Crisp and Mozilla support underpins groundbreaking anti-cyberbullying service...
Beatbullying, the UK’s leading bullying prevention charity is tackling the UK’s cyberbullying epidemic head-on with the launch of CyberMentors, the first nationwide online peer-mentoring social networking site.
The launch of the part DCSF-funded CyberMentors initiative to stamp out cyberbullying comes as the result of support from technology partners including Crisp and Mozilla.
Research conducted by Beatbullying with over 2000 young people aged between 11 and 18 has uncovered a growing epidemic, with over one in three revealing that they have been the victim of cyberbullying. The three most common digital environments for cyberbullying were found to be mobile text messages, prank mobile phone calls and content posted on social networking sites.
For the first time, young people suffering at the hands of cyberbullying can seek immediate help and advice from other young people – CyberMentors – online at www.cybermentors.org.uk. CyberMentors will offer advice and support, but in severe cases where someone could be in immediate danger, will refer it to Beatbullying cyber counsellors, who will take appropriate action to protect the individual from further attacks. Beatbullying’s research found that over 44 per cent of young people would be open to taking advice online from their peers.
CyberMentors will use technology from partners including Crisp and Mozilla to create a safe environment for young people to seek, and offer each other help and support.
Crisp, the online child protection specialist, is supporting Beatbullying with the donation of its powerful NetModerator™ technology for Cybermentors.org.uk. NetModerator™ will be used to monitor thousands of simultaneous conversations between users analysing for inappropriate and threatening chat. This will give Beatbullying the ability to immediately identify any inappropriate behaviour.
Mozilla’s involvement stems from its dedication to improving the online experience for people everywhere and keeping the web safe and open for everyone. Mozilla will also be sponsoring ten of its community members to train and become official CyberMentors.
CyberMentors works in the same vein as Beatbullying’s successful school-based peer-mentoring schemes, which have been proven to reduce bullying by up to 80 per cent.
All online mentoring will take place within the safety of the CyberMentors website which is monitored using Crisp’s market-leading software and can detect and flag up inappropriate conversations directly to Beatbullying.
Beatbullying asked almost 2,500 young people about cyberbullying to find out what's going on:
50% said they'd been cyber bullied
29% told noone about being cyberbullied
73% said they knew who was sending them bullying messages
11% admitted to being a cyberbully
Key Facts
Sarah Dyer, New Media Director of Beatbullying comments, “CyberMentors is the result of two years of intense research and development and working with young people and technology partners including Crisp and Mozilla, to enable young people to deliver a much needed service to help each other combat cyberbullying. CyberMentors is all about empowering young people through technology so they can help and support each other online. Thanks to the valuable support of key partners and a thorough training process for our CyberMentors, we have been able to deliver a digital platform where young people can help and assist their peers on and offline.”
For more information, visit www.cybermentors.org or www.beatbullying.org