Pretoria - With social media platforms having taken over the globe as a popular means of entertainment and communication, the doors have also been opened for harassment and cyberbullying to rocket.
For this reason Specialist Security Services has called on users to immediately report instances of cyberbullying, and raise awareness to keep the trend at bay.
The service’s Mike Bolhuis said while social media had brought many benefits, it had also given rise to a disturbing trend of cyberbullying.
He described cyberbullying as the use of electronic communication to harass, intimidate or embarrass someone, which could have serious consequences for the victim’s mental health and well-being.
Bolhuis, who works as a specialist investigator within the Serious Violent and Serious Economic Crimes unit, said creating a safe and inclusive online environment for all users was important, especially for social media platforms like TikTok, where many users were teenagers or young adults who are more susceptible to cyberbullying.
He said while the company had run a number of projects to address the worrying trend it was still important for awareness to be raised about this and to give users tips on how to safely go about their time online.
Bolhuis said one of the most effective ways to combat cyberbullying on TikTok was to report any incidents of harassment or bullying immediately.
This was because platforms such as TikTok had a robust reporting mechanism in place that allowed users to report inappropriate content or behaviour.
By reporting these incidents, Bolhuis said users could help TikTok identify and address cyberbullying and protect vulnerable users from further harm.
Alternatively, users were advised to alter their privacy settings, a measure available on all social media platforms.
“Investigate what measures you can take to keep content private on the websites you use. On Facebook and other social networking sites, you can adjust your settings so that only the people you select are able to see your personal information and posts. It’s important to check these privacy settings frequently, because sites sometimes change their policies.
“It’s equally important to think before you post, and never forget that the internet is public, so what you put out there can never be erased. If you wouldn’t say something in a room full of strangers, don’t say it via the internet.”
In addition, he advised users not to reveal identifying details about themselves, such as their address, phone number, school or credit card number, or to share passwords online.
“Blocking perpetrators on most social media sites will prevent them from viewing your profile or communicating with you in any way. Perpetrators must realise that their abuse will not stay anonymous. Virtually any cyberbullying can be traced back to the perpetrators,” Bolhuis said.
Pretoria News