Some of my friends who have children that are addicted in the Internet complain to me about their concerns about children’s online safety and health. They said their children spent much time on the Internet; they search for new things on the network or even chat with black strangers via social networks. What they are concerned most is that more and more cyber bullying issues exist in the Internet world, and most of victims of cyber bullying are children who lack awareness and tolerance.

At the mention of bullying in the real world, many of us may have encountered it in our childhood or even when we become adult. What does cyber bullying mean? Cyber bullying means repeatedly hurt some people by using upset upsetting messages, images, posts, etc. Cyber bullying is easier to spread and the range of victims is wider, for example, people can spread humor via email or instant messenger instead of whispering the rumor friends one by one in the real world. People who want to bully others can easily use technology to spread cyber bullying around and victims even don’t know who is bullying them. Many children, especially teenagers are suffering from cyber bullying. Cyber bullying can happen anytime and anywhere that exceeds the geographic and time limit of bullying in the real life, that it affects victims more serious than bullying in the real life. Pictures and messages that aim at cyber bullying others can be quickly distributed to every audience who are on the Internet. And the victims can hardly track who have bullied them, for most of those people who are bullying others will use anonymous identity on the Internet.

Cyber bullying is like bullying in the real life, it acts repeatedly and deliberately. People who are bullied by others may be deeply hurt by the rumor or upsetting contents in the pictures or messages. Children who are suffering from cyber bullying will be tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or targeted via the Internet, mobile phone, or other type of digital technology. Since the people who cyber bully others are difficult to be caught and most of cyber bullying don’t break laws, we can never eliminate cyber bullying on the Internet. However, the consequences of cyber bullying make parents can’t ignore it. That’s why my friends are concerned about children’s Internet use. As parents, we can effectively decrease the possibility of cyber bullying happening in children. Adequate education about online safety and consequences of cyber bullying is a must. Before that, parents should have enough knowledge about cyber bullying, which includes signs of cyber bullying and expressions of bullied children. Parents can exchange parenting experience with other parents and increase correct parenting skills.

Controlling children’s Internet use is another useful way to protect children from potential dangers on the Internet. Parents can adopt parental control program to monitor kids computer and set time limits for children’s Internet use. What’s more, you can get report of your children’s computer use that you can take measure if there’s a sign that your children is suffering from cyber bullying.