Dr. Bowler and her research team looked at ways developers could design websites and apps to help reduce the rates of cyberbullying. They spoke to different groups of young people about ways a website or app could be designed to get a potential bully to stop and think before harassing someone. Dr. Bowler and the groups came up with different design recommendations, some of which include anti-bullying messages, a “bully button” to flag material for review by the site or app manager, pop-up warnings and messages showing the consequences of cyberbullying.
“The design ideas touched on showing empathy,” says Dr. Bowler. “The internet can feel like an empathy-free world.”
In addition to Dr. Bowler’s research, she has other suggestions for parents and caregivers looking to help their loved ones avoid or deal with cyberbullying. She recommends not engaging with a cyberbully. If a situation comes up, young people should disengage immediately—block or unfriend the bully, disable comments and report the behavior. Parents and young people can get help from their schools and law enforcement, if necessary. If parents or caregivers are concerned that a loved one is thinking of suicide, they should call a health care provider or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255).
“Parents should become familiar with the digital environment,” says Dr. Bowler. “Know about the tools you can use—set restrictions on phones, use child-friendly messaging services, etc. I recommend a site called Common Sense Media that has a lot of parent education tools. Talk to children at an early age about what to do if someone is mean to them online. If a child reports cyberbullying, take a screenshot as evidence. Try not to be judgmental about your child’s use of social media. Remember that young people live a large portion of their lives online, and this is their space.”
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