Cyberbullying an everyday problem, says Saskatoon expert

Harold Shiffman is not surprised by the findings of a new report that suggests many young people find themselves being victimized online.

"It's just more common now in everyday life," said Shiffman, an associate director of protective services at the University of Saskatchewan, told CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning. "For bullies, it's just another avenue to get at their victim."

A report released by Statistics Canada this week says almost one in every five young Canadians — about 1.1 million people — has been a victim of cyberbullying or cyberstalking.

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The U of S is dealing with one or two cases of online bullying each month, Shiffman said.

Cyber attackers reach into the home 

"People will sit and take a lot of bullying and a lot of abuse online before they'll talk to somebody," said Shiffman.

The fundamental difference between online bullying and stalking is the severity. But whatever you call it, Shiffman argued, it is especially harmful to young people, because they can't escape from it.

"They just want to get away from the bullies but the bullies can keep texting them or emailing them at home and it can be very detrimental to the young person," he said.

The tips to help keep safe are pretty standard, Shiffman said. They include being careful with your online footprint and keeping access to social media accounts restricted to close friends. In addition, he said, it's important for parents to begin teaching children about Internet safety at a young age.  

"We tell children to look both ways before they cross the street. Do we make sure that they understand that there is dangerous parts of the Internet?"