Alex's Answer

Hey, thanks for taking the time to reach out to Ask Alex! 

It appears you are looking for some information on Online Bullying?  Every young person has the right to feel safe and to be treated with respect. Bullying can take many shapes and forms and can include things like verbal abuse and name-calling, ignoring or excluding someone, online bullying is sometimes referred to as cyberbullying, and it involves the use of technology to bully someone. It could be the use of iPads, mobile phones, text messages or social media platforms or apps such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok etc.  No matter what form bullying takes, it is not okay, and we would be concerned for any young person who is being bullied.  

No one has the right to bully someone else and this is something that should be taken really seriously and if you or someone you know is being bullied, we would suggest that you reach out to an adult that you trust like a parent, an uncle or aunt, a teacher/principal, or even a sports coach or music teacher at school. The most important thing is that you talk to someone that you feel comfortable talking to. Anyone being bullied deserves to be heard and has the right to speak up about it! 

Online or cyber bullying can also be reported to the Gardaí. Keep the posts sent to you or those written about you to show to them. Do not however, respond to the bullying or hurtful comments or images.  

You might find these articles about bullying helpful: www.childline.ie/what-to-do-if-someone-bullies-you-at-school/ , www.childline.ie/5-great-tips-on-how-to-avoid-being-affected-by-bullying/ , www.childline.ie/what-to-do-if-youre-being-cyberbullied/ . Here is an article about how to keep yourself safe when online www.childline.ie/online-safety/ 

You can also always call Childline on 1800 66 66 66 or use through our Live Chat service at www.childline.ie. The Childline team is here to listen 24 hours a day, every day. Our services are free, confidential and non-judgemental. We are always here for you, and we want you to know that we care and that we are more than happy to talk to you about whatever you are experiencing.  

We hope that this has been useful for you and thanks again for reaching out! 

Alex