Interesting study on cyberbullying!
A cyberbullying study conducted from March to August 2017 found that young people's mental health is at high risk from online abuse.
study commissioned by the Children's Society and YoungMinds found .
Sixty-two percent of respondents were under 18 and three-quarters were female. The findings are based on oral and written statements from young people - including an online survey of 1,089 children and young people - as well as statements from social media companies, mental health experts and children's charities.
Respondents said they felt let down by social media platforms and called on companies to take tougher action against cyberbullying and ban abusive users.
The children's aid organizations are calling on social media companies to ensure that only children and young people with the consent of their legal guardians can register on the platforms. This control has so far been insufficient.
Social media companies should also take complaints about bullying more seriously and process them more quickly in order to protect those affected.
The findings of the research were published ahead of the UK government's response to its consultation on cyber security strategy. Forty-seven percent of respondents had received threats or abusive messages on social media, and 61 percent had their first account when they were 12 years old or younger, even though the platforms state that users must be over 13 years old.
Alex Chalk, the Tory MP who led the inquiry, said:
“Cyberbullying can devastate young lives, but to date the response from social media companies has been symbolic and inadequate. It has failed to grasp the true extent of the problem. They haven't done their own homework for too long and it's time for them to become much more transparent, hands-on and responsible. “
Children's Society Chief Executive Matthew Reed said:
“The Commission of Inquiry has heard from young people that cyberbullying is perceived as “inevitable” and in the most extreme cases it has brought some to the brink of suicide. But we also heard about the positive experiences that social media brings to young people. Social media is an essential part of teenage life and we all need to support young people to stay safe online, including better school provision for young people and information for parents.”
Sarah Brennan, CEO of YoungMinds, said:
“Given the importance of social media in young people's daily lives, it is crucial that young people feel safe there and can enjoy being part of it. We need platforms that create age-appropriate content for younger users, as well as parents and teachers who talk to young people early on about how they can respond positively to the online world and what to do if they encounter confusing content. But most importantly, this research has shown loud and clear that it is time for social media companies to step up and take action to combat cyberbullying and protect the mental health of their users on their platforms.”
Simon Milner, Facebook Policy Director for Europe, said:
“Our priority is to make Facebook a safe place for people of all ages. That's why we've worked with safety experts like the UK Safer Internet Center and developed powerful tools like the Bullying Prevention Hub to help people have positive experiences on Facebook. Our work with Childnet International and The Diana Awards means that this year we are offering every secondary school in the UK Digital Safety Ambassadors …”
Source: TheGuardian
Further reports on this topic:
- Tips in case of cyber bullying
- Don't trust strangers in the chat!
- Cyberhelp app doesn't just help victims of cyberbullying
- Protection against cyberbullying
- How to Stop Cyberbullying: 8 Tips for Parents
Author: Beate L., mimikama.org
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