WMS students learn about Cyberbullying and Cyber Safety Precautions

Washingtonville Middle School hosted a Cyberbullying and Cyber Safety Presentation, on November 6th, 2023, with Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation New York field office. 

The Special Agents talked with students about the different safety precautions they should exercise while using all forms of social media. 

Students learned tips to stay safe on the internet including not talking to strangers, not accepting follow requests from people they don’t know, not sending inappropriate photos and more. They were encouraged to report and/or block anyone being unsafe on the internet and always talk to a trusted adult. Students were able to ask and answer questions to make sure they had a better understanding of the presentation.

“I deal with these things all the time so I know how important it is to always be safe on the internet,” one of the Special Agents Advised Students. 

Students were also shown videos that spoke about the dangers of cyberbullying and how to react when they find themselves in a situation where they are being cyberbullied or know of someone else who is being bullied on the internet. 

“I know that sometimes we think ‘It won’t happen to me, I won’t be in danger.’ But it does, it happens all the time. So you cannot hear this information enough and you cannot take enough precaution,” said Principal Teresa Thompson.“When you are on social media, you have a lot of power at your fingertips. You have to be responsible and you have to be aware, for your own safety and the safety of others.”