Short messages on Online safety issues from Respect Yourself, the guidance site for young people to help make good decisions in life.
Signing up for Facebook includes accepting the contract of their terms and conditions – which includes the agreement not to bully, intimidate, harasses or to post hate speech. Doing this could result in facebook taking legal action against you, as well as the consequences from the Police of documented bullying.
Facebook’s terms state “You will not bully, intimidate, or harass any user. You will not post content that: is hateful, threatening, or pornographic; incites violence; or contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence.”
Facebook has three main tools you can use if you are being bullied on Facebook: Unfriend – only your Facebook friends can contact you through Facebook chat or post messages on your Wall; Block – this will prevent the person from seeing your information, including posts and updates – even if they’re a friend of friends – or contacting you in any way on Facebook; Report – if they’re posting abusive content, report the person.
If you are being bullied on facebook, they suggest you don’t respond, don’t keep it a secret and do document and save the messages.
People may still be able to see things you’ve posted online, months or years later – and some people may use what you’ve posted online in ways you don’t like.
Almost half of employers have rejected a potential worker after finding incriminating material on their Facebook pages.
If you’ve receive abusive text messages, don’t reply – keep them to show a parent, teacher or the Police. Mobile ‘phone operators can take action on the bully’s account.
Every time you use the internet from any device, all your activities are traceable back to you via your IP address.