A few weeks ago, Australian teen Chanelle Rae took her life after being harassed and bullied over the Internet by classmates.

Cyberbullying, the term given to bullying through electronic mediums, has become an increasing concern both in America and throughout the world, primarily because of horror stories like these. A child starts being harassed at school, but because of the immediacy and pervasiveness of electronic media, the bullying extends beyond the schoolyard, spilling onto social media networks, blogs, and text messages. Many teens become overwhelmed because of their inability to escape the torment, and take their own lives in despair.

While it is easy to believe that not much has changed in terms of how children interact since the dawn of time, the relatively new ease of use associated with online media, as well as the fact that it can be seen by anyone/anywhere/any time, has made bullying much more harmful and psychologically damaging than it has ever been.

The National Crime Prevention Council issued several recommendations on how to prevent and stop cyberbullying, one of which is using filtering technology:

Consider installing parental control filtering software and/or tracking programs. (Over 70 percent of teens reported to the NCPC that being able to block cyber bullies was the most effective method of prevention.)

I asked Sameer Hindjua, Ph.D., co-founder of the Cyberbullying Research Center, his thoughts on this recommendation.

We support using filtering and blocking software as a part of a comprehensive approach to online safety, but think that software filtering without active parental involvement is insufficient. If parents choose to use filters and tracking software, we encourage them to tell their children about it. Not only will this act as a deterrent, but parents can then explain why they have chosen to incorporate such controls on the computer. It is important for parents to communicate to their children that there are people in cyberspace intent on causing harm and that the software will help to keep them protected.  Open communication is key to maintaining the level of trust that children need to confide in their parents about problems they are having—online or offline.

Visit the Cyberbullying Research Center for more information.

Filed under: Internet Safety News