This Valentine’s Day, I did something unusual. I went on a blind date with a book!
The clever librarian wrapped up books in brown paper with a few lines of the introduction of what our “date” would be like, and we had to read whatever we chose. The idea is to encourage readers to try something we would never usually try.
It so happened that I picked this light and exciting novel for young adults, titled “Backlash” by Sarah Darer Littleman. It is about two teenage girls, Lara and Bree, who used to be best friends in middle school. When Lara goes through bullying, self-image issues, depression, etc., Bree tries to help her cope, but after repeated failed 
efforts, she gives up and distances herself from Lara. As they enter High School, roles reverse, and Lara, struggling and simultaneously working on herself in High School, becomes what she aspires to be, and Bree, on the other hand, is suffering this time. Unable to contain her emotions mixed with jealousy, Bree makes some poor choices. Knowing Lara inside out, she decides to take revenge (or vent out her jealousy) by creating a fake Facebook profile, but unfortunately, Bree ends up digging her own grave.
It was a dramatic read, with some cute teenage romance and, of course, Cyberbullying! It was, in fact, reminiscent of my adolescent years. Like most people, I, too, saw cyberbullies in my school, hiding under the mask of their fake virtual identities. Back then, I was just an ignorant teen, like most people my age, and I could not make sense of anything happening around me. But I somehow survived that too, and now I am a Lawyer and can not only protect myself and the people around me but can also help you protect yourself.
Do’s and Don’ts of your cyber activity
Do’s
- Know your rights. Like it is a crime to assault someone, cyberbullying is also a crime. Cyberbullying is most probably a punishable offence in your country, which could include jail time and/or other severe consequences against the perpetrator. Even if it is not a punishable offence in your country, it is undoubtedly against the terms and conditions of most social media sites, which means the offender is in serious trouble. So don’t be afraid of such bullies; they are the ones who should be frightened instead.
- Don’t be afraid to share such incidents with your close friends and family, as they can help you.
- If you feel someone engages in similar activities like cyberbullying, spreading fake news or hateful content, stay away from them as much as possible- virtually and physically. Most importantly, inform your peers and above about it immediately.
Don’ts
- Avoid real-time updates of your (or other people’s) personal activity, as it can lead to cyber-assisted crimes;
- Avoid publicly criticizing or taunting anyone on social media;
- Do NOT record anyone’s activity without their permission, and do NOT post it or threaten to post it online- even for fun;
- Avoid making friends online because they generally tend to be quite different from what you perceive them to be;
- Never open up to a stranger online. There are plenty of people around you who love you and would treasure your company. If, however, you still decide to do so, make sure you don’t divulge details of your personal life to them. Most importantly, be wary of emotionally investing in such relationships;
- Last, don’t falsely accuse anyone of being a cyberbully, as it can be a Backlash.
Remember, your inaction can help the potential offender, who will one day find someone else to hurt. And “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing” (-Edmund Burke).
Ciao ❤
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Contemporology 