By Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin
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You can be the solution to the cyberbullying problem. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. RESEARCH THE PROBLEM. Spend time online to obtain a solid understanding of what cyberbullying is. Make notes on what you learn, and think about other related aspects, such as its causes and consequences. Email or call experts to learn even more about what you can do.
2. WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER. Express your concerns about the problem, share how it is affecting people you know, and encourage adults to take it seriously. You have a voice!
3. TEACH YOUR YOUNGER FRIENDS AND RELATIVES HOW TO BE SAFE ONLINE. Spend some time with friends and family members showing them how to responsibly use technology. Take a look at their social media profiles and see if they have any information posted that could be used to cyberbully them. Tell them what they should do if they are cyberbullied.
4. DEVELOP A WEBSITE, BLOG, OR FACEBOOK GROUP. Create an online resource for your friends and others in the community by summarizing cyberbullying and linking to valuable information elsewhere on the Internet. Of course, remember to give credit for information you obtained from somewhere else.
5. MENTOR YOUNGER STUDENTS. Ask your former teachers or principals from middle or elementary school if you could talk to their students about cyberbullying. Share with them your experiences and ideas on how to keep safe online, and tell them what to do if they run into trouble. They value your opinion more than you might think!
6. START A CLUB. Bring like-minded students together and brainstorm ideas to increase peer respect, condemn hate and cruelty, and make kindness go viral – all in a very cool, relevant, and powerful way. Figure out what might work, and what won’t, and get to it!
7. CREATE A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. All you need is a creative mind and your phone, digital camera, or camcorder and some editing software! Recruit some friends and make a short video to educate others. Post it on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, and share it with everyone you know!
8. BUILD AN AWARENESS OR PLEDGE CAMPAIGN. Produce creative t-shirts, buttons, pins, key chains, magnets, or bumper stickers. Raise funds by getting sponsorships from local businesses and organizations. Come up with a cool and relevant design, and a hard-hitting message!
9. REVIEW YOUR SCHOOL POLICY ON BULLYING AND CYBERBULLYING. Ask your teacher or principal for a copy of the policy and examine it carefully. Does it seem adequate to you? Does it appear to cover the types of behaviors you hear about or see at your school (or other schools)? What suggestions might you have to improve it?
10. CREATE INFORMATIVE POSTERS which can be prominently displayed throughout your school. Use vivid colors and imaginative slogans to bring attention to cyberbullying and how to deal with it.
Citation information: Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2018). Ten Ideas for Youth to Educate their Community about Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying Research Center. Retrieved (insert date), from https://cyberbullying.org/teens-cyberbullying-prevention-activities-tips.pdf
Keywords: tips, teens, cyberbullying, prevention, activities, teach, educate
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