Mansfield University Campus Technologies provides the Cyber Safety web resource as a guide for students personal and campus Cyber Safety. Cyber Safety includes help for students' who may receive some form of "cyberbullying" , "cyberstalking" or some other form of on-line "cyberharassment", as well as information on Cyber Safety Awareness through the National Cyber Safety Alliance.
What is cyberbullying, cyberstalking, cyberharassment and cyberattacks?
- Cyberbullying - There is no official legal definition of cyberbullying, though most organizations such as the NCPC (National Crime Prevention Council) defines cyberbullying as communication using the Internet, cell phones, or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person. Though most describe cyberbullying as interactions between minors, it also applies to adults who do the same to their peers, which some classify as cyberharassment.
- Cyberstalking is a repeated act of on-line harassment and/or on-line vandalism meant to do harm or ruin the reputation of an individual.
- Cyberattack is a term used to describe a deliberate act designed to alter, disrupt, deny, degrade, or destroy information resident on your computers. Basically, a cyberattack is synonymous to someone hacking your computer or any of your accounts. If you feel you are being cyberattacked, contact CT at 570-662-4357.
- Whether this harassment occurs through Facebook or other social media or web pages, text messages, email or anything else electronic, and regardless if it occurs once or multiple times, and what category it may fall in, you should report all cases of cyberbullying, cyberstalking and cyberharassment to the University ASAP. The individuals listed below will personally assist and help you.
Here are some additional on-line resources you may find helpful:
- Cyberbullying Research Center (cyberbullying.org) - The Cyberbullying Research Center is dedicated to providing up-to-date information about the nature, extent, causes, and consequences of cyberbullying.
- MTV's A Thin Line (athinline.org) - MTV's A Thin Line campaign was developed to empower you to identify, respond to, and stop the spread of digital abuse in your life and amongst your peers. The campaign is built on the understanding that there's a "thin line" between what may begin as a harmless joke and something that could end up having a serious impact on you or someone else.
Reporting a case of cyberbullying, cyberstalking, cyberharassment or cyberattacks
If you are a victim of cyberbullying, cyberstalking, cyberharassment or any form of cyberattack, you should report this to the University IMMEDIATELY.
If you feel your life is in danger, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY!
To report an incident of on-line harassment contact:
- Counseling Center
To discuss concerns or as a source of support that could be helpful, contact the Counseling Center
570-662-4436
You should also report cyberharassment to the National Center for the Victim of Crimes.
If you are being cyberattacked through.....
- Facebook, Twitter and other Social Media - please check our Social Media Cyber Safety page for guidelines and instructions on what to do.
- Cell phone text messages - you should alert your cell phone carrier. Do not delete the offensive message.
- Instant Messenger (AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, etc.) - Enable logging. Logging keeps track of the messages. Check your providers' help pages on how to turn on logging for the service. Report the offense to the messaging service provider. Provide the log file or screenshots of the offending messages when you report.
- Email - *DO NOT DELETE THE MESSAGE!* Keep it in your inbox. Information in the original message may contain valuable information in tracking down it's origins.
Cyber Safety Resources
Facebook Cyber Safety can assist you with reporting cases of Facebook harassment and provides some useful resources to help you understand Facebook and privacy.
Stay Safe Online provides information for college students to help keep their online information and browsing safe and secure.
Doing any activity online requires everyone to Stop. Think. Connect.