From the University Agenda

Parents, beware! Your child may be exposed to cyberbullying

Today, internet use is quite common even in primary school children. Cyberbullies, who can lead individuals to suicide in the virtual environment, are often targeted by children. Specialist Psychological Counselor Asst. Prof. Dr. Bulent Tansel said, "Cyberbullying cases are among the most common cases among students studying in secondary and high school equivalent schools in our country."

Stating that bullying acts are usually carried out secretly in order to gain power, control or financial benefit, İstanbul Gelisim University (IGU) Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology Asst. Prof. Dr. Bülent Tansel: “With the introduction of the internet into our world and its widespread use in every field, the concept of ‘cyber bullying' has begun to take its place in the literature in addition to traditional bullying. In cyberbullying actions, the bully is far from the victim as a place and is unlikely to encounter the victim. Therefore, he does not see the negative effects that occur in the victim, he does not feel uncomfortable with what he does.”  

“Persistently calling someone is cyberbullying”

Behaviors such as persistently calling someone, copying and sending personal conversations to others, gossiping about a person in a virtual environment, manipulating their pictures and sending them to other people are among the cyberbullying actions. Asst. Prof. Dr. Bulent Tansel said, "Cyber harassment, on the other hand, includes actions such as sending humiliating, threatening, and seriously fearful messages to a person intensely. It is among the behaviors of cyber harassment to make unauthorized sharing with someone else's identity on the internet, to have someone else watch a private video conversation without the knowledge of the other party, to make embarrassing and offensive comments on the shares (comments, photos, videos, information) made on theinternet."
Warning parents about cyberbullying, Asst. Prof. Dr. Bülent Tansel listed some behavioral changes that should be considered in children.

If a child has been or is being subjected to cyberbullying;

•             Unexpectedly quitting the use of devices such as computers and mobile phones or appearing nervous while using them,
•             Exhibiting tense and aggressive attitudes after online activities (even after his/her favorite computer game),
•             Feeling depressed or crying for no reason,
•             Being in two minds,
•             Not feeling well,
•             Avoiding providing information about their online activities,
•             Disturbance in sleep pattern (sleeping more or less),
•              Deterioration in eating pattern,
•             Depressed mood, lack of interest in favorite activities,
•             Reduced time spent with friends,
•             To be anti-social,
•             Behaviors of lagging behind are observed in their homework.
 
If a child performs cyberbullying behaviors/actions;

•             Tendency to hide the screen of the computer or mobile phone,
•             Using a computer or mobile phone at any time of the night,
•             Avoiding providing information about their online activities,
•             Being nervous when s/he cannot be online,
•             Behaviors of having multiple online accounts that are not their own may occur.
 
Asst. Prof. Dr. Bülent Tansel, "There are many articles in the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) for cyberbullying, which is defined by the Information Technologies Authority (BTK) as the deliberate or regular sending of written or visual messages by an individual or group against others for hostility, intimidation, threat, intimidation, harassment through information and communication technologies. Individuals exposed to cyberbullying should take legal action and report the crime.”