Cyberbullying tips and prevention

With children having more access to the Internet and social media becoming more ingrained in our lives, cyberbullying has become a major issue in our communities that affects people of all ages.

Prevention tips

  • Teach children about online safety practices and put them into practice yourself.
  • Even if you use anti-virus software, never open links from strangers as they may contain viruses. It’s always easier to prevent getting a virus rather than trying to remove one.
  • Never send or post private information or images. Once posted, they are nearly impossible to erase.
  • Change passwords at least once a year and choose a secure password to help prevent accounts from being hacked or hijacked.
  • Sit with your children while they’re engaging in online activities and their virtual friends. It will give you something to talk about and allow you to encourage healthy friendships.
  • At home, set daily time limits for using connected devices. Keep them involved in social activities with family and friends.
  • Familiarize yourself with the websites or apps children are using. It’s important to review the privacy settings. For example, make sure location settings are turned off. The public won’t be able to determine where the child lives or places they frequent.

Awareness

  • Watch for signs of bullying. For example, behavior changes or a sudden worsening of grades.
  • If bullying happens online, keep a record of it, like a screen shot of a conversation and report it to authorities if necessary.
  • If someone is being bullied, don’t respond and block them from social media.
  • Teach children that reporting bullying will keep people safe, it should not be related to any type of punishment or the negative connotations associated with tattletales.
  • Counsellors can work with both the bully and the victim of bullying by listening to each child’s needs and working out a compromise.

Our products

TESS Counsellor System gives counsellors access to select student data, giving them an overview of their students’ progress while they’re at their desk.

WebTESS Student Dashboard allows users to quickly view student information at a glance from any web browser.