Expert gives advice on protecting a child from online bullying

Cyberbullying can be called one of the most dangerous threats a child can face on the Internet. The main danger is that it is difficult for a parent to prevent bullying on the Web. Svetlana Mikhailova, a specialist in socially significant projects "Where are my children" told "Izvestia" on February 11.

"It is important to discuss a possible problem with the child and to spell out that it is absolutely normal to turn to a parent in such a situation. After all, asking for help is not a weakness, but a decision of an adult in trouble. During the conversation with the child it is important to show him that the parent is an island of safety," the expert explained.

According to her, a calm and balanced reaction of a parent shows children that everything is fixable. It is equally important to say that he is not guilty of anything and what is happening to him is really bad and he has every right to express the feelings and emotions he has because of this situation.

The expert noted that if bullying occurs in a game or in an application, the support service should be notified and the offenders should be blocked immediately. It is also not superfluous to limit the circle of persons who have access to the child's page in social networks.

"Take screenshots, record the screen so that you can see the address of the page and the names of the offenders, save correspondence. This will be needed if the aggression crosses acceptable boundaries (for example, the child will receive threats) and police assistance will be needed. "A cyberbully under the age of 16 cannot be held administratively or criminally liable, but he or she faces being placed on the police register and having a serious conversation with parents," she added.

Among children, cyberbullying is often a continuation of bullying at school, the expert said. In this case it is necessary to talk to the class teacher, parents of the offender or school psychologist. Bullies often feel ashamed when adults find out about their actions. The first reaction is to delete everything written. Here parents will also benefit from screenshots, which will serve as proof of guilt.

"69% of Russian schoolchildren have experienced bullying on the Internet. Most often the aggressor was someone they knew and cyberbullying was only a consequence of bullying in real life - 64% of respondents said this. That's why it is so important to discuss with your child everything that happens in his life, and in time to notice the alarm bells. The main task of a parent is to do everything to ensure that the child does not encounter cyberbullying again," summarized Mikhailova.

Earlier, on January 21, "Izvestia" got acquainted with the research of the analytical center of the National Agency for Financial Research (NAFI), where it was reported that two-thirds of the surveyed Russians (63%) have encountered insults and rudeness on the Internet. It was noted that men (67% vs. 60% of women), as well as young Russians under 24 (76%), who are more actively involved in discussions or arguments on the Internet, are the most frequent targets of insults.