Cyberbullying

Ali bin Mohammed Al-Ghamdi

Practicing harm and moral or physical intimidation through intimidation or defamation and causing psychological harm to others is known as bullying, a term that linguistically comes from the word “tiger” the predatory animal when it acts aggressively. As for “electronic bullying”, it is represented in verbal assault via the Internet through the use of digital channels such as social media, mobile messages or electronic gaming platforms in deliberately harming an adult or child repeatedly and aggressively by spreading lies and rumors about him and publishing embarrassing pictures of him, impersonating him or sending offensive messages to others in his name, or even blackmailing and violating his privacy.

Although the Internet is a rich source of useful content, its misuse in an incorrect and unsafe manner may turn it into a dangerous environment, especially with the spread of the phenomenon of cyberbullying, which causes psychological and health damage and personality problems, and its symptoms may reach a decrease in the level of academic achievement or job performance of the victim, as well as loss of interest in hobbies and favorite activities that he loved and practiced, and avoiding attending social events in addition to other health symptoms such as feeling tired, insomnia, loss of appetite, colic and headaches, as well as a sudden significant increase or decrease in the use of devices and noticing the frequent hiding of their screens, closing personal accounts on social networking sites or creating new accounts without justification, and the matter may worsen and lead, God forbid, to suicide.

As for the perpetrator who carried out the bullying, the harm may become a permanent behavioral pattern in his personality, which makes him hostile to society and pushes him to commit crimes and practice violence against his family or peers.

The best way to deal with bullying is not to respond or deal with the perpetrator because it will increase their aggression. Instead, keep pictures of the comments and threats as evidence to present to the competent authorities, and take quick and appropriate action by contacting the National Center for Mental Health Promotion on (920033360) or by requesting psychological counseling through their “Qariboon” application, in addition to reporting through the “We Are All Security” application if necessary.

As for children, they can contact the child support line “116111” or talk to a parent or student supervisor at school to provide advice and inform them of the correct procedure. Preventing bullying is very important. For adults, you should be careful and ensure that any content is correct and appropriate before posting it on social media because it will remain on the Internet forever. Also, do not give any personal details such as your address or phone number to any untrusted party or person. Make sure of the privacy settings of social media applications and sites, and be careful when participating in any promotions or prizes. In addition, create a strong password, activate the two-factor authentication feature to log in to social media accounts, use anti-hacking programs, and do not enter suspicious sites or click on links from unknown people or parties.

As for children, the prevention process begins with parents, as they should allocate sufficient time during the day to sit with their children and discuss their experiences on the Internet, and refrain from posting embarrassing clips or photos of them and their children, and not allow children to photograph themselves and their families and display them on social media platforms. Children’s use of the Internet should also be monitored and under the supervision of a parent, with care taken to adjust age settings and appropriate content, in addition to the important role of the school in directing victims towards behavioral psychological treatment and the need to launch awareness campaigns on how to deal with bullying and report it.