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In the digital age of social media, it’s almost near impossible to keep things private.

Since the beginning of Myspace, one of the first major social media platforms on the web, a constant concern that many have is privacy and security.

In this day and age, an “invasion of privacy” takes on whole new meaning when the internet is used as a weapon.

Unfortunately, Disney star Skai Jackson has learned this the hard way.

Skai has been trending this past week – but not for her acting, dancing or modeling talent – she has allegedly become the latest victim of “revenge bullying” from the nephew of a megastar.

It is being reported that Daniel “Julez” Smith Jr., the 16-year-old nephew of Beyonce and son of her sister, Solange Knowles, once dated 18-year-old Skai, but the two broke up late last year.

After Julez accused Skai of cheating, shocking screen shots of text messages were leaked showing his alleged conversation with friends, bragging that he slept with the actress.

An explicit video of Skai also surfaced, leaving many to believe that it was leaked by Julez.

The scorned teen used explicit language in another released message while expressing his anger over the leaked information.

“IDC anymore I still gave that dark a** b**** d**k, stop leaking the f*** chats,” Julez allegedly wrote. 

Even in what we are sure is an embarrassing situation, Skai is taking the high road. She released messages on her social media, which alludes to the situation with her younger former boyfriend.

This shows no one is off limits, as Skai has quite an impressive resume. The actress, YouTuber and author was included in Time’s list of Most Influential Teens in 2016. She first began acting at the age of 5, making her debut in the film Liberty Kid. She later came to international prominence for her portrayal of Zuri Ross in the Disney Channel series Jessie (2011–2015), and in the sequel, Bunk’d (2015–2018). She has also voiced Glory Grant across the Marvel Rising series, and voiced Summer in the animated series DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Riders. In 2019, Skai released her debut novel, “Reach for the Skai: How to Inspire, Empower, and Clapback.” She was also a semi-finalist on the 29th season of Dancing with the Stars in 2020.

Like so many young women out there, especially women of color who receive the most criticism and backlash from cyber bullying and revenge porn, many are left wondering how do we protect ourselves and young girls from this terrible form of bullying?

There are several ways young women can protect themselves by first identifying the type of bullying they are experiencing and knowing the proper way to respond and handle the situation.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is the ‘new kid’ on the street. According to Healthline.com, It’s defined as aggression that happens through digital technology such as:

  • computers
  • smartphones
  • social media
  • instant messaging
  • texts

This is the most common form of bullying. Studies suggest that men are more involved in this type of bullying against women.

Teens are particularly vulnerable  to cyberbullying because they’re on social media all the time.

Here are some precautions to take to help guard or mitigate the affects of cyberbullying:

Block: If you are experiencing constant negative comments and other unwanted actions, consider blocking and reporting the individuals on social media. Instagram and Facebook give users the option to block and report harassment.

Collect Evidence: For bullying to stop and be supported with evidence, take a screen shot of the actions of the perpetrator. This could help prove your case against a bully in case matters have to be handled through the court system.

Review Guidelines/Privacy Policy: Every social media platform should have a policy guideline on how users are to conduct themselves when interacting online. Some of these policies have a ‘Zero Tolerance’ on cyberbullying.

If you or someone you know is experiencing some form of bullying or harassment, contact stopbullying.gov. If you are feeling hopeless or experiencing suicidal thoughts please contact the National Suicide Prevention hotline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255).