Facebook launches site against cyberbullying
Singapore’s Media Literacy Council will encourage schools to use the resource in their outreach programme. Photo: Facebook
SINGAPORE — In an effort to stand up to cyberbullying, Facebook and the Media Literacy Council (MLC) have launched a bullying prevention website to teach the public what they can do about cyberbullying, using simple step-by-step guides.
Tips offered on the site help the public to take action against cyberbullying by providing advice not only to the victims and their caregivers, but to bullies as well.
For instance, those who have been called cyberbullies are advised on why it is wrong, what they can do to make restitution and are even given “conversation starters” to help them get their apology across correctly.
“The Internet is just like the real world, but consequences are often magnified in the online world. It is our collective responsibility to make the world, Internet or otherwise, better,” said Professor Tan Cheng Han, Chairman of the MLC, which has been appointed by the Ministry of Communications and Information to promote media literacy.
To promote greater awareness of the platform, the MLC will encourage schools to use the resource in their outreach programme and share their resources through on-the-ground engagements.
Mr Farrell Nah, 17, a former cyberwellness student ambassador with his alma mater, the School of Science and Technology, Singapore, felt that the tips offered on the site would help bullies realise their mistakes.
Sharing an account of cyberbullying that happened at the school, he said the bullies themselves did not realise that they were hurting the victim’s feelings. “After I told them about their mistake, they rectified the misunderstanding (with the victim),” he said.
This information is also deemed equally important to parents, said Madam Lu Jia Hui, a mother of three.
The 40-year-old operations manager said: “Because we are always working, this website is useful for parents who do not know what bullying is like. It gives clear guidelines on how to go about handling the situation sensitively.”
She added that the section that teaches parents how to deal with situations where their child is the bully would help parents in denial.
“The parents might feel lost (upon realising that their child is a bully) and this guideline assures you that it is normal kids do go down that route,” she said.
