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Being bullied online

Internet bullying doesn't only happen on social networks like Facebook and YouTube. Cyberbullies can use other ways to upset someone, like sending rude emails or instant messages.

Here are some examples of how people can be bullied online.

Hate sites

In some cases, bullies have built websites that are dedicated to making fun out of someone.

Some of these sites encourage other people to join in with the bullying, by publishing someone’s personal details or linking to their social network page.

• Read the story of one victim of a hate site Opens new window

Abusive emails

You may be getting nasty and threatening messages sent to your email inbox from an address that you don't recognise. Bullies often try to keep their identity a secret by creating a new email account that doesn't use their real name.

You should treat your email address exactly the same as your home telephone or mobile number. Think carefully before you pass it on to anyone or decide to make it public on a website or a blog.

It may be safer to only give out your email address to close friends or members of your family.

• True stories about email bullying Opens new window

Chat rooms and discussion forums

Message boards and chat rooms give you the chance to talk with other people who are interested in the same things as you.

For example:

• supporters of the same football team can talk about how their players did in their last match
• fans of a singer or band can talk about a new single or album
• you can swap tips and cheats with people playing the same video game as you

Even though most forum members are friendly, you may suddenly find yourself getting nasty comments and abuse. This is often for no reason at all, or because you disagreed with another member’s opinion.

If you find yourself being victimised on a message board, contact the moderator. They will be able to delete the account of the person who is bullying you.

Some discussion forums allow moderators to block the IP address of a user. This means that the bully will not be able to join the same internet forum with a new username from the same computer.

• How to keep safe in an internet chatroom Opens new window

Instant messenger

You may get rude messages on your instant messenger (IM) account from someone that you’ve agreed to be friends with.

It can be a good idea to only add people you know in the real world to your instant messenger. Doing this means that you’re always sure that your IM friends are who they say they are.

Even if you accept IM requests from people you only chat with online, it’s easy to block or remove anyone if things get nasty.

• How to stay in control of your Instant Messenger account Opens new window

Advice on protecting yourself online

There are a few general rules you can follow to protect yourself when you’re using the internet.

Never use your real name as a username in a chatroom, on your instant messenger account or as part of your email address.

Don’t use a photo of yourself as an avatar on a discussion forum.

If anything that you see or read on the internet makes you feel uncomfortable, tell a parent or someone else you trust. You can also report it to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP).

• What to do if you are suffering from internet abuse Opens new window

• Report online abuse to CEOP Opens new window