Coping with cyberbullying difficult for four out of five parents

Sydney, Australia – 02 July, 2008: Australian parents are baffled by how to deal with cyberbullying incidents involving their children, according to a survey released by Microsoft Australia today. The survey, performed by Galaxy Research, found that 83% of parents did not know what to do if their child was being cyberbullied and two out of three parents said that they were unsure about the best alternative to help their children.

Ms Julie Inman Grant, Microsoft Asia Pacific’s Director for Internet Safety and Security, said the findings emphasised the need for ongoing education campaigns to help parents, teachers and children cope with cyberbullying.

And while almost all surveyed parents said they were aware of the issue, three quarters said they are more concerned about cyberbullying than they were a year ago.

“With high awareness of the issue among parents, the next step is to equip parents and children with the knowledge and tools they need to cope with and prevent cyberbullying incidents,” said Ms Inman Grant.

Mr James McCormack, Australian Federal Police Manager of High Tech Crime Operations agreed saying, “Parents are encouraged to take an interest in their child’s internet experience by having family discussions about websites they visit, new friends they have met online and any issues that have made them feel uncomfortable online,” he said.

“Being online is a reality for our kids and it’s absolutely essential that parents are as involved in their children’s online lives as they are in their every day, physical lives at school and at play,” said Ms Inman Grant.

“Being actively involved remains one of the key frontline defences when dealing with cyberbullying,” she said.

Additional key findings include:

· One quarter of Australian children report that they have been cyberbullied. Of those children, two thirds said that they had reported it to their parents while those who did not cited a fear of having their internet use reduced or blocked;

· Cyberbullying is more prevalent than perhaps thought, with more than 57% of parents and 59% of children reporting that they have heard of incidents of cyberbullying among people they know; and

· The chance of being cyberbullied increases as children reach their teens, with 31% of children between 14-17 years reporting that they have been cyberbullied, compared to 21% among 10-13 year olds.

Ms Inman Grant also reiterated the need for parents to be able to recognise the signs of cyberbullying and be aware of the steps to prevent and stop it.

“There are number of signs that may indicate your child is being cyberbullied. For example, changing patterns in computer use, an increase in SMS texting as well as classic signs like a child becoming withdrawn or becoming anti-social are all possible indicators,” she said.

If your child is being bullied online, Microsoft recommends the following steps:

• Communicate: Discuss cyberbullying with children including any problems they have; encourage them to report bullying to a trusted adult.

• Block: Block communications with cyberbullies through filtering technologies or by refusing to respond to bullies. Kids should refuse to pass along bullying messages and they should tell friends to do the same.

• Research: Find out the anti-bullying policies at your children's schools and through your internet service provider. Determine if these policies apply.

• Investigate: Know what children are talking about if they come to you for help. Investigate what they do online.

• Use Family Safety Software: Manage what your children view, what they do, and who they communicate with online through available software. It can supply parents with an activity report on their child’s computer usage, which in turn provides a starting point for parents to discuss online activities with their children.

• Report: Know who to contact if your child is being cyberbullied, e.g.:

• your school,

• the site service provider where the bullying material is located, and

• your local police.

Mr McCormack said that cyberbullying is a public safety issue and should be reported directly to local police, particularly if parents are concerned for their child’s physical safety. There are a range of offences in Australia for the inappropriate use of the internet and other telecommunication services which could be used in a cyberbullying matter.

For more information you can also contact the NetAlert Helpline - 1800 880 176 or Kids Help Line (www.kidshelp.com.au) or Bullying No Way (www.bullyingnoway.com.au).

For further advice, visit www.microsoft.com/protect

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