“Kids will be kids” and “It’s just a phase.” Phrases like these are often spoken of today’s youth in an attempt to lessen the harsh reality that, sometimes, children can be downright cruel. If these actions are not addressed properly, they can manifest in many different ways as they reach adulthood.

The anonymous nature of the Internet provides anyone with access to it the ability to say anything to, or about, anyone they wish, with little to no repercussions. Once the message is sent, it’s out there for anyone with Internet access to see – forever. Information on the Internet is incredibly hard to redact or remove once it’s been let loose, something that many people may not realize when opening up to their computer or mobile device.

Children bullying each other may seem like a rite of passage, or a playground norm, however this doesn’t mean that any one child should have their feelings valued over another. As society moves towards being more compassionate, we should be fostering this understanding that bullying is an unacceptable way for anyone to act, even at young ages.

Young adults who had bullying tendencies growing up are more likely to have issues with aggression, difficulties determining the difference between right and wrong, sexual harassment, substance abuse, relationship issues and much more. Bullying habits don’t seem to be something that children grow out of.

Bullying can be identified in many different forms, some of which are considered illegal. Here is a brief snippet from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's website:

• Threats - face to face, online, over the phone or through text messaging.
• Assaults - physical attacks; including pushing, tripping, slapping, hitting or spitting.
• Theft of personal items - electronic devices, books, backpacks, etc.
• Harassment - Repeated tormenting online, texts, phone calls, emails, etc.
• Sexual Exploitation - sharing videos or photos with nudity of people without consent.
• Hate crime - bullying based on ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, etc.

At TekSavvy, we stand up for what's right. We hope you do, too. If you know somebody who’s the victim of bullying, or perhaps might be a bully themselves, please do your part and properly address the situation. Information on bullying prevention can be found through PREVnet, which is a group of researchers and organizations working to eliminate bullying in Canada.