Tankiso Makhetha
PRETORIA: The Department of Justice has warned parents to assume a more proactive role in monitoring their children’s social media activities to help prevent them from falling victim to cyber bullying.
Pritima Osman, from the department’s child justice and children’s court, said monitoring their internet and social media usage would also help parents to check if their children were perpetrators of bullying.
Osman was responding to a question during the SA Police Service community outreach programme and 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign at Oos Moot High School.
Osman said children’s privacy was only secondary to their well-being and also spoke about signs that parents should take note of in case their children were victims of cyber bullying.
“There are signs including depression, such as children who are normally active becoming withdrawn.
“As parents you need to report it to the school for some form of intervention. That could save a child’s life,” Osman said.
Parents could also seek help from social workers and psychologists.
She said seeking help for the perpetrators of cyber bullying was just as important.