Stop Cyberbullying: Protect Yourself Online

How to Protect Yourself from Cyberbullying: A Comprehensive Guide

Reading time : 1 minute, Discovery Chepe Id-555-SOC
Published in 12-11-2024

Photo: Timothy Hales Bennett
The anonymity offered by digital platforms allows attackers to act with impunity, without fear of being identified or punished. This fosters an environment in which violence is normalised and becomes more frequent.

Digital violence is a form of aggression that is carried out using information and communication technologies. It manifests itself in various ways and can cause significant harm to victims, both emotionally and psychologically.

Main characteristics of digital violence:
1- Violation of rights: It is characterized by the violation of people's rights, such as privacy, intimacy and dignity.
2- Digital media: It is exercised through digital media such as social networks, email, text messages, instant messaging applications and online platforms.
3- Psychological damage: The consequences can be serious, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, fear, social isolation and, in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts.
4- Wide variety of forms: It can manifest as online harassment, cyberbullying, sextortion, dissemination of intimate content without consent, identity theft, threats, sexualized content with artificial intelligence, among others.

Cyberbullying: The Silent Epidemic

Photo: Rodion Kutsaiev

Examples of digital violence:
a) Cyberbullying: Constant and repetitive harassment through digital media, which may include insults, threats, rumors or the dissemination of false information.
b) Sextortion: Sexual extortion in which the victim is threatened with the dissemination of intimate content if he or she does not comply with certain demands.
c) Dissemination of intimate content without consent: Publication or distribution of images or videos of sexual content of a person without his or her authorization.
d) Identity theft: Use of another person's identity to commit illegal acts or cause harm.
e) Grooming: Acts of an adult who seeks to gain the trust of a minor in order to sexually abuse him or her.

Consequences of digital violence:
1- Psychological damage: Victims may suffer from anxiety disorders, depression, sleep disorders, difficulty concentrating, and problems in their interpersonal relationships.
2- Social isolation: Victims may avoid social interactions for fear of further aggression.
3- Academic problems: Digital violence can affect young people's academic performance.
4- Legal problems: In some cases, digital violence can have legal consequences, such as harassment, threats, or computer crimes.

How to prevent and combat digital violence?
1- Education: It is essential to educate people, especially young people, about the risks of digital violence and how to protect themselves.
2- Reporting: Victims must report cases of digital violence to the relevant authorities.
3- Data protection: It is important to protect personal information and avoid sharing content that could be used to violate our privacy.
4- Trust: Foster an environment of trust in which victims feel safe to talk about what they are experiencing.
5- Legislation: It is necessary to have adequate laws that allow us to combat digital violence and protect victims.

If you are a victim of digital violence, you are not alone. Seek help.