LearniT-TeachiT

Nortel LearniT Report: Social Networking Cyberbullying

The problem: In 2007, 29,000 Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) were discovered on the social networking site, MySpace. After those 29, 000 were swept off, in early 2008, MySpace reports that it found some 50, 000 registered sex offenders (RSOs) using their statutory-required RSO registration email account to sign up for the site! MySpace purged these accounts and stepped up as a leader in anti-bullying activism and expertise. In our ongoing cybersafety initiative, Nortel LearniT presents peers speaking to peers with informational and technological steps to stamp out cyberbullying.

The popularity: Social networking sites allow finding people who live nearby or who are in the same age range and let teens express themselves by designing their own personalized page on the Internet, much like an interactive scrapbook, and any other information about themselves – and anyone else – that they wish to include. So teens are open to a world of Internet users. Friends networks and message centers let good and bad messages stream with seeming invisibility of the sender. Much has been written on the subject, but still many teens, parents, and teachers have no idea of the risks. In our ongoing cybersafety initiative, Nortel LearniT presents these Peer-to-Perspectives, multimedia informational and technological steps to stamp out cyberbullying.

Student to student and "kidspeak":
- Student-produced cybersafety video--kid-to-kid communications from Eisenhower Middle School, Wyckhoff, NJ
- Greenville, PA, 5th grade cyberbullying video
- Wired Safety Teen Angels program, including:
  - Think before you click
  - Personal cyberbullying perspective
- Young elementary videos and songs from Netsmartz Kids (play in Internet browser)

Teacher to teacher
- Nortel LearniT Cybersmarts for Schools Outreach
- Coolcat teacher blogspot: "Stop cyberbullying bit by bit" (text and podcast formats)
- TeachersFirst , a web resource for teachers by teachers: lists sites with cybersafety sense

Organizational activists and experts:
- Nortel LearniT teaming with Cyberbullying Canada to communicate "what to do"
  - View Nortel LearniT video on facts and prevention
  - View Nortel LearniT video tutorial series on Internet Safety
- Parents on board against cyberbullying (McGruff, the crime dog site)
- Interactive cyberbullying information web site
- Internet Safety Technical Task Force - Harvard University, Bergman Center
  - The Internet Safety Technical Task Force (ISTTF) is a group of Internet businesses, non-profit organizations, academics, and technology companies that have joined together to identify effective tools and technologies to create a safer environment on the Internet for youth. Presentations:
    - MySpace
    - Facebook
    - Full agenda with links to videos and presentation materials

Cyberbullying Prevention and Facts from Nortel LearniT and Cyberbullying Canada

Special Report - Social Networking Cyberbullying