Youth want adult support against online bullying

A new study suggests 42 per cent of Canadian youth have been cyberbullied and 60 per cent have witnessed others being bullied online. PREVNet and MediaSmarts, two anti-bullying groups, teamed up with a service provided by telecom Telus to conduct a survey on cyberbullying and what influences whether or not young people intervene when they see it.

Many have intervened

“(I’m) pleased to say that 71 per cent of youth—that’s Canadian youth ages 12 through 18—who saw cyberbullying did something to intervene at least once,” says Shelly Smith, director of Telus Wise. If the bullying involved a family member, 90 per cent said they would intervene and 37 per cent said they would if they did not know the person.

Listen

Among the reasons for not intervening, respondents said they did not believe adults give advice that helps or they though that talking to parents and teachers would change nothing.

‘We’ve got to equip adults’

At the same time, youth’s number one intervention strategy involved talking to an adult. Smith says that should be a wake-up call. “We’ve got to equip adults with information on how to stand up for our kids and be their advocates, but also how to engage our youth in standing up safely.”

‘Keep records’

Advice to adults includes listening to and advocating for teens, keeping records of online bullying, reporting incidents to schools, internet service providers or police if necessary, and using information available from the three groups launching this initiative.

‘Talk to a trusted adult’

Advice to youth includes talking to a trusted adult and doing so before intervening, protecting themselves by keeping records, blocking bullies, and not sharing mean or compromising material. Smith tells young people that if they wouldn’t want their grandmothers to see something, they shouldn’t post it.

Resources to help anyone of any age are available for free in English, French, traditional and simple Chinese, and Punjabi.