Dreamy ♥ Dollhouse

Today, I really want to talk to you guys about cyberbullying. I've personally, been bullied on the internet and at first, I didn't really know how to deal with it. I let it get to me, personally. As if, what they were saying was true even though it was incredibly false. I really let it take control of me both mentally, and emotionally. Over the past few years of my time on the internet, I've learned how to deal with it. I'm going to try my best to teach you all how to deal with cyberbullying, as well. 

note: This is how I have learned to deal with cyberbullying & how I interpret bullying as a whole. In no way am I saying everyone deals with things or interprets things the same way that I do. ♥

Cyberbullying has subsequently been defined as "when the Internet, cell phones or other devices are used to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person"

The question is, why do people bully others? In my opinion, people bully others because they have previously been bullied, themselves, OR the bully has their own personal problems and doesn't know how to deal with them. So, the person lashes out and takes out all their frustrations on other people.  

What should you do if you're being bullied? I have gotten a lot of anonymous hate messages, online. I found out that, the more you respond, the more agitated & upset you become and that's just what the bully wants. To see a reaction out of you. So, honestly? I find it best if you just completely ignore the person who is sending you hate. If it becomes persistent, or even if it's just really bothering you, block the person who is sending you hate.

Every single website you use has an option to block, report, or ignore people. Those options are there for your safety. 

What can you do if you do all these things and you're STILL getting hate messages? Some people are very persistent and will find any way to hurt you. It's really sad, but true. If this is the case, here's what you can do:

Turn off the anonymous, option. More than likely, the person bullying you, won't show their face. People feel comfortable sending hateful messages because no one can see them. So, just turn off the anonymous option. It's really easy and takes only a minute or two.

Tell a parent or guardian. Cyberbullying is ILLEGAL and a person or person(s) can be prosecuted for bullying. 

Legal definition

Cyberbullying is defined in legal glossaries as

• actions that use information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm another or others.
• use of communication technologies for the intention of harming another person
• use of internet service and mobile technologies such as web pages and discussion groups as well as instant messaging or SMS text messaging with the intention of harming another person.

Examples of what constitutes cyberbullying include communications that seek to intimidate, control, manipulate, put down, falsely discredit, or humiliate the recipient. The actions are deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior intended to harm another. Cyberbullying has been defined by The National Crime Prevention Council: “When the Internet, cell phones or other devices are used to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person."^[1][2]

A cyberbully may be a person whom the target knows or an online stranger. A cyberbully may be anonymous and may solicit involvement of other people online who do not even know the target. This is known as a 'digital pile-on.'^[3] 

^{(via Wikipedia)} 

If you have a serious bullying problem, it's best to let someone know. Bullying is no joke and can really hurt people both emotionally, and mentally. Some people have even gone as far as taking their own life because of bullying. It's ridiculous how people aren't aware of how much someone can be affected by bullying.

What can you do to protect yourself? As I've said before, I've been a victim of cyberbullying, myself. It has become a really big problem for me. So, to protect myself I track everyone who visits my blog or sends me messages. 

http://statcounter.com/

Is a website where you can track people who visit your page. It doesn't give names or personal information of the people who are sending you messages but, it does tell you their location and IP address.(What is an IP address?) It's 100% free to sign-up and use Stat Counter and it's easy to add to your website or webpage. Simply follow the directions on Stat Counter when you finish the sign-up process. 

Anyone can stop cyberbullying from getting worse. If you see someone getting bullied online, stand up for them! Tell them that they should just ignore what the people are saying and turn off the anonymous option. I'm telling you, once they can't hide, they won't harass you anymore. (at least not 98% of the time.) Most importantly, 

Treat others the way you want to be treated. Don't bully people because it will get you no where and it will do no good. If you're having a bad day and you don't know how to deal with it, don't take out your frustrations on other people. Talk to someone, anyone! A friend or family member. Seek professional help if need be. But, don't bully. We have enough negativity in the world so it's best to just keep a good & positive attitude and be nice to people. Everything comes around full circle!

I hope you enjoyed my post! If you liked this post or have any ideas on what I should make a post on, let me know in the comments!