How to prevent cyberbullying

Watch closely. Take a closer look at the emotional state of the children, as some of them may have difficulty expressing their anxiety.

Signs to watch out for:

• the fear of going to school or going out into the yard
• the anxiety and / or excitement in the child
• a few friends at school or outside of school
• a sudden loss of the friends
• loss or disappearance of the clothing, electronics or other personal items
• low academic performance
• They often ask for money
• Missing the class or calling from school to be allowed to return home
• Striving to stay close to the adults
• Poor sleep and nightmares
• Complaints of headaches, abdominal pain or other physical ailments
• Bad mood after spending time on the Internet
• Becomes unusually secretive, especially when it comes to the online experiences
• Aggression or outbursts of anger.

• Teach your children about cyberbullying. By knowing what cyberbullying is, your child will be able to recognize it more easily.
• Talk openly and often with your children. The more you talk to your children about bullying, the easier it will be for them to tell you if they see or experience it. Inquire daily about your kids' time at school and their internet time. Ask not only about their classes and activities, but also about their feelings.
• Help your child become a role model in the fight against cyberbullying. There are three participants in cyberbullying: victim, cyberbullying and eyewitness. Even if the children are not victims of cyberbullying, they can play an important role in preventing cyberbullying by being respectful and kind to their peers. If a child witnesses cyberbullying, he or she can intercede for the victim, provide support and/or publicly condemn such behavior.
• Help your child develop self-confidence. Encourage your child to sign up for their favorite activities, join their favorite activities in your community. This will also help build trust and also build a group of friends with common interests.
• Be a role model for them. Show your child the importance of being kind and respectful towards other children and adults by doing the same with people around you, including standing up for the person who has been abused. The children look at their parents and often project their behavior into their own actions.
• Become part of their online experience. Check out the online platforms your child uses. Warn her / him about the various risks that he or she may face on the Internet.

The Law "On Mass Media" has been supplemented with a new article 18-4 "Statements on the consideration of the facts of cyberbullying on Internet resources in relation to a child".

According to this article, a citizen or a legal representative of a child, in case of detection of cyberbullying facts against a child, has the right to apply in writing or in the form of an electronic document to the authorized body - the Ministry of Information and Social Development with a statement about the facts of cyberbullying committed against a child, indicating the name of the Internet resource in which illegal actions occur. A statement on the facts of cyberbullying against a child is being considered by an expert group established at the MISD.

• Be polite and kind while online. Support your peers by sending them positive messages, a smile, or a high-five symbol
• Check your settings and your passwords: is your password 12345? Did you share this with a friend? Who can see what you post online? When was the last time you viewed your privacy settings
• Talk about it. If you feel that you are being bullied, that you are a victim of cyberbullying, contact someone you trust.
• Show support. If you think you've seen someone being bullied, don't be silent about it. Reach out to that person and show your support. Your words can make a difference
• If you feel that your behavior towards someone falls under the bullying category, you can make changes. Stop bullying. Stop and ask someone for support. Be kind, be the hero of today
• Before accepting a friend request, you should take a look at their profile and try to find out who they are. Remember, sometimes people pretend to be someone they are not and it is difficult to know if they are telling the truth.
• Do you have mutual friends? Are you from the same city? Don't feel it necessary to accept random friend requests. Check your privacy settings so people you don't know don't see any information you don't want them to see
• Do not spread rumors or share harmful or embarrassing stories or photos. What may seem like a harmless joke to one person can be deeply hurtful to the others.
• Think twice before pressing the submit button, especially if you are upset or angry. Once you've shared a message, photo, or video, it's hard to control what happens to it. It is almost impossible to undo this action.

And remember that you have the right to privacy just like everyone else. You cannot log into other people's accounts or use their phones without their permission.

Cyberbullying is digital bullying and bullying.

It can take place on social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, and mobile phones.

These are recurring episodes, the purpose of which is to scare, anger, or dishonor those who are being stalked.

Bullying can have detrimental and long-term consequences for the children.

In addition to the physical consequences (sleep disturbances, headaches), the children can experience the emotional and mental health problems, including the depression and anxiety, which can lead to the poor school performance.

The Law of May 3, 2022 "On Amendments and additions to some legislative acts on the protection of the rights of the child, education, information and informatization" introduced the concepts of "bullying (bullying), cyberbullying" into the Laws "On the Rights of the Child in the Republic of Kazakhstan" and "On Education".

The authorized body for the development and approval of Rules for the prevention of bullying (bullying) of a child is the Ministry of Education.