Parents’ advice on viral fight videos online
Social media is great for sharing moments in your life, from spending time with friends and family to documenting cute things with your cat.
It can capture the darkest moments, those you wish you hadn’t been involved in.
Some children are caught in violent situations, like a street fight or being bullied by others. This has been captured on video, shared online, and went viral.
Other students will film their classmates fighting and upload them to social media accounts that are devoted to sharing images and videos.
This craze reminds me of the “happy slapping” trend from the 2000s when teens filmed other people punching and slapping their victims, and shared them on their phones.
Social media has made it easier for people to get involved. Before social media, rumours about fights could have spread through a school year group or even the entire school. It can also help people organize these types of “events” or activities.
Colin James, founder and CEO of charity Gangs Unite, stated that “Social media is changing everything.” “It used to just be word of mouth, but now it’s all about social media. It attracts so many people,” said Colin James, founder of charity Gangs Unite in The Daily Telegraph.
What can parents do to help their children?
If your child has shared the footage
Share footage of fights online with your child. It is easy to get caught up with the excitement of an event, but it is important to teach your child to think before sharing news about planned fights or photos of those that have already occurred. Potential future employers and trainers will not be impressed by a young person who has shared these images online.
What happens if your child is involved?
Once you have established that they are safe, have a serious discussion with them about their involvement and the consequences.
Avoid being too critical or upset, as it may hinder them from speaking up.
If you have footage of your child fighting,
It doesn’t matter if they are the perpetrator or the victim, it’s not something you want other people to see online.
Ask the person responsible for posting the content to take it down. They can also help you if the incident is related to school. Contact the social media platform to request that the content be removed. Learn how.
You may not be able to control the dissemination of the footage. Support your child as best you can if that’s the case. There are lessons to learn from every bad experience.
“Good plans are focused on getting rid of bad influences and avoiding high risk situations.”
To prevent future situations, make a plan with your children. Plan that is positive and avoids high-risk situations are good plans. Talk to them about ways they can make more time for positive friends and other activities. To counter any negative comments about them online, they can make sure to create a positive and digital footprint.
If your child is experiencing anger, or any other problem, you should seek professional help.
A deeper emotional issue may be revealed if you resort to physical aggression to deal with a problem or fight for the sake of it. Ask them about any other issues in their lives.
It is important to remind them that they must find other methods of resolving problems. This could include negotiation, compromise, and communication.
Young Minds offers helpful advice for anger, aggression, and violence among young people. It also provides information about what parents can do to support their children.
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