Keys to preventing cyberbullying

• The team of experts from the cybersecurity company S2 Grupo has developed a decalogue with 10 key points to combat cyberbullying among the youngest.
•  That parents monitor how their children use technology, learn to use devices in a secure way and have the minors know what actions can be a digital crime are some fundamental actions to end this type of harassment.
•  According to a survey carried out on the Hijosdigitales.es blog, 21% of parents worry that their children are victims of cyberbullying and 18% know of a minor who has been cyberbullied.

Valencia, 28 of March of 2017.- The figures of school bullying or bullying in our country are really alarming both in off-line environments and through "connected" means like Smartphone, computer or tablet, among others. Proof of this is that in only two months, the phone number against bullying from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports received more than 5,500 calls of which almost 2,000 were identified as possible bullying. "We are dealing with a very serious issue that can have really serious consequences and that is why it is essential to combat it from the earliest phase of prevention. According to a survey carried out through our blog Hijosdigitales.es, 21% of parents are concerned that their children are victims of cyberbullying and 18% acknowledge that their child or an acquaintance had been harassed through the mobile phone. This shows how parents are increasingly aware of this problem, although they still need to improve on the protection and digital prevention measures of minors", said José Rosell, associate-director of S2 Grupo. "To prevent cyberbullying, it is very important to detect it quickly and eradicate it before it results in extreme and painful situations for both young people and their families. In this sense, to realize if there are changes in the habits of the minor as a decrease in the use of online environments when before they were always connected, lack of attendance to class, in the quantity and way of eating, in the mood, reluctance to leaving home, health alterations such as frequent dizziness or headaches, etc., are signs that may indicate that something is wrong and being attentive to them may allow us to assess the real importance they have and act immediately if necessary ", said Miguel A. Juan, associate-director of S2 Grupo. Experts from this cybersecurity company, which from its Hijosdigitales.es blog advises and serves both parents and children who may be affected by this type of circumstances, have developed a decalogue with 10 keys that will help prevent cyberbullying:

1. Parents should learn how to use all kinds of technology that their children use. Knowing the environments in which they move is fundamental to protect them adequately and eliminate the "distance" and lack of authority that can be created between them when they do not know the areas in which they are cyber-acting.
2. Do not accept strangers in social networks, as doing so may endanger minors who do not really know who is behind that profile. No aceptar a desconocidos en las Redes Sociales, ya que hacerlo puede poner en peligro a los menores que no saben en realidad quién está detrás de ese perfil.
3. Use strong passwords and do not share them with anyone. Strong passwords are those that contain uppercase and lowercase letters, punctuation marks, and alphanumeric characters. If the child is forced to give it to someone or has doubts about whether they have been able to steal it, change them as soon as possible.
4. Be careful about what you share. Avoid disseminating intimate photographs or sensitive information that may be used by third parties as blackmail on Social Networks, by email or WhatsApp.
5. Periodically update the browser, operating system and antivirus to prevent technological devices from being hacked.
6. The best measure of protection is education. Learning how to use new technologies in a secure way, knowing what actions constitute digital crimes (such as stealing Wi-Fi or uploading photographs of others without their consent) and the dangers they face are essential to know the situation and become aware.
7. Parents should give their children enough trust so that they can share with them what they need if they are in a situation of this type or know someone who is, without fear of reprisal.
8. In case a young person is "cyberattacked", it is recommended not to respond to the provocations so as not to increase the tension and to keep the evidence whenever possible in case it is necessary to report to the Civil Guard..
9. Inform the school. If a case of cyberbullying is known, the school or institute should be informed as soon as possible. In this way, both the tutor and the administrators of the center will be knowledgeable. They are partly responsible, since in most cases harassment is also manifested in the classroom.
10. The fight against cyberbullying should be done 'in a group'. It is vital that the harassed be supported so much by the family as by the professors and his group of friends. It is essential to encourage in the peers the feeling of rejection towards cyberbullying.

Hijosdigitales.es This blog developed by S2 Grupo has more than 10,000 daily visits from all over the world and has established itself as a meeting point for parents and children to promote the secure use of technology. A group of professionals specialized in security, social networks and technology works on it, with the objective of offering information of interest that is of aid for groups that can be unprotected if they make an inappropriate use of this type of devices and tools. More information: prensa@s2grupo.es