The internet has given us a lot of great things but it’s also had its downfalls, particularly when it comes to the way we treat each other online.
There’s something about the anonymity of the internet that brings out the absolute worst in people. All the trolls of the world come out to play when they think they’re invincible and it showcases a truly ugly side of human nature. The one thing most people forget, though? There’s an actual human being on the other side of the screen whose life can be completely ruined by the things you say and do. Yep, cyberbullying is unfortunately alive and well – but all hope isn’t lost.
The only way we can get better at dealing with cyberbullying is to understand exactly what it looks like and how it manifests. Once we know the behaviours to look out for, spotting and addressing them becomes a far less daunting task.
Sadly, online bullying is a phenomenon that’s grown arms and legs so there’s a lot of behaviours you should be on high alert for. Here, we’ve outlined six of the most common types of cyberbullying young people in Queensland have experienced. Find out what they are, how to spot them and what to do if you’ve fallen victim.
Social Exclusion
Being purposely excluded from a social media friendship group is just the same as being left out in the playground. It’s one of the worst feelings in the world, and an experience that leaves you feeling isolated with a shattered sense of self. Why is everyone else likeable but you’re not? And what should you be doing differently to ensure you’re ‘liked’ by everyone else? Those are just a few of the questions that’ll likely arise if you fall victim to social exclusion.
In the online world, social exclusion looks like a blocking of access to certain groups, chats and conversations. It can look like a group chat you’re refused access to, game rooms you’re blocked from and online events you never receive invitations for.
One of the worst things you can do in this situation is become aggressive towards the people excluding you. Most of the time, perpetrators are looking for a reaction, so the best approach is to simply not give them one. If possible, consider deleting and blocking the group of people who consistently leave you out. This takes the power out of their hands and removes their ability to exclude you in the first place. It’s a small way of taking back some control in a situation that makes you feel helpless.
Harassment
Harassment is one of the easiest online behaviours to spot because it’s so openly aggressive and nasty. It can look like someone leaving a nasty comment on your photo or a constant barrage of rude messages in your inbox. Any kind of online behaviour which makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe can be deemed harassment, so it doesn’t always fit neatly in a box and determined entirely by how you feel.
The first thing to do when dealing with a harasser is document all evidence of the harassment by taking screenshots. That way you have proof if you need to present evidence further down the line. Once you’ve gotten what you need, you should delete and block the offender. It’s also important to tell someone you trust about what’s happened as it can take a serious toll on your mental health – especially if the harassment has been ongoing.
Remember there’s no shame in talking about the experiences we face online. Many of us have been made to feel uncomfortable or upset at the hands of the internet, so the more we talk about it the better we get at overcoming it.
Inappropriate Photographs/ Video And Photo Shaming
Whether it’s a photo of you in an awkward situation or just an unflattering angle, sharing any kind of image without your consent is not allowed. The thought of someone exploiting our private content is sickening to say the least, but sadly it does happen and it’s a very serious offence.
According to a study by RMIT, 1 in 5 Australians have had intimate photos shared without their consent. In situations like this, it’s always better to be proactive instead of reactive. This can mean abstaining from sharing explicit content of yourself and being mindful of the platforms on which we do so. When you’re out in public, it’s also perfectly okay to tell people that you don’t want your photo taken – or that they can’t share it anywhere without your consent. It’s also worth nothing that anyone under 16 years cannot legally give consent to intimate images being taken or shared.
People who are out to treat you badly won’t always care about consent but you always have options. Depending on the nature of the content being distributed, you can start by asking the person to delete the photo – if they refuse, you can report it to the social media platform they’ve published it on or the eSafety Commissioner. If the content is explicit, you can consider pursuing legal action.
Trickery
The internet has given us the unique ability to conceal our identities, meaning that unlike anywhere else in the world, you can be whoever you want to be. For some, this might be a cool avatar on World of Warcraft, but for others it’s a lot more sinister.
Every day, millions of people are tricked into releasing personal information online which is then exploited. Sometimes it’s for criminal reasons and other times the perpetrator is trying to embarrass the victim on a public platform by sharing private and sensitive information. If it sounds super scary, it’s because it is. They didn’t create the show Catfish for no reason, this kind of thing happens all the time.
If you’re talking to someone who constantly asks for personal information or your deepest, darkest secrets – do not tell them. Even questions that seem completely innocent could have a sinister undertone so it’s important to keep your wits about you. The waters get even murkier when you befriend people that you’ve never met in person, because they could quite literally be anyone (even people you know with hidden agendas). Yep, sometimes people you know will use trickery (like pretending to be someone else) to find out personal information and use it to bully you.
The safest rule of thumb is to only engage with people online that you physically know in real life and it always pays to be extra careful. If you have something important to tell someone, try to do it over the phone or in person – especially if it contains sensitive information. Once things are written on the internet, they’re essentially immortalised so it’s important to remember that everything you write online creates a trail.
Impersonation
Impersonation is quite similar to trickery in the sense that the perpetrator will pretend to be someone they’re not. In this case however, the perpetrator isn’t pretending to be a cute girl – they’re pretending to be you. There’s a multitude of reasons someone might impersonate another, but it’s usually so they can defame the victim’s name online and ruin their reputation.
Seeing your face or name on something that isn’t yours and you don’t want to be associated with is a terrifying thought but unfortunately it does happen. Make a mental note to google your own name every now and then to ensure nobody has created a fake profile with your credentials. You should also regularly vet your friends list on all social media platforms ensure you’re only engaging with people you know and have your profiles set to private.
If you come across something that doesn’t look right, you need to flag and report the account on the relevant platform and take multiple screenshots to ensure you have evidence. It’s also important to never engage with the imposter directly, you need to leave it in the hands of the authorities. In situations like this, you can most definitely take it to the police as well if you’d like it investigated further. Impersonating people online is an absolute no-go, so you can trust it’ll be taken seriously if taken to the authorities.
Trolling
Trolling has quickly became an umbrella term for any kind of online behaviour that’s considered unsavoury. Trolls are mostly understood to be online characters whose primary goal is to start arguments by posting inflammatory comments and spreading hate.
Troll accounts are usually easy to spot because they’ll avoid using a profile picture and will have little to no followers. Why? Because the account exists solely to cause destruction so they don’t go to the hassle of creating an online presence.
As their primary aim is to get a reaction out of people, the best way to deal with online trolls is to completely ignore them. You should report and block any account who consistently posts inflammatory comments or makes you feel uncomfortable – chances are if they’re doing it to you then they’re doing it to others as well.
By now, you should have a clearer picture of what constitutes cyberbullying and how it manifests itself online. When in doubt, block the account in question and tell someone you trust about what’s gone on. There’s no shame in having a negative experience online and the more comfortable we are with talking about it, the better we get at overcoming it.
