Category: Prevention

• Never accept a friend or network requests from unfamiliar people.
• Use the “mom” principle: Do not post or share photographs or movies that you would not be willing to share with your mother, father, or another important caregiver.
• Follow the “forever” principle: Assume that everything you put online will be there forever.
• Follow the “no privacy” principle: Assume that everyone can access information about you in cyberspace.
• Follow the “ex” principle: Would you be okay with your ex-boyfriends or girlfriends having access to content that you are planning to share?
• Block threatening or questionable people from seeing your profile and personal information.
• Do not post provocative, scandalous, or inflammatory remarks online.
• Do not reply to or retaliate against incidents of cyberbullying.
• Regularly change passwords to sites and applications, and immediately delete profiles that have been hacked.
• Avoid sites, networks, and applications that have poor security, provide easy access to personal information or encourage interactions among strangers.
• Ensure that information is approved before it is posted or shared socially.
• Limit involvement in social networking to a few familiar sites.
• Avoid joining sites that do not have adequate privacy settings.
• Never engage in sexting (sharing pictures or messages that have private sexual content).

Some of the warning signs that a teenager may be involved in cyberbullying are:

• Noticeable increases or drops in the computer or mobile phone use, like texting.
• A teenager exhibits emotional reactions to what is happening on their device (laughter, anger, upset).
• When others are near, a teenager hides their screen or device and avoids discussion about what they are doing on their device.
• Accounts on social media are shut down or new ones appear.
• A teenager, even those which have been enjoyed in the past, begins to avoid social situations.
• A teenager becomes frustrated or withdrawn or lacks interest in groups and activities.