Before, During and After

Think before you…

It is very important for you to think before you type. Although your words may seem harmless to you it can affect people even if you don’t mean it to. This is why if you are questioning yourself on should you post something or not, think about: who have you got on your social media account or to the person your texting and could it upset them? Is your post offence in any way? Or is it age appropriate? You should always remember these because whatever you post can never be completely taken down, not all copies can be deleted, so think before you type.

Who to go to if…

If you ever see something on the internet which makes you feel unconformable or unhappy you should always tell someone. Or something has happen which you are upset about, don’t keep it to yourself because people want to help you. The internet is meant to be something that you can enjoy and access freely without having to worry about cyber-bulling or nasty comments/messages. However, it is important that you tell the right people so they can help you with your problem. Firstly, who to go to if you are you are being cyber-bullied. If you are being cyber-bullied its best to firstly tell someone close to you, your parents/guardians, a close friend or maybe your teacher. However, if you feel uncomfortable with telling someone you can report it. CEOP is one way. All you have to do is ‘click CEOP’ and you can report your problem, get help or get advice.

Preventative measures that can be taken

If you take the right measures then you won’t have to worry about being in danger, being bullied or being hacked when going on the internet. Here are some of the actions you can take so you can enjoy your time on the internet or not having to worry about your child or children when they are online.

    • When adding friends on social media make sure you know this person, you have met them in real life and they are the person who they say they are.
    • Share your opinion in an appropriate way. Everyone has the right to an opinion but making sure that it is not offence in anyway or upsetting can stop arguments and disagreements which then stops any abuse that might follow.
    • Not posting or sending anything that you might want to delete when you grow up. This is important because once you send something it can’t be deleted

What to do after a situation has occurred.

Here are some key actions to take straight away if a situation has happened on social media:   (It is vital that you take action quickly so no further issues can occur.)

  • Report it! There are people who deal with issues like this every day and can deal with yours quickly and properly.
  • Tell someone. Telling someone can relieve you of stress if you have been keeping it to yourself. Moreover, by telling someone they can help you deal with the issue whether it is something you have said or something someone else has said.
  • Mostly importantly don’t be aggressive back or offence. This can get you into trouble even if it wasn’t your fault to begin with. So let adults deal with it in an appropriate manor.