The sick, insidious world of cyberbullying: What can be done about it?

Japan also has a major issue with conventional bullying.

Thankfully, online, you can just disconnect. Offline is tougher, often involving violence, threats, assault, pain and injury.

If someone says something nasty to you online, use the options that are available to you and block them. And if it is stressing you out, click the little 'x' top right and take some time out - read a book, bake some biscuits or walk the dog. Nobody is forcing you to go on social media and read stuff all day long.

I've been on social media since it was invented. I've used the options to limit access to my feed and I've never had any abuse on it (or seen anything unpleasant on it). I get some on forums sometimes but it doesn't bother me. I'd rather people type abuse at me on the net than relieve their frustrations by going out, getting drunk and hitting people.

If you are vulnerable to bullying, the only people you need allow to access you on social media are your friends. People who bully you are not your friends. Just block them.

you could probably just set your profiles on private or make alter egos and not use your actual name?

or maybe just log out and talk to people in your house or out in public, here in reality?

or you know, man up and not be offended by every little thing?

it's not really hard to do.

Make the sites and services where this happens liable for what they allow, sometimes against the rules they say are enforcing. If a site lets their users harass and attack people facilitate lawsuits from the victims, after a few of those users that got bullied get a bit richer thanks to these lawsuits the sites will be much more proactive at enforcing their rules and controlling the bullies.

Remove the ability for anonymity

While you and I have our differences, I agree with you 100% here.

I, myself was a victim of cyberbullying by a poster here who didn't like what I wrote on my facebook page just after Abe's assassination and took it upon himself to contact my place of work and tried to cause me problems. I doubt that person would have dared to do that if his identity was out in the open. Anonymity makes for some very bad behavior by people who wouldn't have the guts to say or do the things they do if they were not Anonymous.

And Geeter, allow me to tip my hat off to you as you like myself are one of the few posters here that use our real names. I respect you for that no matter what differences of opinion we.

Rei.

Make the sites and services where this happens liable for what they allow, sometimes against the rules they say are enforcing. If a site lets their users harass and attack people facilitate lawsuits from the victims, after a few of those users that got bullied get a bit richer thanks to these lawsuits the sites will be much more proactive at enforcing their rules and controlling the bullies.

Absolutely! I agree.

punish the bullies, plain and simple, especially those that lead to any self-harm or any form of harm to the victim. I lost a friend to bullying, I don't want to lose another one.

Starts with unmasking of fake names …. People wouldn’t act so tough if they weren’t allowed to bully behind fake everything.!. That’s what cowards do .!. They’re too afraid to attach anything real about themselves to their constant harassment of others ….

Worry about sick insidious world of physical bullying first.

The obvious answer is to not join groups on Facebook, whatsapp etc

Remove the ability for anonymity

Stay off social networks or use more private ones like Line.

"The sick, insidious world of cyberbullying: What can be done about it?"

Besides identifying and 'pacifying' all of the malignant personalities that the Human genepool creates amongst us, there would seem little that can be done to replace such pathology with altruism and kindness. And given that the largest share of Human resources, time, attention, and frequency of behavior of Mankind is devoted to preparing for and committing mass murder upon itself, 'cyberbullying' seems almost just one pustule on the face of a plague. Maybe teaching young children to not care what other people think would work for cyberbullying, but what it would do to the social structure of a community is highly questionable. Shō ga nai ne? "What a piece of work is [Man]."

As it is only virtual, bits and bytes on servers and in the cables, it is very easy to handle. Ignore it simply, by opening another website instead of intense reading , simply deleting the email or message, switching off the computer or mobile devices etc. Problems only occur because it is all considered kind and part of reality, but it’s not and the bullies only profit because they know or hope that all the victims take it for real. They just shouldn’t.

Ignore it, believing people in real you can rely on.

Cut contact with other human beings or grow a thicker skin.

Two (different) things here: punishment and anonymity. (1) Punishment for those who bully others, most of these being school related; (2) as long as some cowards(!) can remain anonymous, they will keep trying to hide themselves from their insecurities; eliminate anonymity and they won’t hide behind the screens anymore. There’s “the other side”, though; (YOUR side); (you’re the one in charge here); know your limits; know when to turn it all off. Social media isn’t the real world(!), go out, spend time with your (real) friends.

Make the bullies accountable and make the punishments heavy!