Tips on protecting kids from cyberbullies | Families

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC)- It comes down to time. During the school year, teens have only limited time to be online, but when classes stop and summer starts? They can be attached to Facebook or Twitter or texting all day.

"That's one of the big distinctions between bullying and cyberbullying," said Gary Warner, UAB's cyber crime expert. "If you're being bullied in the lunchroom or on the school bus, that's an event that has a short duration for a short time. Cyberbullying--if you're awake and your electronic device is on, you can be a victim of cyberbullying."

To protect your kids, Warner told the Optimist Club of Birmingham today parents should be Facebook friends with their kids, monitor your child's cell phone bills paying close attention to any numbers that pop up often, and be proactive not passive.

"I think we have parents still being a little bit too shy," Warner said. Like "I wanna respect my child's privacy." Well the privacy you're respecting may actually be covering up some ongoing abuse that can cause lifelong issues for your child."

For more information on cyberbullying, click here for a link to slides compiled by Gary Warner for the National Conference on Bullying.

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