Reference no: EM133289528

Assignment:

Despite widespread concern about cyberbullying, children lack knowledge of how to stay safe online - for instance by not giving out personal information or by using blocking and reporting tools. For example, in my recent study conducted in the UK, children were found to be complacent about this issue. Children think they know how to stay safe online, but struggled to actually articulate ways to do this. This might leave some children vulnerable and make risks more likely to lead to harm.

Teachers may also lack the skills to deal with cyberbullying. My research has found that many recognise it to be a problem and feel they have a responsibility to address it and educate young people about appropriate online behaviour, but fewer felt confident about how to address the issue.

The NSPCC, Anti-Bullying Alliance, and Diana Award have teamed up to launch a national campaign called Stop, Speak, Support to encourage children to think critically about what they see online and speak out when necessary.

The Ofcom report found that approximately a fifth of children aged eight to 15 are bullied in some way. In order to counter the effects of bullying we need to promote intervention. Those who witness bullying as well as figures of authority such as teachers should be encouraged to take responsibility for addressing it both in "real life" and in the online world.