Administrators, trusted adults, and parents should advise students:

• To never share passwords, personal data, or private photos online.

• To think about what they are doing carefully before posting and by emphasizing that comments cannot be retracted once they are posted.

• That personal information revealed on social media can be shared with anyone including parents, teachers, administrators, and potential employers. Students should never reveal information that would make them uncomfortable if the world had access to it.

• To consider how it would feel to receive such comments before making comments about others online.

• Targets should be encouraged to tell parents or a trusted adult. Targets should be encouraged to talk to someone at school such as a counselor, teacher, nurse, coach, or principal. Targets should be assured they do not have to deal with cyberbullying alone.

• In order to secure evidence of cyberbullying for reporting purposes, targets should be encouraged to save all communications, including emails, posts, screenshots, and messages, and not to delete them.

• Targets should be encouraged to report to social media sources any harassing comments, inappropriate photos or information, or fake profiles.

• Social media has been a source of bullying and conflicts that can carry over into the school setting and contribute to an emotionally or physically unsafe environment. When this occurs, school administrators are obligated to take action.

• School administrators need to provide assistance to students who are bullied online.

  • By encouraging students not to share, “like,” or participate in online bullying.

  • By encouraging students to report the incident(s) to a trusted adult.

  • By encouraging students to reach out to targets of bullying and respond with positive support

Online behavior through social media channels has been a growing source of bullying and conflicts that carry over into the school setting, which can contribute to an environment that can be emotionally or even physically unsafe. When this occurs school administrators are obligated to take disciplinary action.

Parents should be aware that bullying may occur on social media. The following are possible forums for social media bullying:

• Internet websites with free registration and ease of registration

• Internet websites offering peer-to-peer instant messaging

• Internet websites offering comment forums or sections

• Internet websites offering image or video posting platforms

Here are additional resources for protecting students online: