1. WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW
CYBER BULLYING
Presented by Jill Sooy

2. What is Cyber Bullying?
 Cyber bullying involves sending or posting
harmful or cruel text or images using the
Internet (instant messaging, e-mails, chat
rooms, or social networking sites) or other
digital communication devices such as cell
phones. It can involve stalking, threats,
harassment, impersonation, humiliation,
trickery, and exclusion.

3. The Facts:
 93% of teens 12-17 go online
 63% of online teens go online daily
 89% on online teen go online from home, and most of
them go online from home most often.
 77% go online at school
 71% go online from friends or relatives homes
 60% go online from a library
 27% go online from their mobile phone
 76% of household with teens go online via broadband,
10% via dial up, and 12% do not have access at home.

4. Teen Connections
 75% of teens have a cell phone
 No gender or race/ethnic differences in ownership
 50% of teens with phones talk to friends daily
 54% of teens send test messages daily
 27% use their phone to go online
 73% of teens use an online social network site
 37% of SNS users send messages through social
networks daily
 80% of teens have a game console
 51% of teens have a portable gaming device
 Teens connect and interact with others online through games

5. Bullying Statistics
 42% of kids have been bullied online. 1 in 4 have
had it happen more than once.
 35% have been threatened. Nearly 1 in 5 have
had it happen more than once.
 21% have received mean or threatening e-mail.
 53% admit having said something hurtful to
another person online.
 58% have not told their parents about something
hurtful done to them online.
 Based on 2004 i-SAFE survey on 1500 students in grades 1-4

6. Quiz for Parents
 Do you know what this means?
WUF
RUUP4IT
PAW
P911
MOTOS
IPN

7. What Parents Can Do to Help
 Talk with kids about risks of the Internet
 Learn what kids are doing on line and keep
track of online behavior
 Become familiar with sites kids visit (My
Space, Facebook,Twitter, etc.)
 Remind them to never give out personal info
 Remind kids they should never meet face-to-
face with someone they meet online.

8. Continued…
 Share examples of inappropriate incidents
that can happen online
 Communicate online rules to kids and enforce
rules with consequences
 Keep computers in a place where online
activity is hard to hide
 Explain that cyber bullies aren’t always
anonymous; they can be traced and located
 Use parental controls & tracking programs

9. What To Do if
Your Child is Bullied
 Be aware of warning signs
 Reluctance to use the computer
 Change in mood or behavior
 Reluctance to go to school
 Poor school performance
 Be alert that your child could be bullying
others
 Document any bullying

10. What To Do Continued…
 Tell child you won’t blame them if bullied.
 One main reason kids don’t tell adults is fear of
losing computer privileges
 Contact the school to seek help from school
psychologist, counselor, and principal
 File a complaint with the web site, ISP, or cell
phone company
 Contact the police if the cyber bullying
includes threats

11. What Kids Need to Know
 Never give out personal information online
 Do not tell anyone you password, even
friends
 Do not retaliate
 It can escalate the harassment & make it unclear
who was the aggressor
 Tell the bully to stop or ignore
 Make hard copies
 Show and adult before deleting anything

12. Continued…
 Block future communication and clean up
buddy lists
 Do not say anything online you are not
comfortable having other people know
 If a friend cyber bullies, tell them to stop

13. School Response
 Incorporate cyber bullying into all relevant
school policies
 Bullying
 Harassment
 Internet and cell phone policies
 Determine the extent of cyber bullying in the
school population
 Educate staff members, students, and
parents about cyber bullying

14. School Response continued…
 Closely monitor students’ computer use at
school. Use filtering and tracking software.
 Teach student internet safety
 Investigate all reports of cyber bullying NOW
 Support student who are victims
 Understand legal obligations and restrictions
 Contact police if acts involve threats,
extortion, harassment, or hate crimes

15. Cyber Bullying Effects
on Health
 Sleep disturbances
 Feelings of sadness or anger
 Stomach pain
 Headaches
 Anxiety
 Depression
 Substance abuse
 Suicidal thoughts

16. Cyber Bullying Effects on
School Performance
 Absenteeism
 Behavior problems
 Lack of confidence
 Declining performance in the classroom
 Limited goals for the future and decreased
desire to do well

17. Conclusion
 Ryan Halligan’s story and short video clip
 FinalThoughts
 Questions and Answers