Eight Ways to Handle Cyberbullies - The Diigo Meta page

• 24 Jul 08
  

  Anne Bubnic

  Nancy Willard and Anne Collier offer <b>eight ways to deal with cyberbullies </b> in this article. <br> 1. Identify and block. <br> 2. Set boundaries. <br> 3. File a complaint. <br> 4. Contact the school <br> 5. Send the parents a certfied "cease and desist" letter. <br> 6. Call an attorney. <br> 7. Contact the local police. <br> 8. Talk with your kids about what's acceptable. <br><br>

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  • 1. Identify and block
    First, ask your child not to respond or retaliate, no matter how tempting it may be to fight back. If you can identify who's cyberbullying your child, block any further communications.
  • 2. Set boundaries
    You, not your kids, should also contact the bully (or bullies) and demand the offending behavior stop
  • 3. File a complaint
    Most cyberbullying behavior -- harassment, threats, invasion of privacy, stalking -- are violations of a web site or Internet service provider's "terms of service."
  • 4. Contact the school
    If you know the bully attends the same school as your child, teachers and administrators might be able to help.
  • 5. Send a certified letter
    If you've done all you can and the bullying hasn't stopped, send the child's parents a certified "cease and desist" letter.
  • 6. Call an attorney
    In the worst case scenario, a lawyer can help you consider filing a civil suit against bullies and/or their parents for defamation, harassment or other causes.
  • 7. Contact the local police
    If there's any evidence that the cyberbully's tactics include criminal actions, such as hate crimes, physical threats or talk of brandishing weapons at school, contact your local police immediately.
  • . Talk with your kids about what's acceptable
    Anne Collier, editor of NetFamilyNews web site, an email newsletter about online safety for kids, says to truly stop cyberbullying, however, you have to first know what's happening when your kids are online.

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