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Harassment and Cyberbullying

United States

What is Harassment & Cyberbullying?

Harassment is when someone persistently troubles or attacks another. Online, this is called cyberbullying and is commonly seen in text comments, messages and videos. People who harass others are usually doing this to get attention or reactions from others online or in real life. Harassment can be mildly annoying or can pose very serious safety issues. It's important to know the differences between the two to know when you should just ignore the user or report to a trusted adult or authorities.


How can I stop Harassment & Cyberbullying?

Not everyone online is nice. Comments can get pretty rough sometimes. One thing nearly all haters have in common is that they are trying to get a reaction out of you. If a user's comments are bothering you, it's probably not a good idea to reply back. Instead, try deleting the comments and blocking the user so they can't view your other videos or leave more comments. You can also turn comments off for any video or manage comments by requiring pre-approval before they get posted.

Sometimes criticism and insults can escalate into more serious forms of harassment and cyberbullying. If specific threats are made against you and you feel unsafe, tell a trusted adult, or report to your local law enforcement.


Why should I stop or prevent Harassment & Cyberbullying?

When you learn to help yourself, you can help to show others how to stop harassment and bullying. When we all fight against this bad behavior, we create a better environment for users to interact and share videos with each other.

description Help and Safety Tool


Tips for preventing cyberbullying from the National Crime Prevention Council:

Being a victim of cyberbullying can be a common and painful experience. Some who cyberbully:
Pretend they are other people online to trick others
Spread lies and rumors about victims
Trick people into revealing personal information
Post mean comments
Film victims without their consent

Here are some ways that you can help prevent cyberbullying on YouTube:
Refuse to post or pass along cyberbullying videos and messages
Tell friends to stop cyberbullying
Block communication with cyberbullies
Report cyberbullying to a trusted adult
Flag cyberbullying videos for review by the YouTube team

The National Crime Prevention Council's Ad Council campaign is designed to counteract bullying at a young age by encouraging victims, witnesses and parents to take action to prevent the problem. Visit their site to learn more about cyberbullying.


FAQ:

Q: What does the Help & Safety Tool do?
A: The Help & Safety Tool is designed to help you remove content on your own, learn how to block other users, and if appropriate, report to the YouTube Team.

Q: What sort of content should be reported through the Help & Safety Tool?
A: As mentioned in this article, knowing the difference between someone being rude and someone actually harassing you is important. If someone is being rude, or making comments you don't like, it's best to ignore them, block them, remove the comments if possible, and move on.

If someone is making comments on your channel or videos, remove the comments, block and ignore the user. If someone is making comments on other people's videos or channels, and it has crossed the line from rude comments to truly harassing comments, we'll investigate if reported through the Help and Safety Tool.



United Kingdom

What is Harassment & Cyber Bullying?

Harassment is when someone persistently troubles or attacks another. Online, this is called cyber bullying and is commonly seen in text comments, messages and videos. People who harass others are usually doing this to get attention or reactions from others online or in real life. Harassment can be mildly annoying or can pose very serious safety issues. It's important to know the differences between the two to know when you should just ignore the user or report it to a trusted adult or the authorities.


How can I stop Harassment & Cyber Bullying?

Not everyone online is nice. Comments can get pretty rough sometimes. One thing nearly all haters have in common is that they are trying to get a reaction from you. If a user's comments are bothering you, it's probably not a good idea to reply. Instead, try deleting the comments and blocking the user so that they can't view your other videos or leave more comments. You can also turn comments off for any video or manage comments by requiring pre-approval before they are posted.

Sometimes criticism and insults can escalate into more serious forms of harassment and cyber bullying. If specific threats are made against you and you feel unsafe, tell a trusted adult or report it to your local police.


Why should I stop or prevent Harassment & Cyber Bullying?

When you learn to help yourself, you can help to show others how to stop harassment and bullying. When we all fight against this bad behaviour, we create a better environment in which users can interact and share videos.

description Help and Safety Tool


Tips on dealing with cyberbullying from Beatbullying:

If you’re being cyberbullied, the most important thing to do is tell someone you trust! If you’re under 25, and want to talk to someone your own age, you can get support and advice directly from CyberMentors at www.cybermentors.org.uk.

CyberMentors are young people who’ve been trained to give online advice and support to other young people who are being bullied or cyberbullied. They’ll listen and chat to you confidentially if you want to talk to someone, and they’re also supported by professional counsellors just in case.

What else to do if you are being cyberbullied or harassed online:
Report any cyberbullying, whether it’s targeted at you or not, and flag it up to the YouTube team. Block those users too.
Never respond or retailiate, as this can just make things worse. It might be difficult, but try to ignore the bullies.
Save and print out any bullying messages, posts, pictures or videos you receive or see.
Make a note of dates and times of bullying messages, along with any details you have about the sender’s ID.
Don’t pass on cyberbullying videos or messages – that makes you as bad as the cyberbully.
If you’re being bullied repeatedly, think about changing your user ID, nickname or profile.
Finally... if you think that someone else is being cyberbullied, don’t ignore it. If you see cyberbullying going on, report it and offer your support – tell them about CyberMentors.

Stay safe online using these tips for preventing cyberbullying:
Don’t post personal information online.
Don’t let anyone know your passwords.
Think carefully about what you say before you write or post anything online.
Respect other people’s views – just because you don’t agree with them, it doesn’t mean that you have to be rude or abusive.
Google yourself every now and again. It will show you what is online about you and what others can see – and you can make changes if you don’t like what you see!

FAQ:

Q: What does the Help & Safety Tool do?
A: The Help & Safety Tool is designed to help you remove content on your own, learn how to block other users and, if appropriate, report issues to the YouTube Team.

Q: What sort of content should be reported through the Help & Safety Tool?
A: As mentioned in this article, knowing the difference between someone being rude and someone actually harassing you is important. If someone is being rude or making comments that you don't like, it's best to ignore them, block them, remove the comments if possible and move on.

If someone is making comments on your channel or videos, remove the comments, block and ignore the user. If someone is making comments on other people's videos or channels and it has crossed the line from rude comments to truly harassing comments, we'll investigate, if it is reported through the Help and Safety Tool.



Canada

What is Harassment & Cyber Bullying?

Harassment is when someone persistently troubles or attacks another. Online, this is called cyber bullying and is commonly seen in text comments, messages and videos. People who harass others are usually doing this to get attention or reactions from others online or in real life. Harassment can be mildly annoying or can pose very serious safety issues. It's important to know the differences between the two to know when you should just ignore the user or report it to a trusted adult or the authorities.


How can I stop Harassment & Cyber Bullying?

Not everyone online is nice. Comments can get pretty rough sometimes. One thing nearly all haters have in common is that they are trying to get a reaction from you. If a user's comments are bothering you, it's probably not a good idea to reply. Instead, try deleting the comments and blocking the user so that they can't view your other videos or leave more comments. You can also turn comments off for any video or manage comments by requiring pre-approval before they are posted.

Sometimes criticism and insults can escalate into more serious forms of harassment and cyber bullying. If specific threats are made against you and you feel unsafe, tell a trusted adult or report it to your local police.


Why should I stop or prevent Harassment & Cyber Bullying?

When you learn to help yourself, you can help to show others how to stop harassment and bullying. When we all fight against this bad behaviour, we create a better environment in which users can interact and share videos.

description Help and Safety Tool


Kids Help Phone



It takes courage to ask for help, especially if you’ve got a problem that has you embarrassed or worried about your safety or the safety of a friend. That’s why it’s great that there’s Kids Help Phone.

Since 1989, young people from across Canada have trusted Kids Help Phone’s professional counsellors with their questions, problems and concerns. And because the counsellors spend all day, every day, on the phone or online with kids and teens just like you, they’re very knowledgeable about the issues that are important to youth. Whatever the problem – from dating and family problems, to cyberbullying and sexual abuse – you can talk to Kids Help Phone. The counsellors will listen, provide options and support, and help you come to a solution that works for your individual situation.

Kids Help Phone is always open, and it’s always free to use. Whether you call or post a question online, you can trust that you’ll get confidential and anonymous help and hope. Kids Help Phone doesn’t trace calls or IP addresses and they don’t have call display. Kids Help Phone counsellors can also connect you to resources in your own community if you would like. So it’s a safe place to turn when you feel like there’s no one who can help.

To connect with a counsellor, you can call 1-800-668-6868 or post a question online at www.kidshelpphone.ca

Jeunesse, J’écoute



Ça prend du courage pour demander de l’aide, particulièrement si tu crains pour ta sécurité ou pour celle de quelqu’un que tu connais. C’est donc une bonne chose que Jeunesse, J’écoute soit là.

Depuis 1989, des jeunes des quatre coins du pays ont fait confiance aux intervenants de Jeunesse, J’écoute en leur communiquant leurs questions, leurs problèmes et leurs préoccupations. Étant donné que ces intervenants sont en contact permanent avec des jeunes comme toi, à toute heure du jour et de la nuit, par téléphone et par Internet, ils connaissent très bien les préoccupations des jeunes. Problèmes à l’école, problèmes familiaux, dépression, violence, etc. : quel que soit le problème, tu peux te confier à Jeunesse, J’écoute. Les intervenants vont t’écouter, te proposer des ressources et du soutien, et t’aider à trouver une solution qui convient à ta situation.

Les services de Jeunesse, J’écoute sont toujours ouverts, et c’est gratuit. Que tu choisisses d’appeler ou d’envoyer un message en ligne, sache que tu vas recevoir de l’aide et du soutien confidentiels et anonymes. Jeunesse, J’écoute ne retrace pas les appels ni les adresses IP et n’utilise pas de service d’afficheur. C’est donc l’endroit idéal où t’adresser quand tu as l’impression que personne ne peut t’aider.

FAQ:

Q: What does the Help & Safety Tool do?
A: The Help & Safety Tool is designed to help you remove content on your own, learn how to block other users and, if appropriate, report issues to the YouTube Team.

Q: What sort of content should be reported through the Help & Safety Tool?
A: As mentioned in this article, knowing the difference between someone being rude and someone actually harassing you is important. If someone is being rude or making comments that you don't like, it's best to ignore them, block them, remove the comments if possible and move on.

If someone is making comments on your channel or videos, remove the comments, block and ignore the user. If someone is making comments on other people's videos or channels and it has crossed the line from rude comments to truly harassing comments, we'll investigate, if it is reported through the Help and Safety Tool.



Australia

What is Harassment & Cyber Bullying?

Harassment is when someone persistently troubles or attacks another. Online, this is called cyber bullying and is commonly seen in text comments, messages and videos. People who harass others are usually doing this to get attention or reactions from others online or in real life. Harassment can be mildly annoying or can pose very serious safety issues. It's important to know the differences between the two to know when you should just ignore the user or report it to a trusted adult or the authorities.


How can I stop Harassment & Cyber Bullying?

Not everyone online is nice. Comments can get pretty rough sometimes. One thing nearly all haters have in common is that they are trying to get a reaction from you. If a user's comments are bothering you, it's probably not a good idea to reply. Instead, try deleting the comments and blocking the user so that they can't view your other videos or leave more comments. You can also turn comments off for any video or manage comments by requiring pre-approval before they are posted.

Sometimes criticism and insults can escalate into more serious forms of harassment and cyber bullying. If specific threats are made against you and you feel unsafe, tell a trusted adult or report it to your local police.


Why should I stop or prevent Harassment & Cyber Bullying?

When you learn to help yourself, you can help to show others how to stop harassment and bullying. When we all fight against this bad behaviour, we create a better environment in which users can interact and share videos.

description Help and Safety Tool


Info on preventing cyberbullying from Cybersmart:



The same rules apply online as in real life about how to treat other people. Unfortunately, people don’t always treat each other well online, and you, or a friend, may find that you are the target of cyberbullying. You might be teased or have false rumours spread about you online, receive nasty messages or even threats. It can happen in school, or out of it, any hour of the day, from people you know, and sometimes people you don’t know. It can leave you feeling unsafe and alone.

No-one has the right to bully another person. At its most serious, cyberbullying is illegal and can be investigated by the police.

Tips:
Ignore it. Don’t respond to the bully. If they don’t get a response they may get bored and go away.
Block the person. This will stop you seeing messages or texts from a particular person.
Tell someone. Tell an adult you can trust. You may want to talk to your mum, dad or a brother or sister. Or you can contact the Cybersmart Online Helpline service, call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or visit their website.
Keep the evidence. This can be useful in tracking the bully down. Save texts, emails, online conversations or voicemails as evidence.
Report it to:
-your school—they should have policies in place about bullying and cyberbullying. -your ISP and/or phone provider, or the website administrator— there are actions they can take to help. -the police—if there is a threat to your safety the police will help. Call Triple Zero (000) or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
If a friend is being cyberbullied:
It can be hard to know if your friends are being cyberbullied. They might keep it to themselves. If they are being cyberbullied, you might notice that they may not chat with you online as much, suddenly receive lots of SMS messages or are unhappy after they have been on the computer or checked their phone messages. They may stop hanging around with friends or have lost interest in school or social activities.

Help stop cyberbullying:

Stand up and speak out!
If you see or know about cyberbullying happening to a friend, support them and report the bullying. You’d want them to do the same for you.
Don’t forward on messages or pictures that may be offensive or upsetting to someone. Even though you may not have started it, you will be seen to be part of the cyberbullying cycle.
Remember to treat others as you would like to be treated when communicating online.

Further advice, information, resources, and all sorts of interesting things can be found here.

Although YouTube is for people over the age of 13, younger siblings can often observe what older family members are doing online. Material that is fine for you may not be appropriate for a younger child. Try and keep an eye out for any younger family members who may be watching. Better yet, introduce those children to Hector's World and supervise their use of theHector's World Channel. This great site is for children 2-9 years, where they can start learning the skills the will need for life online. Taking the time to show them some of the episodes and activities can help these younger ones stay safe.

For more information, please click on this link: http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/en/Young%20Kids/Hectors%20World.aspx.

FAQ:

Q: What does the Help & Safety Tool do?
A: The Help & Safety Tool is designed to help you remove content on your own, learn how to block other users and, if appropriate, report issues to the YouTube Team.

Q: What sort of content should be reported through the Help & Safety Tool?
A: As mentioned in this article, knowing the difference between someone being rude and someone actually harassing you is important. If someone is being rude or making comments that you don't like, it's best to ignore them, block them, remove the comments if possible and move on.

If someone is making comments on your channel or videos, remove the comments, block and ignore the user. If someone is making comments on other people's videos or channels and it has crossed the line from rude comments to truly harassing comments, we'll investigate, if it is reported through the Help and Safety Tool.



New Zealand

What is Harassment & Cyber Bullying?

Harassment is when someone persistently troubles or attacks another. Online, this is called cyber bullying and is commonly seen in text comments, messages and videos. People who harass others are usually doing this to get attention or reactions from others online or in real life. Harassment can be mildly annoying or can pose very serious safety issues. It's important to know the differences between the two to know when you should just ignore the user or report it to a trusted adult or the authorities.


How can I stop Harassment & Cyber Bullying?

Not everyone online is nice. Comments can get pretty rough sometimes. One thing nearly all haters have in common is that they are trying to get a reaction from you. If a user's comments are bothering you, it's probably not a good idea to reply. Instead, try deleting the comments and blocking the user so that they can't view your other videos or leave more comments. You can also turn comments off for any video or manage comments by requiring pre-approval before they are posted.

Sometimes criticism and insults can escalate into more serious forms of harassment and cyber bullying. If specific threats are made against you and you feel unsafe, tell a trusted adult or report it to your local police.


Why should I stop or prevent Harassment & Cyber Bullying?

When you learn to help yourself, you can help to show others how to stop harassment and bullying. When we all fight against this bad behaviour, we create a better environment in which users can interact and share videos.

description Help and Safety Tool


Tips for preventing cyberbullying from NetSafe:

Here are some things you can do about online bullying:
Tell a parent or a trusted adult-like your teacher.
Ask the person to stop. If they do not stop after you have asked them once, make sure you don’t reply to any of their messages.
Try and save all their messages ( you can take a screen shot of the mean messages by pressing the button on your keyboard that says ‘PrtScn’ then paste it into a document or email) so you can show your parent, teacher or NetSafe what has been going on.
Note down the web address of the abusive page.
Check out the Community Guidelines - it's a good idea to refer to them so that when you are making your complaint you can state exactly what the bully has done wrong (according to the website rules).


Sometimes criticism and insults can escalate into more serious forms of harassment or cyberbullying. If specific threats are made against you and you feel unsafe, tell a trusted adult and visit NetSafe.

FAQ:

Q: What does the Help & Safety Tool do?
A: The Help & Safety Tool is designed to help you remove content on your own, learn how to block other users and, if appropriate, report issues to the YouTube Team.

Q: What sort of content should be reported through the Help & Safety Tool?
A: As mentioned in this article, knowing the difference between someone being rude and someone actually harassing you is important. If someone is being rude or making comments that you don't like, it's best to ignore them, block them, remove the comments if possible and move on.

If someone is making comments on your channel or videos, remove the comments, block and ignore the user. If someone is making comments on other people's videos or channels and it has crossed the line from rude comments to truly harassing comments, we'll investigate, if it is reported through the Help and Safety Tool.

Although YouTube is for people over the age of 13, younger siblings can often observe what older family members are doing online. Material that is fine for you may not be appropriate for a younger child. Try and keep an eye out for any younger family members who may be watching. Better yet, introduce those children to Hector's World and supervise their use of theHector's World Channel. This great site is for children 2-9 years, where they can start learning the skills the will need for life online. Taking the time to show them some of the episodes and activities can help these younger ones stay safe.

updated 03/15/2013

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