Assignment #2: CyberBullying (and Privacy)

1. One action is: Defamatory Libel: publicly making statements about another person that are likely to hurt their reputation or cause others to treat them badly or ridicule them (e.g. posting online that another person is a racist).

Another is: Uttering Threats: threatening to hurt someone, damage their property or hurt their pet.

2. There are many other sections in unlawful acts, the main four are:

-having a sexual video/picture being posted of you or someone else

-cyberbullying

-having a "youth crisis."

-seeking help for a friend of yours who is or may be in trouble

3. You can report a potential crime by contacting the police, visiting CyberTip.ca, speaking to a safe adult, and/or phoning Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868)

4. Helping a Friend: "Recognizing when a friend is not doing well or in emotional distress can be difficult. Knowing the warning signs and the steps you can take to help support and assist a friend in need may make a huge difference for your friend. It is very important that you pay attention to any dramatic shifts in how a friend is behaving whether in-person or through social networks (posts, tweets, messages, photos, links, etc.). What your friend says and doesn’t say, how emotional they are in their communication, along with message frequency can also be important in determining if you have a friend in need of help and whether you should be concerned about the risk of self-harm or suicide."

Warning signs: 

Messages that indicate a feeling of hopelessness and being all alone.
Frequent use of negative emoticons or concerning hashtags.
Dramatic shift in the type of messages being posted.
Pulling away from activities normally enjoyed.
Frequently talking/messaging about not feeling physically well (headaches, stomach aches).
Frequent reference to sleep issues.
Removal from online and offline socializing as a way of withdrawing and becoming more isolated.

Responding to Youth in Crisis:  "If you are concerned that a teen may be engaging in self-harming behaviour and/or having suicidal thoughts, it is critical that you act on those concerns immediately. Regardless of whether you are a parent, another safe adult, or close friend, reinforce that you are there to listen, support and help. People who receive support from caring family members and friends and who have access to professional support are less likely to act upon suicidal thoughts than those who are more socially isolated."

Signs of suicidal thoughts:

Changes in sleep
Loss of interest and withdrawal
Reckless behaviour
Personality change
Neglect of personal appearance
Substance abuse
Physical pain
Giving away belongings
Drastic change in online messaging

5. The 3 short videos shared a lot of really good advice. I was surprised to see how quick these things happened. I was not surprised at the fact that people are ignorant online and can be very rude. You should never let other people's words affect you negatively whether that be online or face-to-face. Some people may never see eye-to-eye on things and we have to accept it.

6. One way you could help promote #ChangeTheStory campaign is by telling some friends, maybe you and them could tweet the hashtag with a picture or something like that. Share your personal story on Instagram - adding in the hashtag #ChangeTheStory.