One of the easiest things — or perhaps hardest — about cyber bullies is that oftentimes they are anonymous. That’s good right? Or maybe it’s bad, depending upon your perspective. How do you deal with these unknown, faceless trolls who harass and bully? Here are a few tips for dealing with anonymous cyber bullies.
How to deal with anonymous cyber bullies
Report to the Admin
Make sure you know how to contact an Administrator for the website on which you are dealing with the bully. Don’t hesitate to report any bullying behavior, messages, or posts to an Admin. Usually it is better to let an Admin step in and deal with a bully rather than trying to deal with them yourself.
Remember You Don’t Owe the Bully Anything
When dealing with anonymous cyber bullies, don’t fret over getting the bully into trouble or causing them problems. You don’t owe them anything. Not a thing. In fact, they owe you an apology for their bullying tactics, but you’re unlikely to ever see that happen.
Don’t Feed the Trolls
The most important rule about Fight Club, is you don’t talk about Fight Club…wait, wrong situation there. The correct advice for this situation is don’t feed the trolls! Bullies thrive on attention and the more they get your goat, the more they’re going to want more goats. Or something like that. The gist is — don’t engage. When a cyber bully tries to get you to respond to their attacks, don’t take the bait. Let an Admin deal with them and just ignore their attempts to get you to give them ammunition and motivation to keep going.
Be Friends With the Block Button
One of the best things about Facebook is that you can hide or block someone. In the event of a cyber bullying situation, you should make that block button your best buddy. If someone is bothering you and using bully tactics, just block them and be done with it. Take away their power by removing their access.
Let It Go
Just like that popular “Frozen” movies admonishes, “Let it go, let it go…” Yep, it’s hard sometimes not to take a bully’s words to hard but that’s part of their power — that their words get to you. Hitting the block button is easy, sending a report to an Administrator isn’t all that hard, ignoring a troll is a little harder but it can be done. Letting go of the bullying incident and the things the bully said to you might be a little harder, but it’s the most important.
Whatever the bully said, don’t take it to heart. You don’t know them, and they don’t know you. They can’t give you an accurate or knowledgeable assessment on your character, your beliefs, your thoughts, or you as a person. Once the incident is over and the anonymous bully has been taken care of, blocked, or removed, forget about it.
Anonymous cyber bullies can be found on every site on the web. The trick is to know how to deal with them and then forget about them.
Do you have any tips for dealing with anonymous cyber bullies that we missed? Share them in the comments!
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Earlier this month in the beginning of June my one of my online writing forum groups let me go because I had no experience taking a Administrator course back then when I went to community college. I applied for an administrator position for an Italian writing forum somewhere on Monster.com a man or woman called me for a phone interview then he or she called me back for another interview.
So I told him or her I also had no experience in the business field. I use to be a retail worker for several retail stores and receptionist for two offices. Now I ‘m planing to go back to community college to earn my certificate so that I can become a part -time writer. I got bullied by a fake online writing group they came from somewhere in Europe they were chating with me on you tube twitter.com Skype for one year. Then I broke up my friendship with these mean girls whom I met online they used me for money.
Delete and block are my best friends! Not seeing what they have to say is best.
Delete and block them! And if it comes to a point where it is getting out of control I would file a report! Cyber bullies are the worst! Even more so when they hide!
When situation like a lot of bullies online, I use the BLOCK button, or just simply ignore them.. Then my life is at peace..
Great tips here!
These are very great tips! I wish the bullying would stop everywhere.
These are great ways to dealing with anonymous cyber bullies indeed. I have never had to deal with this problem but I know it happens way to often. Thanks for sharing.
These are some really great tips to dealing with cyber bullies.
I’ve pinned this to my “Blogger Extraordinaire” board. These are great tips for all bloggers when it comes to cyber bullies!
I just don’t engage. I don’t respond or argue and do not hesitate to block the person. I don’t understand why there’s a need to do otherwise.
What has our world come too for this to be such a problem. It saddens me but this is something that I wish would stop. I delete people off or block people who do things like this.
These are wonderful tips which a lot of people should implement. It’s a sad world that we live in that there is now bullying online. Sheesh. Can’t we all just get along?
It’s amazing how cruel some people can be when they are behind the keyboard. Those people used to get to me but I just let it go.
The best thing to do is ignore them; they are such sad people!
It is so sad that our kids have to deal with Cyber Bullying. I would not want to be a kid in this day and age.
I couldn’t agree more with you. Sometimes I wonder why there are bullies. So sad.
These are all great tips. It is so sad that Bullying is happening so often now.
These are just great tips, parents really have more to think about preparing our kids for these days. The internet can be a scary place … appreciate you sharing some tips!
It’s so sad to see bullying happening. It happens at school, online, just anywhere. I use my FB block button to it’s full advantage. Thanks for sharing.
These are great tips. The block button has been my friend a lot when it comes to these bullying experiences on the internet.
My daughter has gotten text bullying. I imagine cyber bullying isn’t that much different. You’ve got good tips here.
Great post! It is really useful, we all know there are some bored people who just don’t mind putting the hate out there. So sad!
http://stateofcate.com/
What a pity to those bunch of cyber bullies! It’s really devastating.
This is really great advice. It’s so sad that it comes to this.
Anonymous bullying is one of the most devastating things to experience. These are great tips.
My kids aren’t old enough to experience this, and we didn’t have it when I was younger. It’s a horrible thought, though.
These are some really great tips on how to deal with cyber bullying. No one deserves to be bullied!
My favorite tip: don’t feed the trolls. I think Rodney got that one spot on. The more attention you give the cyberbullies, they more they’re going to feed off of it!
Cyber Bullying is the worst – These are awesome tips!
It’s scary to know that cyber bullying is becoming more common as the internet grows. Wish we could all just love each other. Thanks for sharing this. :)
Unfortunately it is running rapid today.. my son was cyber bullied and so was a friend of his.. we blocked those kids who were doing it and reported them.
I hate cyber bullying. It really makes me nervous for my young daughters.
I hate cyber bullying -_- I swear it doesn’t end in high school…. I see it all the time in the adult blogging world as well…. People suck sometimes!!
Good info! Thanks for this great summary — really helps you understand what you can do.
Wow what a great and important post! Bullies are terrible and this must be stopped. So important to educate and make everyone aware!
I think you’re right about them loving the engagement. I’m sure ignoring them and letting administration handle it is the way to go.
There is some scary stuff going on out there. You can never be too careful!
Cyber Bullying is horrible! I’m so glad you made this post. Lots of great information. I wish the bullying will stop, but unfortunately I doubt that’s even possible. It’s sad that people have to bully.