Protecting Your Family
Essential Protection > Bullying
You protect your kids against playground bullies, but bullies can lurk online too?
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Beverley and Chub are at home with their fifteen year old son Chad . Beverly tells Chub that Chad is not himself - he won't play on the computer and he's hardly eating. She thinks he is being bullied in school. On hearing Chad won't go on the computer, Chub guesses that he's actually being bullied in an online games room. Chad admits this is true?He was always winning in the games, so someone accused him of cheating and said they were going to 'get him'. Beverley wants to know the bully's name so that Chub can go to his house. Chub explains that bullies in online game rooms don't give out their real names ? they hide behind a screen name. Chub asks Chad to log in to the games room so that he can get the bully's screen name and inform the police, who will be able to track him down.
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Some Top Tips for Kids on How to Beat the Bullies:
- Only give your email address and your mobile number to people you know.
- Tell an adult you trust if you are being bullied.
- Never reply. If the bullies start to physically threaten you then tell the police or get an adult you trust to do it for you.
- Protect yourself by protecting others. Even if it is not happening to you be brave and speak out if you know it is happening to someone else.
Bullies always back down when they are tackled. But bullies aren't the only threat. Internet addiction can also harm your family.
You can use this to get print outs of the Useful Tools content. 
Download: Transferring or copying files from one computer to another.
Software: Systems software such as Windows operates the computer itself. Applications software such as word processing programmes allow you to work on the computer.
File sharing: Accessing files on one computer from a different computer.
Filter: Software programs which can classify content on the internet or block access to content.
Email: Messages sent through a computer to specific groups or individuals.
Chat rooms: A place or page on the Web where people can type messages to each other and chat in real time. People often choose to remain anonymous and pick nicknames instead of their real names.
Links, tips and more advice on internet security.