On the occasion of the designation of June 17as the day to combat cyberbullying – “Stop cyberbullying day” , ESET has prepared a list of symptoms that parents can notice in their children, helping them understand if they have become victims of cyberbullying . 
Abrupt responses and mood swings
Frequent mood swings do not necessarily mean that the child is being harassed by his peers. However, if they are accompanied by nervous reactions to simple, everyday questions, and especially when they occur after using the virtual world , it is time for the parent to ask if there is a problem , going beyond the usual answers “well”, “fine”, and trying to dig deeper to find out how their child really feels about his online experience .
Deleting a social media account
If your child suddenly abandons one of their favorite social media accounts , it could be a sign that something serious is going on, at a time when most young people are devoting a lot of time and energy to virtual reality on . tools installed Parental control your child 's devices can give you a good idea of which apps they use most often .
Withdrawing from friends and family
It's natural for teenagers to try to become more independent from their parents and, therefore, to spendmore time with friends. However, if they are also withdrawing from them, isolating themselves in their rooms and avoiding social media, as well as their devices, something is wrong.
Sudden and significant physical changes
Has the child suddenly lost weight or appetite ? Is he having trouble sleeping at night, and is lethargic in the morning? Again, this can be a sign of many things, but if combined with any of the above signs, there is a possibility that it is due to bullying,offline or online.
Pretending to be sick to avoid school However more
serious problem behind it, such as a fear of the inevitable confrontation with the bully.
Other signs of cyberbullying
If children go from happy and positive to sad and anxious , or show signs of depression and upset after using the computer or mobile phone , it is a strong sign that they are a victim of cyberbullying.
To protect their children, parents mustfirst of all talk to them, so that children know that parents care about themand are there to help them. Also, parents should never underestimate cyberbullying and its effects on the child's health and always be vigilant, recording messages from the bully to use as evidence of his actions. It is also necessary to use a reliableparental solutioncontrol that gives a good picture of children's movements on the internet and helps significantly in identifying problems when they arise.
More in the relevant article by Ondrej Kubovič, IT Security Specialist at ESET.
