Unless and until our society recognizes the effects of cyberbullying, millions will suffer in silence.
Imagine being a teenager who has to face the constant onslaught of bullying from your classmates. How would you feel? Isolated. Not only would this cause emotional distress but also leave you angry and frustrated. You would struggle to balance your mental health and your performance in school and extracurriculars. It would be devastating.
Taking place anywhere on the internet, cyberbullying follows you home.
Once posted on the internet, it stays there forever. Living in a world dominated by the internet, it holds immense power and private information once leaked, can spread in just a few seconds. Many think that their actions on the internet do not matter because they are anonymous. What they do not realize is that cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful behaviour. What they might think is a funny comment, is a criminal offence with legal repercussions.
It is important to understand how our actions affect the lives of others. Especially on the internet, due to the enormous power that is anonymity, people think that they can say horrible things. Children from a young age should be made compassionate and sensitive to other people’s feelings and should be careful about what they put online. They should also be taught to keep themselves safe online, by making their accounts private, not giving out personal information to strangers, and blocking potential bullies.
But above all, there should be open conversation about cyberbullying, and children should have safe spaces, be it with parents, teachers, or even friends, to speak about these issues and about what is bothering them.
As beautiful and useful the internet can be, it can also bring out the worst in people. Today, the internet is power, and can be used for good or bad. A child born in today’s world will have the internet at their fingertips from the moment they are born.
With this great power, comes great responsibility.
Comments