Peer abuse in new contexts

Activity

Online and offline ID

Are you the same person online and offline? How different are your online and offline personalities?

 I don't share any personal info about me online. So I am the same person.

2.1 Bullying online

Cyberbullying is often defined as bullying using electronic forms of contact such as email, chat rooms, blogs, websites, social networking sites, virtual learning environments, mobile phones etc. for repeatedly deliberate and hostile behaviour by an individual or group aiming at hurting another individual

Insafe and INHOPE work together through a network of Safer Internet Centres (SICs)across Europe, and support you to find further information on services in your country. For instance, Webwise, the Irish Internet Safety Awareness Centre, offers you this Primary Anti-Cyber Bullying Teachers’ Handbook 

Activity

Cyberbullying laws

Although it can be difficult to take legal action for some kinds of cyberbullying, many countries are introducing new legislation or amending existing laws to incorporate digital abuse and harassment online. What’s the status in your country? Try to find out the legal standards of your country related to this topic and share it here.

The legislation applied in Greece can be found on the following page:

http://www.safeline.gr/sites/default/files/Cyberbullying.pdf.

Also, there is the General Data Policy Regulation in EU law on data protection.

2.2 Impersonation

What is it?

It is the action of hijacking someone’s Facebook page when they are still logged in, but not present. It involves the unauthorised alteration of information on an individual’s online social network site. This type of bullying happens in an offline context, when the victim leaves their phone of computer unlocked, but it’s actually taking place online.

https://www.welivesecurity.com/2011/10/27/scary-halloween-cyber-pranks/

Activity

A modern form of prank or a severe violation of privacy?

It seems that the central aim of impersonation is to amuse the members of the victim’s social network. Based on this, should we consider it just a simple new form of prank or a severe violation of privacy? Share your views about this question below.

This practice can start as a joke, but it is not a joke at all. Like any form of joke, this online prank has its limits. What may be intended as a joke can have the effect of violating privacy. We should, however, treat the act based on the effect, not the intention.

2.3 Outing



What is it?


Another form of cyberbullying is the act of outing, meaning the act of sharing and publishing private information online or forwarding personal communications to people who did not mean to be the recipients. It aims at embarrassing or publicly humiliating a person through the online posting of sensitive, private or embarrassing information without their consent. As an action, it can cause real psychological damage to the people involved.














Activity




Data protection

Sometimes outing can happen due to our negligence to protect our personal data. How can you raise awareness of data protection in your classroom?




It is necessary to constantly repeat the rules of conduct on the internet and teach them.  We need to raise awareness on the repercussions of making ourselves public. We need to teach pupils about the importance of conducting ourselves ethically online and that decisions made at a young age can have severe repercussions ever some years later. I think that it all boils down to educations and to make pupils aware in terms of statistics about the effects of being online.





2.4 Faking






The problem of “faking” news or information on the internet is not only concerning politicians nowadays, but it is also a phenomenon teenagers have to deal with in the context of bullying situations.

For instance, Deepfakes, a new AI-based technology that is used for producing or altering video content so that it presents something that did not in fact occur, is becoming increasingly easy to reach and use for teenagers.






How do we deal with such scenarios? A good start would surely entail teaching our students to critically evaluate all information they find online, not just in the context of recognising fake news but also for their own personal well-being. If you are unsure how to go about this, start out by taking a look at the resources and teaching materials developed by Webwise (the Irish Internet Safety Awareness Centre) which can help teachers to enable their students to be wiser and safer internet users.

Activity

Fact-finding web detectives

How could you help your students to distinguish fake from real? Think of one short activity that could help them to do so and share it here. In the context of this, think (and share) about the following question: Is it more effective if students approach this issue from a personal well-being perspective (i.e. understanding the issue as a matter of protecting themselves from harmful behaviour towards them or others) rather than in the context of political discussions about the impact of fake news, etc.? Or does this not matter?




Sometimes it is very difficult to identify fake or real news. I always say my students that they do not need to follow gossipings, and I raise the awarness with the question "what if you were in the pic or the video? would it be funny? Before sharing something they/we should look for the same information in different real sources. 




Use critical thinking, show them examples. It depends of the age of our students. In primary school we have to approach this issue from the personal perspective.




Students can learn how to distinguish real news from fake news only with examples. 

2.5 Webinar - Tackling bullying and being safe at school: Suggestions for teachers