Ad Council: ‘Cyberbullying – Talent Show’
This short film asks young people “If you wouldn’t say it in person, why say it online?”
New technologies have not only created new outlets for bullying, they have changed the face of it completely because cyberbullying:
- Can take place 24/7 - not just during school hours
- Invades the child's home and personal space as well as their school environment
- Can be done quickly and on a large scale, because of the speed and reach of email, mobiles and Web sites
- Can be perceived as anonymous - the bully can set up a fake email address or use someone else's mobile
- Means that bystanders can become perpetrators if they pass on emails or text/picture messages or take part in an online discussion
- Can last longer than face-to-face bullying, sometimes building over weeks and months
- Perpetrators and their targets might not fit the profile of other forms of bullying
- Might not be identified as bullying by a young person because it doesn't take place face-to-face or because they don't think that their teachers or parents will take it seriously
- Provides evidence (eg emails, texts, photos or videos) in a way that other forms of bullying don't
- Incidents may be unintentional or a "joke” and the perpetrator might not have considered the potential consequences
Click here for our tips on dealing with cyberbullying among young people.
Cyberbullying also affects teachers and other school staff. If you are experiencing harassment over the internet or your mobile, visit the Teacher Advice section of Teachtoday and read the DCSF's guidance document ‘Cyberbullying: Supporting School Staff'