School cyberbullying on the rise due to confinement

School bullying, which today takes place mainly online, affects more and more adolescents.

-

• The first International Day against Bullying at School takes place this Thursday, November 5.

• School bullying, which today takes place mostly online, affects more and more adolescents.

  “In one year, cases of cyberstalking have increased by 26%,” notes the association e-Enfance, which manages the “Net Ecoute” reporting platform.

• A parliamentary report written by Modem deputy Erwan Balanant recommends 120 measures to "understand and combat cyberbullying at school".

Messages of insults, mockery, dissemination of rumors, posting of embarrassing photos or videos, incitement to suicide, creation of false profiles ... School bullying, which today takes place mainly online, affects more and more of adolescents.

In order to fight against this scourge, which is growing more each year, and to make young people aware of this problem, this Thursday, November 5 marks the first International Day against bullying at school.

According to a parliamentary report published on October 13 on the subject *, nearly 700,000 children are victims of bullying each year in France.

Pupils in the 3rd grade would be the most exposed to the risks of cyberstalking because of a higher rate of equipment in this age group.

Half of them (53%) would send more than 100 SMS per day (more than 200 even for a quarter of teenagers), and 32% would spend more than three hours per day on the Internet.

An observation shared by the e-Enfance association, which steers the “Net Ecoute” reporting platform, in its first review of the trends recorded at the start of the 2020 school year.

1 in 10 young people 700,000 students each year.

A solution 👉 support the @erwanbalanant report! @Jmblanquer, children and parents need you!

Do not abandon them!

You want to help us alert elected officials => https://t.co/2VMSdL35En pic.twitter.com/pxiF0grarJ

- HUGO Association!

(@asso_hugo) November 3, 2020

Cyberbullying cases up 26% at the start of the 2020 school year

The increase in online harassment recorded during confinement on Net Ecoute - a 30% increase in requests generating twice as many reports to platforms - was confirmed during deconfinement, with a 26% increase in requests linked to cyberstalking in this start of the 2020 school year compared to September 2019. "The confinement period marked a new era where digital technology has been deployed massively in all homes and has been reinforced in all uses," explains Justine Atlan, CEO of the e-Childhood association.

The increase in time spent online has exposed teens to an increased risk of cyberstalking, especially for young people who sometimes had their first experiences in the digital world, alone on their smartphones.

"

According to a study carried out in this fall by the Net Ecoute platform with Lab Heyme and Opinion Way, one in ten teenagers say they have already been the victim of online violence.

The main reasons cited by victims of cyberstalking were “jealousy / envy”, physique (“physical appearance” and “look” of clothing) and “revenge”.

As for authors, “for fun” and “to do like the others” are the first reasons mentioned by young people who “ 

 ”, commented or shared an insulting comment.

And yet, according to this same study, certain acts of cyberstalking are still not identified as malicious acts by adolescents: “For 15% of them, '

' an insulting comment is not considered cyberstalking ”, Notes the study.

[#NonAuHarcelement] 👉our press release #Etude @eenfance sur les #cyberviolences with @opinionway

and #LabHeyme: 1 teen in 10 declares to have already been a victim of #Cyberharcelement https://t.co/cbfbdnTVEs pic.twitter.com/zw8cAUZuQq

- e-Enfance / Net Ecoute (@eenfance) November 4, 2020

"Train parents" in good digital practices

To fight against school cyberbullying, the report by the Modem deputy of Finistère Erwan Balanant recommends the application of 120 measures to “understand and combat school cyberbullying”.

This report suggests in particular training parents in good digital practices with the distribution of a specific “booklet”.

“Many parents do not understand the practice of social networks of their children and adolescents.

For example, they may feel overwhelmed and not understand how a social network works, like Tik Tok or Snapchat, ”the report explains.

To fight against school bullying, Facebook and Instagram have rightly decided to "better support" parents.

In partnership with the associations e-Enfance, Génération Numérique and Unaf (National Union of Family Associations), the two platforms will officially launch the “Connected Parents Club” this Thursday.

to help and educate parents on all digital issues.

“The phenomenon of parenting counseling groups has greatly increased since the first confinement.

We are therefore launching this project to further support them, in particular by making several educational resources available ”, explains

an Instagram spokesperson.

The entire teaching staff could also be involved.

Erwan Balanant recommends in his report "training in digital uses" for teachers in order to try to stem the facts of school bullying.

And to add: "It is absolutely crucial that education in the use of digital tools and the Internet (...) is integrated into school programs and prevention modules, from an early age and throughout of schooling.

"

By the Web

Hide, block, report malicious content ... What to do in the event of cyber-harassment?

By the Web

Cyberbullying: “I didn't have the right to a carefree adolescence.

I will never be able to make up for it ”

* Report commissioned by former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe to the Modem deputy of Finistère Erwan Balanant, delivered on October 13.

• By the Web

• Violence

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Social networks

• Child

• Teenager

• Cyber ​​harassment

• School harassment