How Misinformation and Fake News Contribute to Bullying

We often think of bullying as name-calling or physical harm. But today, bullying also spreads online—and misinformation and fake news play a big role.

Misinformation vs Fake News

• Misinformation is false information shared by accident. Kids may share a rumor without knowing it’s untrue.

• Fake news is false information spread on purpose. It’s designed to mislead, embarrass, or control others.

Both can fuel bullying behaviors. A simple rumor, if not checked, can turn into targeted teasing. A fake story about a student might be used to shame or isolate them.

Why This Matters for Kids

Kids are constantly exposed to online content. When they don’t pause to question what they see, they may:

• Believe lies about classmates

• Share harmful rumors without realizing it

• Join in bullying fueled by false information

How Parents Can Step In

1. Start the conversation: Ask your kids if they’ve ever seen a rumor

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What did you believe about bullies when you were growing up?

I will be honest. Before I began researching bullying deeply, I believed that kids who bullied others were simply not being parented well.

I know. Judgy.

I assumed they were mirroring behavior they saw at home or copying an older sibling or family member. I thought bullies were just “bad kids” who enjoyed making others miserable.

And no one ever challenged that belief.
No one ever talked to me about bullying or the kids behind the behavior.

What I have learned since then completely changed my perspective.

Bullies Are Still Kids Who Are Learning

The truth is this.
Children who bully are still children.

They are not defined by their behavior. They are often kids who have not yet learned how to manage big emotions, navigate stress, or cope with hurt in healthy ways.

That does not excuse the behavior.
But it does change how we respond to it.

Not all children bully for the same reasons. Some act out because they are overwhe...

Your child might be exhibiting signs of bullying and you might miss them if you don't know what to look for.

I was speaking to a parent this past week who was feeling awful for not having listened to her child. 

You see, her child had been bullied for a while. She thought that her incidents were not that bad. Then, months later she found out that her child was experiencing extreme symptoms from her bullying experiences. 

Her child was having panic attacks, couldn’t sleep, and got physically sick often. Her child kept asking to stay home and then one day, her child just refused to go to school.  

After long talks and some therapy sessions, this mom found out that the bullying experiences had been very consistent over the course of a year. Furthermore, she found out that teachers had been part of the bullying as well. 

Sadly, this happens. That’s why it’s important for parents to ask as many questions as possible to find out what kids are really saying. 

There are keywords to liste...

Some parents do what they think will help stop it, not realizing their actions can make the situation worse. 

That’s what happened to a mother who decided to directly speak to her child’s bully. 

Perhaps she wasn’t aware that boarding a school bus was considered trespassing. That’s reason enough for her to be arrested or fined (depending on the state laws). 

But this mother went further. She began verbally assaulting the 11-year old child and she ended up fighting the child (physical assault). 

The whole thing was caught on video. But, let’s assume the child hit her first. As an adult, what are the chances that the justice system will side with the mother? 

You see, I have read many news articles about similar situations because, in my opinion, parents are not well aware of efficient ways to manage bullying situations involving their children and schools are not taking bullying complaints seriously enough. 

This is why bullying awareness and prevention education needs to be offer...

Surviving a lifetime of being bullied!

As a child, I was bullied, and it was a long process for me to recover. I was teased, made fun of and told that I would never be anything. This was by my family from birth throughout my early adult years. I also endured years of being jumped on and beat-up by my cousin for no reason.

This resulted in me being shy and my self-esteem was very low. I was also teased in school because I was skinny, and my teeth were crooked. As a result, I walked with my head down and I never smiled. There were so many days that I would come home and just cry.

I was doing poorly in school because I was suffering from depression. I vividly remember one day I was in health class and a classmate told me that I was skinny enough to hula hoop in a fruit-loop. I was called grandma and told me that I was homely! which hurt a lot. That was just a tiny bit of the things that were said to me.

Unfortunately, I was struggling with being bullied. I stayed faithful and knew tha...