Cyber Threats To Nation and Home

Tom Ridge is the president and CEO of Ridge Global.  He was the first secretary of the U.S. Homeland Security.  Before that he was governor of Pennsylvania.  In a recent newspaper article he was quoted as saying;

“The cyber threats we as Americans face today are complicated and complex.  The geographic borders that once served to protect us do not exist in the digital world.  Most of our citizens do not comprehend the fact that the geographic barriers that once gave us a personal sanctuary are no longer the primary source of protection.  Those who would do us harm-whether as nations or cyber criminals- can digitally ‘invade’ via the Internet.  And many experts believe our next major attack could occur on the cyber battlefield.”

Threat To Nation and Home

As electronic devices have become more popular with young children and teens, the issue of cyberbullying has also grown.  It is important as caring adults that we become Internet Savvy and know how to protect those who are looking to us for protection.

In this day and age, you need to be aware of the risk and know how to stop someone who is cyberbullying you or your child.

Social Networking Privacy

If your child uses an adult social networking site such as FaceBook or Twitter, teach them how to use privacy settings. This allows them to keep personal information private.  Help them set up their pages so friends can only be added with their consent.

There are many behaviors which are considered to be cyberbullying. Basically, this action is simply threatening, harassing, or stalking a person on the Internet. It may involve gossiping, lying, impersonation, or posting pictures, real or false.

Stop and Think Before Pushing Send Button

Teach your children to stop and think before pushing send.  Many text messages that come across as threatening were supposed to be funny or a joke.  Without the benefit of body language, only the words convey the message and may be misinterpreted.

While some cases of cyberbullying are not too serious, all should be considered a threat. This type of action can escalate to very a serious situation quickly. And contrary to popular belief, this type of bullying can actually be much more dangerous than bullying which takes place in person.

Families need to be Internet Savvy. Learn Internet safety tips for kids.

With a person-to-person bully, one knows exactly who is threatening them. The message can be passed around and virtual strangers will comment or gang up digitally on the target.

Difficult To Trace The Online Bully

It can be much more difficult to pinpoint and stop an online bully. Also, with electronic bullying, one is much more apt to experience emotional trauma, which can take much longer to heal than any physical wound.

Often, an individual feels that they have no safe haven from a cyberbully because this follows them even into their home. They may feel trapped. Some drastic cases have ended in suicide. Teach your children what to do when they are threatened or bullied. Talk to them about it often.

Home Is A Haven Of Safety

A parent should have a good open line of communication with their children so that they will talk to their parent when bullying is taking place. A child should feel that they can come to their parent or other caring adult at any time with these concerns.

When it comes to the Internet, parents should set strict and firm rules and hold their children to them. Use filters and only allow them to use the Internet when you are at home with them. Keep all computers in a place where kids know you have access to them.

Know your child. When you see them acting unusual or moody, this should act as a warning signal.

You can do it.  I have confidence in you.

“Welcome to our community of kind, thoughtful people who want respect for all.”

Bullies don’t grow up, they just get bigger!

Do you remember the mean kid in the locker room at middle school?  How about the “Queen Bee” in the pep club? Do you still have nightmares over the gang of hoodlums who thought it would be funny to take your lunch?  Do you also remember the bystanders who were so intimidated by what was going on that they just ignored the bullying or maybe even joined in so they would not be the next target?

Don’t you wish that they learned some social skills and found out that you can not treat people that way and get ahead?

Bullies in the workplace can make for a toxic enviroment for employees.

Wrong. They did get ahead, perhaps by more subtly doing their bullying, and are now your brother in law who abuses his wife, your neighbor who yells at the dog or worse yet–your boss or supervisor.

Toxic Work Environment

According to an article by Karen bush-Schneider in the Lansing Business Monthly “studies have shown that more than 75% of workplace bullies occupy the position of supervisor or boss to the target employee. One study estimates that at least one in five American workers has experienced some form of destructive bullying in the past year.”

While bullying takes many forms in boardrooms and factory floors, generally it includes:

• Spreading false rumors or innuendo about an employee
• Intimidation or scare tactics about loss of job
• Excluding or isolating a worker
• Undermining or impeding a person’s work
• Taking credit  work and efforts done by staff
• Offensive conduct which is threatening or humiliating
• Sexual, racial or religious harassment
• Withholding necessary information or giving false information
• Establishing impossible deadlines so the person is set up to fail
• Removing areas of responsibility with no documented reason
• False documentation of records and performance reviews

What To Do With A Workplace Bully?

Since this economy is still unstable, workers want to maintain their jobs as much as possible.  However, you must decide if your emotional and physical health is worth the cost of working in a toxic work environment. Employers are beginning to realize that bullying in the workplace is just as destructive to productivity, absenteeism, and in many cases severance packages and lawsuits.

So You Can See…

A company and culture that encourages mutual respect on the part of all employees and supervisors will enhance the bottom line, which is what motivates many companies to change.  We all deserve respect.

To claim your own copy of “Use Encouraging Words” be sure to click here.  You will be glad you did.