The rise of the internet over the past few decades has radically changed much of daily life and brought countless opportunities for connecting with others in ways that would previously have been unimaginable. Social media, for one, has completely revolutionised the way we connect with others. People from across the world are now accessible at just the push of a button, and this has allowed people to connect with people in places and cultures far beyond their reach.

While these platforms have brought joy to many and fostered countless friendships and relationships, like with any new technology, there is always a darker side. Just as there will always be those who mistreat others face-to-face, the emergence of social media has given a new platform for individuals to act in bad faith. The distance afforded by social media means that bullies now feel an extra degree of anonymity in their cruel acts. For this reason, cyberbullying has become one of the major points of discussion dominating the discourse surrounding the internet and social media.

While it can occur at any age, the unfortunate truth is that both the perpetrators and victims of cyberbullying are all too often kids and the youth. Bullying via the internet has become a major issue among schoolchildren across the world, and schools and parents alike are concerned with trying to manage this. Many schools are now offering their students classes to raise awareness about the perils of the internet and how to handle instances of cyberbullying. Many teachers are indeed assigning their students coursework specifically on this topic in an effort to direct attention towards the issue.

This kind of education becomes increasingly more effective the earlier it is introduced to a young person’s education. Many schools offer their students classes on how to deal with online bullies, and cyberbullying is usually the central focus of any modern essay about bullying that students will write during their time at school. These steps taken by the education system are helping to improve the situation, but there is a lot more work to be done. Luckily, the tech industry is aware of this, and many developers are devoting their efforts towards creating tools that help young people stay safe from online harassment. Here is a guide to 6 of the top apps that are helping in the fight against cyberbullying.

Bully Button

Bully Button is a handy application that allows users to flag and alert instances of online harassment through a simple and effective alert framework. It is commonly being used by schools to facilitate their in-person anti-bullying programs. Bully Button helps schools tackle bullying by eliminating the “bystander effect”, where children see bullying occur but feel compelled to stay silent because everybody else is. Bully Button comes with handy premade report templates to help students think about what they have witnessed, and facilitate easier reporting.

ReThink – Stop Cyberbullying

ReThink is one of the most famous anti-cyberbullying apps available on the market. ReThink was, in fact, invented by a teenage girl who was moved by an account she read of cyberbullying. Rethink is credited as being an innovative and non-intrusive approach to tackling the issue of cyber harassment. The intention behind ReThink is to prevent instances of cyberbullying before they have even occurred. The app flags messages that have been predetermined to contain hateful or abusive content and offers senders the chance to reword or reconsider their messages. Users then have to clear their choice of words. This extra encouragement to reflect on word choice could go a long way in preventing cyberbullies from hurting others.

Take a Stand Together

This app was developed by the Australian educational authority in an effort to tackle the issue of cyberbullying among school children. Take a Stand Together provides its users with a host of handy tips, resources, and support that they can use in the occurrence of harassment. The app offers young people stories, advice, and animated clips that explain bullying in all its different forms.

Safe Eyes Mobile

This mobile app is intended to help parents safeguard children who may not yet be ready to have full access to the internet. Safe Eyes allows parents to block certain web traffic and sites from their child’s device. That way, parents can maintain peace of mind by giving their children access to smart technology without worrying that they will encounter sites that permit harassment or abuse. The application comes with many different filters, so parents can achieve a high degree of customisation over the exposure their child is subject to.

KnowBullying

KnowBullying is an app that takes a communication-based approach to tackling the issue of cyberbullying. It provides a framework for parents, teachers, and caregivers to talk to young people about bullying and how to spot it. By encouraging and facilitating ongoing communication on the topic, KnowBullying aims to build a strong foundation of trust between young people and those who care for them. If an instance of bullying is to ever occur to a young person, KnowBullying hopes that this framework of trust and foundation of understanding will see issues reported quicker and more easily dealt with. The main features of the app include regular encouragement, conversation starters, tips, and guides to social media usage.

Bully Block

Bully Block is a free app designed to help young people deal with bullying when it does occur. Users can discreetly record and capture instances of harassment and use their evidence to report to responsible adults. Users can easily record their harassers and catch them in the act. Users can also block certain content, such as harassment or abusive language. Everything that users record will be saved onto your device’s SD card, meaning it can be presented as evidence to the appropriate authorities!

These six apps are perfect examples of how technology is helping in the fight to combat cyberbullying and online harassment. Students and parents who are dealing with this widespread issue should be aware of resources such as these that can help to end the problem of cyberbullying once and for all.