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| Source: Media Literacy Council. From left: Chong Ee Jay, Manager of TOUCH Family Services and a member of the Media Literacy Council, a former victim of cyberbullying who subsequently cyberbullied in retaliation; Tan Chee Wee, Executive Director, Media Literacy Council, and Lock Wai Han, Chairman, Media Literacy Council. |
Singapore's Media Literacy Council (MLC) recently celebrated Safer Internet Day (SID) on February 7 with the launch of the Better Internet Campaign. The campaign will run till 31 May 2017, focusing on current cyber wellness issues of cyberbullying, discernment and excessive screen time.
The MLC partners industry, community and government to champion and develop public education and awareness programmes relating to media literacy and cyber wellness. The council has spearheaded the campaign for the fourth time since Singapore’s participation in the global initiative in 2013. This year ,campaign activities include a series of on-ground engagements and broadcasts on mainstream and social media to bring more awareness and discussions about various issues around the areas of focus.
MLC has adopted the campaign tagline Do What’s Right Online, Be the Change for a Better Internet. A showcase of real-life stories profiling a diverse range of individuals who have personally experienced cyber-wellness issues (including students, educators, counsellors, perpetrators and victims will also be available at the campaign website. A series of social experiments covering these issues will further be conducted to generate awareness, conversations and reflections on the issues.
Lock Wai Han, Chairman of the Media Literacy Council, said: “The Internet and mobile devices have become an integral part of our lives, especially among our young people. It is therefore critical to encourage our youths to be positive online, while giving them the resilience, knowledge and support they need to navigate online risks. With the proliferation of news sources online, we need to be discerning to distinguish between falsehood and the truth, to avoid falling prey to scams and fake news.”
Chong Ee Jay – Manager, TOUCH Family Services, and Member, Media Literacy Council, a former victim of cyberbullying who subsequently bullied back in retaliation, said that online interactions should be governed by sensitivity to others. "Basically, it is a question about good manners, and what is acceptable between family and close friends. Some remarks can be hurtful and we must be mindful about this, especially when it is a sensitive subject of say, how a person looks, his/her size, etc. This applies whether online or offline," he commented.
That said, cyberbullying is even more of a problem compared to face-to-face bullying for several reasons, noted Chong. "The cloak of anonymity online often creates an enhanced false sense of security or empowerment which results in users often becoming seemingly bolder or adventurous online to do things which they often may not dare or be willing to try out in real life.," he explained. "Cyberbullying is one clear example where bullies resort to hiding behind their keyboards to make hurtful comments rather than resolving the matter in person. That's why often in cyber bullying cases, anyone can be the bully."
If someone is being cyberbullied, creating a supportive environment is essential. "Often many are hurt by the comments. However not all victimised cases end up depressed or in a despondent state. Some whose personalities are more resilient, or those who have better management of their emotions and have healthy social support from friends and family, tend to cope much better in the face of cyber bullying," said Chong.
Chong also advises against running away from it all through deleting social media accounts, for example. "Running away would not solve the problem. In fact more often than not, it sends the message to the bully (or bullies) that he/she/they have 'succeeded'. An alternative proposition would be to block or delete the bullies from your social media friends' list. Minimise possible social contact with the bully until you are better able to manage your emotions," he said.
Getting a respected third party to offer a balanced perspective can also help, as it did in Chong's case. "Our teacher/counsellor stepped in and reasoned with the both of us who were involved in the matter. I realised that by retaliating (against) the cyberbully, I became a bully myself. Both of us then realised the value of our friendship and how silly the whole matter had become as our ‘battle’ was in full view of our other friends, too. We stopped hitting out at each other via the Internet after that. We remain friends till today," he shared.
"As adults, resolve it face to face and talk it out, or seek help from professional Counsellors or even Family Centres like TOUCH Family Services. As some of the bullying incidents may happen in school, it would be important for parents to teach their young to inform and seek advice from school leaders such as teachers and counsellors who would provide emotional support as well as keep a look out for the students in school. It would also be important for students to share the incident with parents and allow them to better understand what the students are facing as well as provide advice, and if required, to make reports to the school together with the student."
Chong also said that the law can be called in for more serious cases. "In severe harassment cases which involves offensive messages are defamatory or criminal intimidation*, a police report can be lodged," he added.
Getting a respected third party to offer a balanced perspective can also help, as it did in Chong's case. "Our teacher/counsellor stepped in and reasoned with the both of us who were involved in the matter. I realised that by retaliating (against) the cyberbully, I became a bully myself. Both of us then realised the value of our friendship and how silly the whole matter had become as our ‘battle’ was in full view of our other friends, too. We stopped hitting out at each other via the Internet after that. We remain friends till today," he shared.
"As adults, resolve it face to face and talk it out, or seek help from professional Counsellors or even Family Centres like TOUCH Family Services. As some of the bullying incidents may happen in school, it would be important for parents to teach their young to inform and seek advice from school leaders such as teachers and counsellors who would provide emotional support as well as keep a look out for the students in school. It would also be important for students to share the incident with parents and allow them to better understand what the students are facing as well as provide advice, and if required, to make reports to the school together with the student."
Chong also said that the law can be called in for more serious cases. "In severe harassment cases which involves offensive messages are defamatory or criminal intimidation*, a police report can be lodged," he added.
SID is a public awareness initiative started in 2004 by the Insafe Network, a network of Awareness Centres funded under the Safer Internet Programme of the European Commission. The SID takes place on the second Tuesday of February every year and seeks to promote safe and positive use of digital technology, especially amongst children and young people. This year’s global theme is Be the Change: Unite for a Better Internet which emphasises the importance of collaboration and unity.
Interested?
Find out more about Chong's cyberbullying experience, and those of others
Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about Microsoft's commemoration of Safer Internet Day with the Digital Civility Index
*A definition provided by Chong for criminal intimidation runs: "Whoever threatens another with any injury to his or her person, reputation or property, or to the person or reputation of any one in whom that person is interested, with intent to cause alarm to that person, or to cause that person to do any act which he or she is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do any act which that person is legally entitled to do, as the means of avoiding the execution of such threat, commits criminal intimidation." More on the law
Interested?
Find out more about Chong's cyberbullying experience, and those of others
Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about Microsoft's commemoration of Safer Internet Day with the Digital Civility Index
*A definition provided by Chong for criminal intimidation runs: "Whoever threatens another with any injury to his or her person, reputation or property, or to the person or reputation of any one in whom that person is interested, with intent to cause alarm to that person, or to cause that person to do any act which he or she is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do any act which that person is legally entitled to do, as the means of avoiding the execution of such threat, commits criminal intimidation." More on the law
