that it occurs nearly. It doesn’t depart bodily scars, however can actually injury victims mentally. That makes issues tough for fogeys, particularly in case you discover it tough to speak brazenly together with your youngsters about emotions. You possibly can’t depend on your youngster to let you know that one thing’s unsuitable, for the explanations listed above. So you need to get higher at recognizing the warning indicators. Sudden modifications in habits, demeanor or tutorial efficiency could also be a helpful indicator. However they’re not a given. Light inquiry might also be crucial.
8. Cyberbullies are evil outcasts
When cyberbullies are lastly unmasked, the reality of their identification can usually shock family and friends. Folks can say and do issues on-line that they’d by no means even ponder in the true world. Most bullies are doing what they do as a result of they themselves have been bullied or abused, as a result of they’ve low self worth or psychological well being points, or attributable to peer strain. It’s simple to painting them because the satan, particularly in the event that they’re inflicting hurt to your youngsters. However the fact is normally extra sophisticated than that.
9. Cyberbullying causes numerous suicides
Official US knowledge notes that 14.9% of adolescents have been cyberbullied and 13.6% of adolescents have made a critical suicide try. However correlation doesn’t suggest causation. The truth is, there are a lot of the explanation why a youngster might want to finish their life, and cyberbullying might or is probably not a type of causes. At any charge, we have to be alert to the risks that persistent on-line harassment poses to essentially the most weak members of society.
10. Social media platforms are responsible
Social media and messaging platforms are sometimes demonized for the position they play as “enablers” of cyberbullying. However more and more they’re being pressured by legislators to raised police their ecosystems. The UK’s On-line Security Act, for instance, is among the most rigorous such legal guidelines on the planet, imposing a “obligation of care” on sure on-line service suppliers to make sure the wellbeing of their customers. Bullying isn’t all the time simple to identify. Context, nuance, slang and linguistic idiosyncrasies are typically tough for algorithms to detect precisely. However they’re getting higher at doing so – as they need to. At any charge, it’s important for fogeys to speak to their youngsters concerning the dangers and pitfalls of social media.
Parting thought
No mum or dad needs their youngster uncovered to cyberbullying. But when the choice is to cocoon them away with out entry to the digital world, that would do extra hurt than good. The secret is to maintain your eyes open for any warning indicators, preserve an open dialogue, and supply your emotional (and technical) help. Devise a plan and work the issue collectively as a workforce.
