Facebook launches Bullying Prevention Hub

22 May 2014 UK SIC

Facebook has launched a Bullying Prevention Hub in the UK to help teens, families and schools to prevent and respond to cyberbullying.

The hub includes advice for teens about what to do if they are being bullied on Facebook, including advice about reporting as well as some conversation starter suggestions. For example, it suggests:

If you think they’ve posted something to hurt you deliberately, help them to understand how you feel. Try something like “This post/photo makes me uncomfortable. I’m sure you wouldn’t want something like this on your Timeline. Please take it down and delete it.”

The advice for parents helps them to understand what cyberbullying is, gives some conversation starters, advice about how to report on Facebook, plus ideas about developing an action plan with your child.

The advice for schools covers many of these points and also includes a helpful section about ‘prevention’. You can download the full guide.

Will Gardner, CEO of Childnet and Director of the UK Safer Internet Centre, said “Education is key for both helping to prevent bullying and knowing how to respond to it and we are really pleased that this project includes advice and support for teens, educators and parents. We all have a role to play in ensuring that young people understand how to use the new technologies safely and responsibly and know what they can do when things go wrong.”