Bullying most often occurs on IM, over e-mail, in chat rooms, or through Web sites or text messaging.
The bottom line is that you need to gather as much information as you can about the perpetrator from online clues. If an IM is the vehicle, have your child copy all of the IM conversation and create a document. Include the date and time and make sure that you have the screen names of all involved. Then make sure that your child blocks the person from IMing.
Clearly, being able to block someone, ignore that person, or even tell him or her to stop, helps lessen any potential psychological harm.
If bullying happens through an e-mail, save that message, plus any other messages from the same person, including their e-mail address and date and time it was received.
Each e-mail contains a header, which includes valuable tracking information (e.g., the originating address). Figure out how to copy this information. If you are not technologically savvy, ask your child how to do it or find a friend who has the technological knowledge to help.
Once you have the information, have your teen block this person by identifying the sender’s e-mail address (or domain) as “junk mail,” which will send it to a junk folder that you can have automatically emptied. Also make sure that your teen doesn’t read the e-mail. It will only continue to hurt more.
Chat rooms are a popular location for name-calling. If your teen is being bullied in a chat room, make sure you copy the entire chat conversation with all screen names, dates, and times. Many chat rooms are moderated, but all have some type of hierarchical system. Report the conversation to the moderator and tell your teen to refrain from using that chat room. Often bullies will follow people through their screen names to other Web locations.
