Dubai

At least three in 10 students aged 11-14 will experience some form of cyberbullying in their life, as stated by the US-based Cyberbullying Research Centre. When being bullied online, 20 per cent of children think about suicide, and one in ten attempt it, as stated by the US-based CyberBully Hotline.

One such case came to light last week when 14-year-old Amy “Dolly” Everett took her own life in Australia over online bullying. Her father, Tick Everett, posted an emotional message on Facebook and even invited the bullies to her funeral.

He wrote: “If by some chance the people who thought this was a joke and made themselves feel superior by the constant bullying and harassment see this post, please come to our service and witness the complete devastation you have created.”

This case has left many parents concerned, with many asking for a ban on social media.

Shabir Zain Al Deen, a librarian based in Abu Dhabi and a father of three sons, is inclined towards stricter control, too. In his opinion, social media is like an ocean that he, and other parents, don’t have any control over.

He said: “Children can access explicit and adult content with ease, which is a very serious concern for me. Social media providers invite children to explore things and children get easily lured in.”

A poll conducted by Ipsos, a global market research firm, shows that the most widely reported vehicle for cyberbullying, 60 per cent, is social networking sites.

Thus, some control should exist, Zain Al Deen believes, and parents should keep a watch on their children’s online activity. His major concern is his children befriending dangerous individuals online.

He said: “Bullies come in disguises. I want to know who they are calling or in contact with.”

His teenage sons are not very active on Facebook. However, they use Instagram and some other platforms regularly and Zain Al Deen considers it to be a problem that he’s not entirely aware of their activities.

His concern is shared by many others, too, as statistics released by the US-based Cyberbullying Research Centre in 2015 show that one in ten parents globally have a child who has experienced cyberbullying. The most common types are mean or hurtful comments and rumours spread online. But, do children think before they post? It seems like they don’t, because the same report shows that only half of young people are aware of the fact that the things they post online could come back to hurt them later.

While children are experiencing this form of bullying around the world, it seems cyberbullying is not limited to the youngsters.

S. Mohi Al Deen, a homemaker based in Sharjah, whose full name has been withheld by request, has personally experienced such bullies online. An avid follower of news pages on Facebook, she also indulges in healthy arguments about certain political or global topics. But, a few days ago, she had an unpleasant experience.

She said: “Everyone has an opinion. But, this one person got carried away. He started calling me names and saying terrible things about my religion. He even started checking the photos on my profile and posting indecent comments. It was harassment!”

She checked his profile and contacted the organisation listed there. But, they said he didn’t work there. It seemed he was using a fake profile just to pick fights with other social media users.

Mohi Al Deen even contacted Facebook to complain about him, but they didn’t take any action and jut asked her to block him, which she did.

She said: “After this experience, I do still continue to post comments. But, I’ve started ignoring such people. I don’t let anyone affect my privacy.”

Her advice for those experiencing something similar — “stand up and talk boldly, or just block such people”.

Mahnaaz Shaikh, a business owner based in Dubai, has come across similar individuals on social media, but she doesn’t indulge.

She said: “I’ve seen a lot of arguments and mean comments. I respond to a certain extent, to provide clarification when I see people saying just one side of the story. But, after a certain point, I put an end to it because I know the bully isn’t going to accept anyone else’s views. They are only trying to argue, not seeking an explanation.”

As long as things are not getting personal and nobody is contacting you on your page, Shaikh believes one should stand up against such bullies and put their point across. But, if a person resorts to “trash talk”, it’s time to stop.

She said: “You should warn them that you would report them to the police. People usually back off then.”

Sarah Nassar, a homemaker based in Dubai, spoke to Gulf News in 2015 about experiencing cyber bullying on the market pages of Facebook when trying to sell used furniture. However, three years later, things have gotten better for her.

She said: “I haven’t had any bad experiences since then. But, I have witnessed a lot of other people getting similar comments and there’s a lot of bullying on social media all over the world. You can see it every day.”

After her experience three years ago, wherein she experienced rude comments from many social media users, she has reduced her usage and online presence. Additionally, she blocks any strangers who try to befriend her on public groups.

It seems like bullies exist on all levels, be it in the real world or cyber. But, readers are finding ways of dealing with them. Have you ever experienced a bully online? Tell us how you dealt with the situation at readers@gulfnews.com.