Education needed to fight the scourge of cyberbullying

Access to online educational tools for children and parents is vital to help combat the harm rampant cyberbullying is inflicting on Australian society, experts say. Online safety regulator eSafety released a set of resources on Thursday to educate teachers, parents and children about internet safety. It says bullying on social media platforms has risen almost 40 per cent rise. "We know that (social media) can be a place where harmful online behaviour like cyberbullying can spread," Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said in a statement. "It's important that all Australians have access to practical resources to address online harms." Cyberbullying is a problem globally. French prosecutors are investigating an online harassment complaint made by Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif after receiving online criticism and claims about her sex during the Paris Olympics. The champion boxer filed a lawsuit against X, formerly Twitter, over racist and sexist abuse she experienced on the platform following her gold medal victory in Paris. Reports of cyberbullying in Australia rose 37 per cent to 2693 actionable complaints in 2023/24, reflecting an increase in online abuse and community awareness, says eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. "Every one of these complaints represents serious potential trauma to a child in our community," Ms Grant said. "But the most important message we can give is that harm can be minimised." The resources, collectively titled Spotlight on Cyberbullying, provide advice for parents on monitoring and supporting their children's online activities as well as interactive learning content for children. NSW chief behaviour advisor Donna Cross said young people were more likely to experience cyberbullying at home outside of school hours. "It is vital that parents and carers have evidence-informed digital skills, knowledge and the tools they need to support their children," Professor Cross said. eSafety is offering a range of events during August, including virtual classrooms for primary school students and webinar sessions for parents and teachers. Lifeline 13 11 14 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)