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The first answer is fully correct as it is the entire definition of bullying. The rest of the answers are also correct, but are only partially complete.

All of the above are correct. The basic elements of the definition of bullying are:

1. Intentionality
2. Power imbalance
3. Repetition

Almost one in three students (32%) has been bullied by their peers at school at least once in the last month and a similar proportion are affected by physical violence, according to the publication School violence and bullying a major global issue, new UNESCO 2019 publication finds.

https://en.unesco.org/news/school-violence-and-bullying-major-global-issue-new-unesco-publication-finds

It is important for parents and people who work with children and adolescents to understand that bullying can have both short- and long-term effects on everyone involved. Children who have experiences of bullying research has found that children and adolescents who have been bullied can experience negative psychological, physical, and academic effects like the examples listed.

Exposure to bullying by being bullied has long-term, negative effects on children. Given the prevalence of youth exposed to bullying across the nation, it is important to understand the consequences of bullying on children and adolescents, how it relates to other violent behaviors and mental health challenges, in order to effectively address them.

17% of bullying victims do not tell anyone about what they are going through. Those who dont tell anyone reported significantly higher depression, more conduct problems and less pro social behaviour according to Foody, Mairéad, Samara, Muthanna., & O’Higgins Norman,James. (2017). “A meta-analysis of bullying and cyberbullying studies on the island of Ireland.” The British Journal of Educational Psychology 87: 535-557

The correct response is the fourth option - sending images to social media and to peers who can send the images onwards to a wider audience for all to download or view is cyberbullying. There is intent to cause harm, an imbalance of power in that the victim cannot easily defend themselves and a repetitive act at play here.

The first scenario (answer option) is not an example of cyberbullying - it describes the term known as ghosting” i.e. the practice of ending all communication and contact with another person.


The second scenario (answer option) is not an example of cyberbullying - it is an example of social exclusion by indirectly sending a hurtful message to a target however it may not be an intentional slight.

The third scenario (answer option) is not an example of cyberbullying - it is an example of a misunderstanding, a joke that backfired resulting in someone’s feelings being hurt without intent to cause harm or repetition.

The correct response is the fourth option - ensure your child reports any instances of cyberbullying to websites, apps or other service providers using their reporting tools. By using them, your child will be passing important information to people who can help.

The first scenario (answer option) is incorrect - young people should never reply to messages that harass or annoy them. The cyberbully wants to know they have upset their target. If they get a response it feeds into the problem and makes the situation worse.

The second scenario (answer option) is incorrect - by keeping nasty and hurtful messages, your child will be able to produce a record of the bullying, the dates and the times. This will be useful for any subsequent school or potential Garda investigation.

The third scenario (answer option) is incorrect - no one needs to put up with someone harassing them. Whether it is messaging apps, social networking or online gaming, children can use the technology to block the sender who is bothering them.

93% of children who took part in a survey confirmed they owned their own smart device. Boys were significantly more likely to own a gaming console (73%) than girls (26%)

(Cybersafe Kids Survey, 2020).

84% of children who took part in a survey confirmed that they had their own social media or instant messaging account. Youtube was the most popular app (74%) followed by TikTok (47%), WhatsApp (39%) & SnapChat (37%). If they are posting videos of themselves online, children are more likely to do so on TikTok (80%) or ShapChat (30%) than YouTube (16%)

Source: Cybersafe Kids Survey 2020

The answer to this question is False. Most accounts are public by default therefore it is important to ensure that the account setting is private to ensure more control over shared content.

The answer to this question is False. It is important for parents to keep watch on “Friends” lists. Ensure that permission must be requested to “follow” or “friend” the account. Friends are people your child will probably know while followers can be anyone, anywhere.

The answer to this question is True. It is important to switch off location settings to prevent the dangers of geotagging posts. Information is embedded in photos that can easily be extracted.

The answer to this question is True. The answer to this question is True. Bandwagoning can lead to cyberbullying when others get involved creating a crowd mentality when hurtful words can become widespread and cause harm.

You should not send a personal picture to anyone, especially if it is someone who you do not trust. Sending a personal image can create more serious issues, like sharing it with others you don’t want to have access to or being used in a way that you may be abused or threatened.

The correct answer is the second scenario (answer option) - you should act immediately. The safest solution is to change your passwords as soon as possible so that no one will be able to use your account. If someone gets access to your social media account, they can pretend to be you and act on your behalf in ways you don’t want.

The first scenario (answer option) is partially correct - you can do so if you realise straight forward that you forgot to logout. If you have already left the place, it might be late to go back. If someone gets access to your social media account, they can pretend to be you and act on your behalf in ways you don’t want. The best solution is to act immediately and change your passwords as soon as possible so that no one will be able to use your account.

The third scenario (answer option) is incorrect - you should act immediately. The safest solution is to change your passwords as soon as possible so that no one will be able to use your account. If someone gets access to your social media account, they can pretend to be you and act on your behalf in ways you don’t want.

You should not give important information to anyone. It violates your safety. Your bank accounts can be hacked and used in an unwanted way.

You should never give out your Internet password to anyone, even the people you trust. Internet service providers will never ask you for a password and sometimes people will pretend that they work for the Internet service provider to get your password. Having shared your password, especially with strangers, violates both your safety and privacy, and can result in serious problems.

It is not safe to invite a stranger to your home or visit his/her home. It can be dangerous for you. The best option is to meet in a public place, where there will be more people in case you need help and from where you will be able to leave if you feel uncomfortable.

Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (DES, 2013b) specifically stipulate that all schools should have a school Anti-Bullying policy in place. The policy must state the prevention and intervention strategies that schools should have in place.

Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (DES, 2013b) contemplate bullying online and ask schools to actively tackle any incident that affects the student. The school anti-bullying policy should be clear and succinct and state the school procedures for dealing with bullying related incidents.

Action Plan on Bullying (DES, 2013a) and Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (DES, 2013b) is student-centred and recommends that students are consulted in relation to bullying policies. This is particularly important for the design of reporting mechanisms. It is important that students feel safe when they decide to report bullying.

All details about parents involvement can be found in the Action Plan on Bullying (DES, 2013a). Specifically it is said in section 5.3. Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005. Page 54