Cyberbullying is willful and repeated harm (such as harassing, humiliating, or threatening text or images) inflicted through the internet, interactive technologies, or mobile phones. 43% of teens aged 13 to 17 report that they have experienced some sort of cyberbullying in the past year.

June is National Internet Safety Awareness Month. All month, we will share ideas on how to keep the internet a safe resource for you and your family. See other articles about online safety.

From Internet Safety 101:

Gone are the days when a child’s home is a refuge from playground or neighborhood bullies. The internet is the new playground, and there are no off-hours. Tech-savvy students are turning to cyberspace to harass their peers using a new method of bullying—cyberbullying.

The popularity of instant messaging, e-mail, web pages, text messaging, and blogging means that kids are potential targets—all day, every day. Victimization on the Internet through cyberbullying is increasing in frequency and scope. Electronic bullies can remain “virtually” anonymous. Temporary e-mail accounts and pseudonyms in chat rooms, instant messaging programs, and other Internet venues can make it very difficult for adolescents to determine the identity of aggressors. Individuals now have the ability to hide behind some measure of anonymity when using their personal computer or cellular phone to bully another individual.

Visit Internet Safety 101 to learn more about the following topics:

• Cyberbullying Safety Tips
• Statistics
• Cyberbullying – A Closer Look
• Helpful Parent’s Guides
• Cyberbullying Resources
• Cyberbullying Tactics
• Responding To Social Media Attacks

Watch the Church’s video “Bullying – Stop It.”

What forms of cyberbulling have you seen and what have you found helpful to stop it?