MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
MOTION NO. 1
MOTION: Councillor F. Timmons
”In regards to Cyberbullying and children , we ask SDCC to look at what can be done in Libraries in Clondalkin and North Clondalkin (when built) to combat this growing and worrying issue. To ask that a campaign be looked at to deal with this issue that poses a serious threat to many children within our area. This should include all types of Social Media.”
REPORT:
Libraries are aware of the dangers of Cyber bullying and have safeguards in place with regard to our public internet usage and Wifi in all our libraries. Advice for parents is available on the library website http://www.southdublinlibraries.ie/our-services/childrens-zone
However, parents need to be vigilant and need to monitor the Apps and websites that their children are accessing.
To help parents the library service will organise workshops next autumn. These workshops, facilitated by Barnardos, will last one hour plus time for questions. Parents will be offered an opportunity to consider how they can increase their child’s online safety and what to do if they suspect their child is experiencing cyber-bullying.
Parents will be provided with take home information that offers the most up to date information in relation to the apps their child may be using and associated safety considerations.
My Response
Recent research Of the children who experienced cyberbullying, one third also reported feelings of depression related to the abuse.
The research shows gross inconsistencies between parents’ reporting of child cyberbullying, as only one in ten adults said their son or daughter had been a victim of cyberbullying.
According to the research, 51% of the online bullying happens to children on Facebook; some 14% said they had been bullied on Instagram.
Approximately 29% of girls said they had been bullied on Snapchat, while 16% of boys reported being harassed on this platform.
These reports are despite all three social media platforms claiming to have robust reporting procedures in place to deal with this type of behaviour.
The bullying of women is more prevalent, with one in four reporting having been body-shamed online.
The online bullying related to numerous behaviours, with one third of people saying that someone had spread lies or rumours about them on the internet.
Some 18% of respondents said an embarrassing photograph of them had been posted online and 35% reported receiving threatening text messages or emails.
People were also asked how they dealt with the harassment — “unfollowing” or “unfriending” was the main action taken that victims had taken.
“There are a number of factors that contribute to this, ranging from short-circuited early play stages to an immersion in a virtual and online world where nothing feels real.” “What this means is that I see a photo you post of yourself online and I comment that you look like a troll. Then I log off and go about my life and I do not pause to consider that when you log on and read what I wrote that you will have an emotional response that I am, at least in part, responsible for.
“As a result of decreasing empathy and reflective functioning we are seeing higher incidences of online bullying and lower self-esteem in this demographic than ever before.”
I am very happy with the response and urge SDCC to play a big part in an anti-cyberbullying campaign, I have a similar motion down for full council meeting to urge this throughout SDCC and I also will ask at the full council to write to ministers for education in the schools and a change in laws.