{"id":7970,"date":"2017-06-16T08:11:17","date_gmt":"2017-06-16T16:11:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/2017\/06\/16\/news-1751\/"},"modified":"2017-06-16T08:11:17","modified_gmt":"2017-06-16T16:11:17","slug":"news-1751","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/2017\/06\/16\/news-1751\/","title":{"rendered":"Tackling the myths surrounding cyberbullying"},"content":{"rendered":"

Credit to Author: Malwarebytes Labs| Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2017 15:00:52 +0000<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cyberbullying is an act most of us are familiar with. Knowing what it is, who’re involved, and its harmful effects to targets are easy enough to identify; but do you know that cyberbullying is surrounded by misconceptions, too? In this post, we have identified six of these myths, explained why they’re worth discrediting, and lastly, provided ways to nip cyberbullying in the bud.<\/p>\n

Myth #1: Bullying, whether done face-to-face or online, only negatively affects the target.<\/h3>\n

This may seem like an obvious and accepted truth; however, several medical<\/a> studies<\/a> have shown otherwise. Both the offended and<\/em> the offender experience emotional, physical, and social issues as a direct result of bullying and such effects have been consistently observed across youths in different countries, which includes headaches, recurrent stomach pains, feeling unsafe whether inside or outside the home, and difficulty sleeping at night.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most harmful consequence of being targeted, especially in the case of teens, is \u201cinternalizing problems\u201d\u2014negative self-perception, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Left untreated, these will grow worse and increase the likelihood of them developing mental health issues.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, cyberbullying has ill effects<\/a> on bystanders<\/a>\u00a0as well.<\/p>\n

Myth #2: Only kids<\/a> and teens<\/a> experience cyberbullying.<\/h3>\n

According to a survey<\/a> conducted by the Pew Research Center, 40% of adults in the United States have experienced some\u00a0form of bullying online. Forms of harassment range from name-calling, deliberate embarrassment, physical threats, to stalking.<\/p>\n

In the past, we used to hear about teachers picking on students, but now we’re as likely to read about students bullying teachers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Myth #3: The best way to beat the cyberbully is to fight back.<\/h3>\n

And by \u201cfight back\u201d, they mean \u201cbullying the bully\u201d. This may seem like sound advice from well-meaning friends or family members, but more often than not, hitting back with words may make matters worse. Those who are unable to fight back due to feelings of fear, anxiety, or powerlessness may begin blaming themselves for the bullying. It also sends the wrong message to kids and teens that out-bullying each other is the only way to stop the harassment.<\/p>\n

Myth #4: Bullying is a part of life. Get over it.<\/h3>\n

Although bullying happens both in the digital and real domains, it shouldn\u2019t be considered normal, okay, or acceptable, and telling those being harassed to \u201cget over it\u201d doesn\u2019t help the already mentally and emotionally vulnerable. Bullying, regardless of where it takes place, is a societal problem that needs to be seriously addressed, not brushed aside.<\/p>\n

Myth #5: Once the bullying stops, the life of the affected child\/person goes back to normal.<\/h3>\n

This is far from reality. According to a joint US\/UK study, people involved in bullying continue to feel and experience the effects of the act until adulthood<\/a>. The severity of these effects also depends on the person\u2019s resilience and the positive relationships he\/she has with other people. Some of the problems that can carry over to adulthood<\/a> are depression, panic attacks, and difficulties socializing.<\/p>\n

Scientists also stress the long-term effects of cyberbullying<\/a>, even if it happens only once.<\/p>\n

Myth #6: There are no laws against bullying and\/or cyberbullying.<\/h3>\n

On the contrary, the Cyberbullying Research Center<\/a> has a dedicated page showcasing US states and their bullying laws<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Prevention is always better than cure\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n

What most of us may not realize is that a number of\u00a0incidents of cyberbullying can be prevented. Here’s a few ways to tackle them:<\/p>\n