Most people, young and old, can use a
computer and mobile phone these days.
Using computers, mobile phones, ‘Tablets’
(like the ipad) and the internet can be fun
and let you keep in touch with friends
and family.
But have you ever thought about what
can go wrong? Have you ever had
somebody say things or ask you things
that you didn’t like or felt awkward
about? Have you ever been made to
feel bad by what others say or do
when using the internet or mobile
phones? Have you ever been tempted
to meet or actually met somebody you
got to know over the internet
or by mobile phone?
Knowing what can go
wrong before it does can
keep you safe. Knowing
what to do when it does go
wrong can keep you safe.
When you’re safe you can
enjoy all the good stuff the
internet and mobile
phones can let you do.
Cyber bullying is when someone uses
computers, mobiles or other gadgets like
digital video cameras over the internet or
mobile networks to cause you hurt and harm.
It could be by writing things about you that
are not true or things that are private and you
don’t want anyone else to know.
It could be calling you nasty names or trying
to turn friends against you or even posting
video of you on sites like You Tube that you
wouldn’t want other people to see. This can
be very scary and make you upset, anxious
and sad.
A cyber bully can do all these things at any
time of the day, everyday if they wanted to and
they don’t have to be in front of you to bully
you. They can do it on social network sites
like Facebook, MSN Messenger, Bebo, Twitter
or by texting or phoning and on video hosting
sites like You Tube.
If it happens to you, first of all be aware
that you can do something about it.
Keep evidence of bullying. You can print
what is on screen or write it down if you
don’t have a printer. Save texts and take
note of the time the time you got the call at
and what was said. Don’t respond to the
messages or calls. This only lets the
cyber bully know that they are being
successful and are more likely to continue.
Let someone you trust know that this is
happening to you. The person you trust
could be a family member or relative,
teacher, social worker or someone on the
end of a special telephone help line or web
site, like the ones listed on the back page
of this booklet. Dealing with cyber bullies is
easier when you have help. Contact the
service provider for your social
networking site or mobile. They usually
have ways of reporting abuse of their site
and if they don’t its probably better to use
providers that do.
Social Networking Sites like Facebook, MSN
Messenger, Bebo, Twitter and others allow
you to put up (Post) information and
pictures about yourself and others so you
can share with friends. Sometimes people
post a lot of personal information. This also
means that it can be shared with the bullies
and it can go public, which means anyone
can see it. Once it goes public it is very
hard to get it back. Other could copy photos
or use your information to steal your
identity and pretend to be you. You might
allow friends to see your page but do you
know who your friends friends are? Some
people think it’s cool to have lots and lots of
friends listed on their site. Sometimes these
lists of friends can be in hundreds but ask
yourself if they really are your friends and
do you want them all to know everything
about you.
If you have an actual photograph of yourself
on your profile, change it to a graphic like a
cartoon or favourite animal or pop star.
Sometimes bullies or nasty people find others
to hassle just because of the way they look.
Don’t fill out all the information about
yourself. Your real friends already know this.
If you don’t want certain information to be
known to certain people don’t post it at all.
mobiles/sexting
Mobiles, especially ‘Smart’ phones can do a lot
more than make voice calls and send texts. They
have cameras, map positioning and internet
access. This means bullies and nasty people can
hassle you if they know your number, which they
may get from social networking sites if you post
your number there. They can also listen to your
voice messages. This is what happened in the
phone hacking scandal when newspaper
reporters listened in on celebrity voice mails. If
you have ‘Bluetooth’ and it’s not locked, it’s
possible for others to access numbers and
pictures on your mobile.
Don’t post your number on social
networking sites. Remember to change
your remote voice mail access code. You
will find out how to do this in your mobile
instruction manual or by asking your
provider customer services. Change your
‘Bluetooth’ code from the one that is set
at the factory, known as the default code
and usually is 0000.
Sexting is the term given to sending indecent
pictures of yourself or others by mobile in picture
messages. Indecent pictures can also be made
up of letters and punctuation marks and sent as
text messages. Once you’ve sent a picture you’ve
lost control over it and they could be shown to
anyone such as family, schools, employers or
passed around other young people. They might
then decide to tease or bully you about them.
Sending or keeping indecent
pictures can be a criminal
offence if the person in the
picture is underage.
Don’t send any pictures of yourself or
anyone else that could be used against
you or them. Don’t forward any pictures
to others if you receive them and don't
keep them, remember this could be a
criminal offence if they are underage.
Contact the service provider to have
unwanted pictures removed from the
networking site if they are posted and
remember to tell someone you trust
if this happens to you.
uploading video/gaming
Videos that are uploaded onto sites like You
Tube are there forever (unless taken down
by the services Provider). People who
would cause you harm could find things out
about you that you might not tell otherwise,
like what you and/or your friends look like,
where you are or things you like to do.
Nasty people could use this information to
seem as if they know you already.
Consider if the videos identify you or a
friend, where you live or the school you go to.
Don’t video yourself doing stuff you don’t
want anyone else to see. Don’t do anything
on a webcam in chat rooms, the other side
can record it. Contact the Service Provider
to remove video from their site.
Adults who are up to no good know that
lots of people play games online *Chat and
Play). These games allow players from all
over the world to speak to each other
through the game that they are playing. You
could be encouraged to do and say things
that makes you uncomfortable in order to
help you reach the next level of the game.
You could be asked to meet up to discuss
ways to play or be asked for your phone
number/email/photos and other information
that then could be used against you.
Remember it’s only a game that you are
playing, don’t get carried away playing it
so that its the only thing you think about.
Don’t use your real name or give out
details about yourself. Use a graphic
like a cartoon, object picture of something
but not a real picture of yourself.
In chatrooms you can use the computer to type to
communicate to others around the world. In some
special social networking sites you can send
instant messages to others which are just
between you and them. They can also send
messages to you. Some chatrooms allow you to
use webcams, your phone or digital cameras as a
webcam so that you can send or be sent images.
There is no way of telling if the person you talk to
is telling the truth. Even a picture or video (even
webcam footage may not be of them). Some
adults use this to make friends but want to hurt,
harm, bully, hassle and abuse you should you
arrange to meet with them.
Only talk to people you know and block
anyone you don’t know. They won’t
know that you’ve blocked them, it will
just appear offline. Save evidence of
conversations so if anything does happen
you can show it to an adult you trust.
Learn how to block and save contacts
and conversations. Don’t use web,
digital or mobile phone cameras to
send images of yourself if you are not
absolutely sure of who you are talking
to. Never arrange to meet up with
someone you don’t really know.
Eating disorder sites are often aimed at young
people and young adults and can make you think
that it is good for your looks and popularity with
friends if you are very thin. They give a false
impression of what people in general like to see
in others. They promote ways of making you eat
very little or making yourself sick after you do eat
so that you become or stay very thin.
Block these sites and use ‘filtering’
programmes on your computer. If
you don’t know how to do this ask
an adult or friend you trust. If you feel
that this might affect you contact your
General Practitioner (GP) or an adult
you can trust.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this
booklet, talk to a person you can trust. This could be
someone in your family, somebody that cares for you,
a relative, a teacher or a social worker. You can also
talk to Childline by phoning 0800 1111 or go online at
www.childline.org.uk
You can report bullying and online abuse to The Child
Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) at
www.ceop.police.uk