Netiquette and cyberbullying

§Text Passage

1Summary 重點摘要

Netiquette means being polite online. Before posting ask: is it true, kind, necessary? If cyberbullied: do not reply, keep evidence, block, tell an adult.

2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary

3Step by step Steps

1. The basics of netiquetteOnline communication hides tone and expression, so words that sound joking in person can turn harsh in print; behaviour online must be more careful than face to face. Four basic rules: first, avoid typing in ALL CAPS, which reads as shouting; second, before posting ask three questions — is it true, is it kind, is it necessary? If any answer is no, do not post; third, respect privacy: always get consent before posting another person's photos or details; fourth, do not flood group chats, and move off-topic talk elsewhere. The heart of netiquette is remembering that behind every screen is a real person.
2. Your digital footprint staysEverything you post online — every sentence, every photo — builds your digital footprint. Once published, others can screenshot, forward and archive it; deleting the original leaves the copies circulating, beyond your control. The consequences stretch far: years later, admissions interviews and job screenings may surface it. Real cases include public figures apologising after old posts were dug up, and candidates losing offers over improper social media remarks. A practical test: before posting, ask 'will I regret seeing this again in three years?' If you hesitate at all, do not post it.
3. What counts as cyberbullyingCyberbullying is repeated harm inflicted through electronic communication. Common forms include persistent mocking or insults, doctoring someone's photos to humiliate them, publishing their details without consent (doxxing), ganging up on one person in a group, and deliberately excluding someone from the conversation. The test is not whether the joker meant harm but whether the victim is being repeatedly hurt: one message may be a joke, yet the same message repeated daily by dozens of senders is bullying. Unlike face-to-face bullying, it follows the victim around the clock — on the way home, on the phone before sleep, the harm continues.
4. If it happens to youIf you become the target, remember five steps. One: do not reply or answer abuse with abuse — fighting back delights the bully and turns you from victim into participant. Two: screenshot the evidence at once, including the messages, the times and the account names, before they are deleted. Three: block the person to cut off contact. Four: tell a trusted adult — a parent, teacher or school social worker — as soon as possible; this is not tattling but proper help-seeking. Five: report to the platform, which every major social network provides. Being bullied is not your fault; you need not carry it alone, and the earlier you seek help, the sooner it ends.
5. If you see it happeningBystanders decide whether bullying can continue. When you see someone piled upon, three things must not be done: do not join the laughter, do not comment for the crowd (not even 'haha'), do not forward the content — each of these amplifies the bully and makes you part of it. Two things should be done: privately check on the targeted classmate, for whom one message of support means a great deal; and report to a teacher or the platform, alone or together with them. Research shows most bullying stops quickly once a bystander steps in, while silent crowds make bullies feel licensed. Standing up needs no confrontation: reporting and caring are the best intervention.
6. Doxxing is serious harmDoxxing — publishing someone's name, photos, school, address or phone number without consent — is among the gravest forms of cyberbullying. The consequences run deep: victims may face doorstep harassment, phone bombardment, impersonation and even physical danger. In Hong Kong, disclosing another person's personal data without consent can breach the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance; the Privacy Commissioner may follow up and prosecute, with fines and even imprisonment in serious cases. Note carefully: even data already public — say, self-posted — can count as doxxing once collected, compiled and reshared. Never pass on a doxxing post; report it at once.
7. Judging real-life scenariosJudge three realistic scenarios. Scene one: a classmate posts a video of another student falling at sports day, with laughter dubbed on, to the class group — it looks funny but humiliates the person, which is mocking-style bullying; the right moves are a private word to delete it and telling a teacher. Scene two: an angry friend screenshots a private conversation and posts it to the whole form — publishing private messages without consent invades privacy and may amount to doxxing. Scene three: group members keep starting threads to shame a classmate's grades while you stay silent — silent watching still feeds the bullying; support the victim privately and report. All three share one lesson: judge by the person's feelings and harm, not the starter's motive.

4Diagrams Diagrams

5Worked example Example

6Common mistakes Mistakes

7Quick check Quick check

8Recap Recap

• Netiquette: watch tone, don't SHOUT, ask before posting others' stuff
• Before posting: true? kind? necessary? — footprints stay
• Cyberbullying = repeated harm; 'just joking' is no excuse
• Response: no reply → evidence → block → report → adult
• A real person is behind every screen — online words carry the same responsibility as face to face