What do you do when you’re faced with an online bully?
Being online from a young age forced me to encounter online bullying multiple times. I have a YouTube channel, so I must let myself be in the public eye, which predisposes me to random people commenting on my profile.
I’ve had people I’ve never met comment and direct message me rude messages about my appearance, the way I talk, and many other things. These comments would make me so upset and hurt my confidence. As I’ve gotten older, I have learned ways to combat these awful online comments.
Tip 1: Report & Block
The best thing to do when you get a nasty comment is to report and block the account. You’ll be able to quickly get rid of a comment without having to worry that the person will say something else. I always do this because you are able to completely cut the person off and wash away the negativity.
Tip 2: Stay Private
Staying private allows you to monitor who has access to your account, and random people cannot comment on your posts. They can’t be harsh or bring you down because they won’t have access. I recommend limiting your followers to just family and friends, so you won’t have to worry about potential hate comments.
Tip 3: Don’t comment back
If you do get a comment, even if you have the urge to, don’t comment back to that person. Whether that urge was to be mean back or say something assertive, don’t comment back. It’s much better to try to ignore and delete the comment and let them keep that negativity to themselves. Don’t stoop to their level.
Tip 4: Talk to someone
If a comment does affect you or makes you feel less, reach out to someone. Allowing yourself to talk about how you’re feeling to someone can release some of the frustration or sadness that you have surrounding the comment and provide you with some relief.
Sometimes even when you take the steps above, you will still end up feeling uneasy and that is completely valid and okay. I’ve been there and it’s not fun, but talking to my best friend about different comments people have said has removed some of the heat and gained reassurance in myself.
Tip 5: Put yourself in their shoes
More often than not the person on the other side of the screen is also hurting. These people usually lack self-confidence and instead take their feeling out on others. Putting yourself in their shoes allows you to see that even though what they say is wrong, these comments come from pain. Don’t diminish your own feelings regarding a hate comment, but take time and reflect on why someone may say something cruel.
Overall, don’t let these bullies get you down. These tips should provide a resource to help you take care of your own boundaries and mental health while also reflecting on online bullying. Take control of your account and what you let affect you, it’s so important in today’s world. Be the bigger person while also taking care of yourself!