MANILA, Philippines — It is very much like the toilet wall graffiti — only it's on the internet.

Facebook and Twitter, and many other blogs and social networking sites, have become an extension of low-level tit for tat exchanges.

Now, bullying is no longer about the big and strong picking on the small and weak. If it can't be told to you straight to your face, it can easily reach you online. Degrading gossips and malicious comments have become far-reaching, with the potential to instantly destroy lives and reputation -- with just one click.

A few weeks ago, a video of University of the Philippines (UP) Law student Christopher Lao complaining about the flood waters went viral after it appeared on a primetime TV newscast. In a matter of hours, Lao became an object of ridicule on Twitter and a Facebook fanpage was put up with the solitary mission to ridicule and attack him.

And just last week, Students and Campuses Bulletin columnist James Soriano likewise became the subject of cyberbullying, when people started calling him all sorts of names because of what he wrote in his column.

THE DOWNSIDE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING

Cyberbullying is the downside of social networking. And if celebrities like Sarah Geronimo and Charice, who have also been targets of demeaning comments, are not safe from it, much more ordinary people.

According to a survey by the Cyberbullying Research Center (www. cyberbullying.us), about 20 percent of students age 11 to 18 surveyed last year said they'd been cyberbullied at some point in their lives. In the past year, a million children were victims of cyberbullying on Facebook.

The study also indicated that “the rate of victimization is expected to increase as more teens use smartphones and share information on social media sites”. The consequences of cyberbullying can be severe. Although there are no reported deaths or suicides yet in the Philippines that have been linked to cyberbullying, two high-profile cases, on the other hand, headlined in the US.

Only in the past two years, a 15-yearold girl in Massachusetts hanged herself after being bullied both physically and online, while an 18-year-old student at Rutgers University in New Jersey threw himself off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate used a laptop camera to webcast footage of the student kissing another man.

So who is a cyberbully?

Simply put, cyberbullies are netizens who repeatedly use technology to harass, humiliate or threaten. Although there is no physical violence, cyberbullying may be more frightening to targets because it has a wider audience.

ANTI-BULLYING SCHOOL POLICY ACT

Earlier this year, Senator Miriam Defensor- Santiago had filed Senate Bill no. 2677, or the Anti-Bullying School Policy Act, which aims to address the issue of cyberbullying in the Philippines, this despite the fact that no incident of cyberbullying has been officially reported in the country. In the explanatory note, Santiago acknowledged that “a new form of bullying is fast emerging with the advancements of technology.”

Under the proposed bill, cyberbullying is defined as an offense committed “through electronic devices such as, but not limited to, texting, instant messaging, chatting, Internet and social networking websites.”

The said bill would require schools to create concrete policies to address the issue of bullying, particularly those involving the use of the Internet and digital I technologies such as cellphones and computers, and to subject offending students and minors to disciplinary actions.

According to Santiago, an increase in awareness about bullying can help reduce the incidents of bullying. “A direct correlation with the reduction of bullying incidents is the increase in awareness and concern among school administrators of these incidents, and the positive action of providing venues for parents, faculty and school officials to report such incidents to authorities,” she said.

In addition to the creation of the school policies, the proposed bill will also allow anonymous reporting to encourage parents and guardians to file written complaints, which will in turn be sent to the school administration.

The bill will also require schools to keep a record of information relating to acts of bullying, but the names of the bullies would only be made available to school administrators, teachers, and parents of the victims.

Once the bill is passed, the schools are given six months to submit their proposals to the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), or Technical Education and Skills Developing Authority (TESDA).

These government agencies are tasked to impose sanctions to schools that fail to  comply with the anti cyberbullying law.

CONCERNED NETIZENS Certain individuals and groups have, likewise, taken cyberbullying as their advocacy.

Web Safety Philippines launched last year “Watcha Webtrap”, a cyber wellness road show, which was originally intended for parents but has since evolved into a training module and new programs were rolled out that included youth, professionals, nannies and corporations.

The said campaign, in partnership with Yahoo! Philippines, has been to different schools and organizations conducting seminars and educating people of the online threats, precautionary measure and responsible use.

STOPPING CYBERBULLYING So how do we deal with cyberbullying?

BE CIVIL. Even if you don’t like someone, it’s a good idea to be decent and not sink to the other person’s level.

DON'T RESPOND. If someone bullies you, remember that your reaction is usually exactly what the bully wants. It gives him or her power over you. Besides, getting back at the bully turns you into one. Be the bigger person by not retaliating.

DON'T BE A BULLY. Put yourself in this person’s shoes. How would you feel if someone harassed you?

SAVE THE EVIDENCE. The only good news about cyber bullying is that the harassing messages can usually be captured, saved, and shown to someone who can help. You need to do this even if it’s minor stuff, in case things escalate.

TALK TO SOMEONE. It’s always good to involve a parent but if you can’t, find a trusted friend to back you up. Or your guidance counselor, they usually know how to help. If you’re really nervous about saying something, see if there’s a way to report the incident anonymously.

BLOCK THE BULLY. If the abuse or harassment is coming in the form of instant messages, texts, status or profile comments, do yourself a favor: use privacy tools to block the person. And see those “Report Abuse” options usually located at the bottom of the page? Yes, they do serve a purpose.

STOP THE CYCLE. Forwarding mean messages and embarrassing photos or videos empowers bullies and hurts victims even more. Tell bullies to stop. It’s time to let bullies know their behavior is unacceptable. If you can’t stop the bully, at least try to help the victim and report the incident.