| Bullying is no longer something that happens out in | | | | so public and because the bullies make sure they tell |
| the real world. So many more children and teenagers | | | | everyone where to find the abuse. |
| are now being bullied online through social networking | | | | Often these vicious rumours and gossip is spread by |
| sites. Here is some advice on how to prevent this | | | | people who were once your best friends so it is best |
| form of bullying. | | | | to keep secrets to yourself. |
| Your Online Friends | | | | Only tell people things if it would not embarrass you |
| If you do find yourself being bullied or harassed by | | | | if other people found out about them. Posting false |
| someone in social network you can block them or | | | | and malicious things about people on the internet can |
| delete. You can always become friends again with | | | | be harassment. |
| them later. This will stop them being able to add rude | | | | Privacy |
| comments to any pictures or videos you have | | | | The great majority of social networking sites allow |
| uploaded and prevents them from be able to post | | | | you to control who can see profile and how much of |
| abusive messages on your profile wall. | | | | your profile they can see. You may want to consider |
| Identity Theft | | | | only letting family members and closest friends see |
| Identity theft can happen on sites such as Bebo, | | | | your photo albums. You could also think about making |
| MySpace or Facebook. This happens when someone | | | | your entire profile private so that it does not appear |
| either hacks into your account or pretends to be you | | | | in search results. |
| when they set up a new account. | | | | Threats |
| Try to pick an unusual password and use letters and | | | | Anyone who makes threats to you on the internet |
| numbers. Do not use any part of your name or email | | | | could be committing a criminal offence. It is against |
| address and do not use your birth date either | | | | the law in the UK to use the phone system - which |
| because that's easy for people who know you to | | | | includes the internet - to cause alarm or distress. |
| guess. Do not let anyone see you signing in and if | | | | It could also be against the 1997 Harassment Act. If |
| they do, change the password as soon as you can. | | | | threats are made against you then it is essential you |
| If you do see that someone has created a fake | | | | tell your parents so that they can alert your school |
| account in your name report it to the customer | | | | and make a complaint to the police. |
| service department of that particular site. | | | | If you cannot print out the threats use the "print |
| Rumours and gossip | | | | screen" button to take a snapshot of the computer |
| The worst thing about social networking websites is | | | | screen and then save that in a word processing |
| that anything spiteful, malicious and/or cruel posted | | | | package or in your draft email folder. |
| about you can be seen by lots of people because it's | | | | |