Hello,
Thank you for telling me about the very serious threats youve seen online. The messages youve seen, saying Ill kill you and go die sound very worrying.
No one has the right to bully or threaten another person like this. Cyberbullying can be particularly upsetting, because it often happens anonymously. I know how upset and singled out a young person can feel when they see things online that threaten their sense of safety and happiness.
Our website has information on cyberbulling that you might find useful. A very basic piece of advice is to keep copies of any threatening, abusive or inappropriate messages and emails. If you cant do that, try to note down where the cyberbullying happened (for example, which website it was) as well as the date and time any messages were posted. This makes it easier if you decide to report it later on.
Sometimes, because the cyberbullying is occurring in the digital world rather than face to face, young people think they cant tell an adult and have to deal with it alone. In fact, telling a responsible adult you trust (like a parent, carer or teacher) can be a very important step to keep yourself safe and make the cyberbullying stop.
Its important to know that the people send threats online are not as anonymous as they think. Often the first step in reporting them is to contact your mobile network provider (like Orange or Vodaphone) or to speak to whoever runs the website you are using. Mobile phone providers and social networking sites should take reports of cyberbullying seriously and act on them. Harrassing other people and making threats is against the law and can be reported directly to the police. CEOP are an organisation that helps keep young people safe online, and they have got a useful list of who to talk to about problems online.
I hope this letter gives you some good ideas for dealing with cyberbullying. The ChildLine counsellors always are available to listen to what you or your friends have experienced online. They would be happy to help you think through what steps you can take to deal with cyberbullying.
You can ring them for free or log in for a 1-2-1 chat (like instant messaging) with one of the counsellors. They answer emails too. ChildLine is ready to support you whenever you need them.
Take care,
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
