Discord: Discord’s Community Guide- lines are similar to other social media platforms. Some of the guidelines state that users are not allowed to send unwel- come or unwanted content to an indi- vidual, call for the suicide or self-harm of others, or post content with the intent to cause disgust, anger, or fear. Those who disobey the guidelines, Discord will take action against the accounts. Users who see the policies being disobeyed are encouraged to report the guilty users and content. The majority of the apps that teens are using have strict community guidelines in place. However, a good rule of thumb is that if teens are using any apps without safety measures or anti-bullying policies in place, that is probably not an app they should be using. Unfortunately, even with the best-laid plans and safety measures in place, bul- lies can slip through the cracks and still cause others harm. Preventing cyberbul- lying and protecting our children is still a work in progress, but work we should consistently do until cyberbullying is no longer trending.
However, the Louisiana Department of Education (louisianabelieves.com) provides a “Bullying Report Form,” which can be downloaded and printed out to be turned into the principal or appropri- ate school leader. The form encourages the submitter to describe the incident and list any witnesses. A similar form is available on NOLA Public Schools web- site (nolapublicschools.com) and can be submitted online. On Social Media While there are many benefits to using and creating with social media, those same platforms can be used for cyber- bullying. Knowing this, popular platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook have implemented processes to protect the younger generation. Here are some of the precautions the most popular apps and forums are taking to prevent bullying. TikTok: TikTok provides private ac- counts; customizations for For You Pages, messages, and who can Duet or Stitch videos; comment control; filtering com - ments and keywords; and reporting. Instagram: Instagram provides tag and mention controls, a space to report users
or content, the ability to block users, and the ability to limit or restrict users from interacting with the victim. Instagram also includes a comment warning feature, which flags potentially offensive com - ments before they are posted, reminding the commenter of Instagram’s Commu- nity Guidelines and warning them that if they proceed, their comment may be removed or hidden. Facebook (Meta): Facebook and Instagram are Meta Platforms, so they share similar features when keeping teens safe on social media, including blocking and reporting bullying. Meta employs teams that review reports of bullying and harassment 24/7, in more than 50 different languages. However, they also utilize technology in order to find and remove inappropriate content, often before it even gets reported on. Snapchat: Snapchat allows users to block others and report bullying. The company has also partnered with the Crisis Text Line to provide additional support and resources to Snapchatters. Users can text KIND to 741741 to chat with a live, trained crisis counselor. This service is free and available 24/7.
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