Mean Mums- Cyber bullying

Over the years I have come to see some fantastic products and services and have even come to met some amazingly talented and inspiring women. I have made some lovely friends and formed some strong connections with many women online some of whom I have never personally met.  MWWAH was formed to bring together like minded women for support, encouragement and for connections.

Unfortunately, as in real life, you will no doubt come across people who are mean, disagree with, and people you just don’t care for on the sites you visit. In cases like this you can usually just cease contact with those people and still enjoy other friends on the site. Every once in a while I see, hear or am informed of “incidents” which I must say are rather disappointing. I’ve seen everything from copycats, scammers, fraudulent behaviour, misrepresentation, rude and dishonourable behaviour, defamation of businesses and people through un-needed and UNPROFESSIONAL slandering, bickering, petty fighting  and even blatant all-in cyber wars! Business against business, person against person and even whole groups against a few and in many cases whole groups against just one person!

I’m sure many of you have heard the saying “If you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all”.  We need to abide by these morals we instil in our own children. Before you hit that enter key or send button ask yourself this:

•Do I REALLY need to add my 2cents?
•Will my personal (or professional) opinion hurt someone’s feeling?
•Would I like to hear/read someone comment something similar to me or on my page?
•Will writing/saying this benefit anyone?
•Is this hurtful, spiteful or potentially an act of bullying?

It really makes me upset to see people being so nasty and spiteful and turning small things into cyber wars. If something is started on your personal or business page you have the control to remove it entirely and the choice not to enable others to join the brawl! Those who enable, provoke or entice are just as bad as the wrong doers and those who do not leave it alone are just as bad also. There is no need for all the bickering and nastiness. It needs to stop. Everyone is in “business” or has a hobby for the same reason; To try and make some money. We are all people behind the screens. I do not see the need in getting personal, throwing around insults like silly school girls on a power trip! Yes everyone is entitled to an opinion and free speech is great and all but would you say some of these things to a persons face? Would you say them if not for the protection of your computer?

For those being bullied if you feel that someone online is and repeatedly upsetting, intimidating, harassing, embarrassing, degrading, or otherwise targeting you negatively you need to take further action.

If you are being cyber-bullied on a website, social media page, chat room etc first immediately stop the activities (i.e. exit the chat room, or don’t post anymore comments on the article).

Cease all contact with the bully or bullies (which ever the case may be). If you are being bullied on a social network or online community, report the bullying to the customer support team there and ask for help. Many sites now have moderators or the option to report spammers and abusive people so use it to help cease the negative actions and also it adds proof you are being harassed.

Be sure to tell someone close to you like a family member or friend however DO NOT get this person to react or try to help in any way as it may make the matters worse. Remember the web is public and it could escalate matters as more people get drawn into the matter. Make sure to save the messages from the bully, screen print works well or link to them if they are live on a community site.

If you feel physically threatened, in addition to reporting the incident and bully to customer support team where the abuse is taking place, you should report the online harassment and physical threats to your local police and your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

We need to take a stand against bullying. It isn’t acceptable in schools, in a work place and for many of us WAHM’s the internet is our work place so it isn’t acceptable here either!

Have you been cyber bullied? How have you dealt with it?