“Being cautious about disclosing personal information on social media is crucial to prevent cybercriminals from using it for unauthorized access or to exploit us in real-life situations”
An increase in incidents like cyberbullying has taken place with the rapid development of the digital world. Cyberbullying is the term for online harassment that includes threats, abuse, and harm to another person. This action involves reaching specific individuals or groups on social media through emails or apps for chatting. The sending of negative messages, creating rumors, sharing humiliating content, and pretending to be someone else are just a few examples of the many different ways that cyberbullying occurs. The effects of cyberbullying can be severe, causing the victim to experience trauma, emotional pain, and a decline in their general well-being. They might experience social isolation, low self-esteem, anxiety, or depression. Also, cyberbullying can impact a victim’s academic performance. The victim might have trouble focusing and be unmotivated. It is essential to understand the negative effects of cyberbullying and take action to stop it. Some things can be done to prevent it, such as increasing awareness, supporting digital education, and encouraging a safe and secure online environment.
Some steps that can be taken to protect ourselves from cyberbullying are given below:
Don’t post without thinking
The effects of our social media posts are long-lasting. It might be there due to online activity even after we delete it later. It can have an impact on our professional and personal lives, leading to real-life misunderstandings or conflicts. Is our post offensive or harmful? Does it go against our values? If so, sharing it would not be suitable. These days, to validate ourselves, we use social media to compare ourselves to others. Posts that make young people today question their values and way of life have a big impact on them.
Therefore, our posts should not lead anyone to second-guess their value. Instead, they need to be inspired. False information is being spread more frequently on social media, and this trend doesn’t seem to be going away. Additionally, we might be unintentionally causing it. Therefore, when someone asks us to share their posts, we must do it with consideration.
Don’t disclose any of your personal information
Social media is an excellent medium for making connections with people all over the world. But we must be careful about the information we share. There is a high chance that cybercriminals will use our personal information to trick us and obtain unauthorized access to our accounts if we reveal it. Furthermore, leaking information about our locations, routines, or travels could have harmful effects in the real world, such as letting criminals know when your home is empty or when you might be in a favorable circumstance. Financial loss and undesirable circumstances may result from exposing information like phone numbers or financial information. We must be very selective about what we disclose and to whom. Additionally, it can harm personal relationships or opportunities for employment if private information, posts, or photos are made public. By disclosing personal information on social media, criminals can easily manipulate us, which could result in even more abuse.
When approving friend and follower requests, be careful
We must be aware that the online world and the offline world are different from one another. We run the risk of letting people who could be harmful into our circle if we accept requests without giving them time to think. Accepting friend or follower requests from strangers gives them access to our social media content, pictures, and private data, which can lead to circumstances like identity theft and fraud. One should not accept friend or follower requests without knowing a person’s intention due to the possibility that they might be spreading false information or having ill intentions. We can build lasting bonds and have meaningful interactions by being selective and approving requests only from people who share our values and interests. Accepting friend or follower requests from people with suspicious online identities or acts might affect our public image or how other people view us.
Avoid interacting with suspicious accounts in conversation
Engaging in conversation with suspicious accounts puts us at risk of security risks like hacking, fraud, or virus installation on our devices. The person behind these accounts might attempt to win our trust to obtain our personal information. They might use that information against us, which could be a threat to both our mental and physical wellness. We might be giving them personal information without realizing it. This can lead to negative outcomes. Engaging with suspicious accounts diverts our focus and energy from other important tasks. These accounts might send us emails with potentially dangerous links and attachments. We help maintain the online community’s ethics by staying away from interacting with suspicious accounts. Avoiding interactions with false or misleading information helps prevent others from making the same mistakes or getting fooled by fraudsters. It encourages everyone to use digital devices more securely and reliably.
Put a stop to it and report
If we experience cyberbullying, we should report it and block the bullies right away. By doing this, we can prevent others from becoming the next victim. Bullies must take responsibility for their behavior and understand that it is unacceptable. The victim can create a safer online environment and lessen exposure to harmful content by blocking and reporting the offender. By speaking up against cyberbullying, we can build a safer and more pleasant online community for all. Online communities can become more unified and supportive by blocking and reporting cyberbullying. In some cases, bullies often struggle with personal problems or issues to overcome, which affects how they behave negatively. By reporting cyberbullying, experts and authorities can take action to help the bullies and the victims, focusing on the root cause and attempting to find a solution. If cyberbullying is not reported, it can make victims feel alone, helpless, and afraid to reach out for help.
Educate yourself on online safety
Today’s youth must learn about online safety. We must be aware that, besides giving people a platform to interact with one another, it also provides a path for plenty of online crimes. It allows people to behave responsibly online, make informed choices, and evaluate information discovered online. Knowing about online security helps we use the internet privately. It informs us of the dangers of revealing personal information online and encourages us to choose wisely when it comes to settings for privacy, sharing of information practices, and online actions.
The importance of maintaining a good online image is made clear in online safety education. By being aware of the possible negative impact of sharing inappropriate or harmful content, responsible online behavior is promoted. We can confidently explore the online world and reduce the risks related to our digital identities by acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills.
Passwords should be kept private.
Even the most trusted individuals should not have access to our passwords because doing so opens us up to various forms of abuse and harassment. Cyberbullies often make use of stolen or leaked passwords to disrupt someone’s privacy and share private and embarrassing information in public. By protecting passwords, people can significantly reduce the chance that such personal information will be discovered, limiting the resources available to cyber bullies. It also allows people to maintain control over their online personalities, lowers the danger of abuse and fraud, and helps in the protection of personal data. People can make their digital lives safer and lower their risk of experiencing abuse by keeping their passwords private.
Be careful when choosing which platforms to use
We must be selective about which platform to use on social media to protect ourselves from being the victim of any kind of abuse or harassment. The creation of fake platforms to trick users has increased along with the popularity of social media. Every social media platform has a special quality of its own. Some platforms might be positive and encouraging, while others might not be. It could be a red flag if a platform lacks information and fails to provide enough details about its history, ownership, and location. We must select a platform that supports a positive environment and matches our values. We should look for a platform that has committed to stopping online harassment and has made protection a top priority. We should check the platforms’ reviews to see if there have been any reports of abuse on those platforms in the past. We need to be aware of platforms that make unbelievable claims that seem too good to be true. Platforms that request a lot of personal information, and sensitive financial details, or use illegal methods should be avoided. We must know that true platforms usually have terms of service and privacy policies that are clear and reasonable.
Recognize how to use the privacy controls on each platform you use
It is essential to recognize how to use privacy controls on each platform we use. We should take time to look through the settings menu of the platform and find the privacy controls. By using privacy controls, we can choose what personal information is made public. Privacy control makes it possible for us to manage our online image and prevent unknown individuals from obtaining our personal information. We can decide what could happen by sharing any particular content publicly. We can control who can contact us, who can interact with us, and how visible our posts will be. As a result, we can avoid any unwelcome attention or negative consequences, send us friend requests, or view our personal information by modifying our settings. It gives us the power to set boundaries and make our own online spaces safer and more welcoming. Social media sites frequently change their privacy options and features. We can update our settings and make sure our privacy preferences are fresh by staying informed about these changes and becoming familiar with privacy controls.
As evidence of any cyberbullying incidents, save screenshots or saved messages
As a record of an incident of cyberbullying, we must always keep screenshots or saved messages as evidence. If we decide to take legal action against the bully, saving the evidence will help us build a solid defense. When reporting cyberbullying to the appropriate authorities or platforms, evidence that has been saved can help us have a clear understanding of what happened. It is simpler to present our case and ask for help when we have evidence that shows a timeline of that particular incident. While reporting the incident to the appropriate platform, we can present the required proof by saving the evidence, which increases the likelihood that the platform will appropriately punish the cyberbully by issuing a warning, suspending their account, or banning their account. When seeking assistance and support from parents, teachers, school administrators, or counselors, saving evidence can be extreme. It gives them an understanding of the seriousness and character of cyberbullying and offers reliable proof that will back up our claims.
