The Daily Telegraph today ran a front page story about cyberbullying – and how some young people are using mobile phones to capture, and then publish online, incidents of violence or bullying in the playground.
This unacceptable practice is a genuine concern in the community, and the mobile industry today reminded schools and parents about the need for clear policies to discourage such behaviour.
The CEO of the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA), Mr Chris Althaus, encouraged people to review their new schools policy – developed by the industry to assist parents, teachers and students to manage the safe and responsible use of mobile phones in schools.
“The policy makes clear that it is totally unacceptable for students to engage in cyberbullying and ganging up on another student by using mobile phones to take videos and pictures to denigrate and humiliate a student and sending pictures to other students or uploading it to a website for public viewing,” Mr Althaus said.
“It is a criminal offence to use mobile phones to menace, harass or offend another person and almost all calls, text messages and emails can be traced.
“We urge students to think B4 U click. Don’t be a cyberbully!”
Mr Althaus said the schools policy made it clear that it was a privilege to take a mobile phone to school and it may be withdrawn if a student failed in his or her duty to behave responsibly and in accordance with the school’s requirements.
He said parents overwhelmingly wanted their children to have access to mobile phones for safety and security. Recent research by some of Australia’s leading social scientists had found that three-quarters of respondents to Australia’s biggest study on the impact of mobile phones said that carrying a mobile made them feel safe and secure.
Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) has produced tips for young victims of bullying via mobile phones. It gives advice on what to do if they receive unwanted text messages from other students and shows where they can get help.
AMTA has also produced a companion guide for parents and teachers, giving advice on what they can do to help the young victims of bullying via mobile phones.
The tips and the schools policy can be viewed on the AMTA website (www.amta.org.au).
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