United front against digital bullying

Together they have developed a school campaign based on participation and dialog with teachers, students and their parents. The campaign is called “Bruk Hue”, which can be roughly translated to “Think!”. The campaign offers specific advice on how to diminish the problem of digital bullying.

Raise awareness of digital bullying

The goal of “Bruk Hue” is to raise awareness on the issue of digital bullying; to spread knowledge about which situations that may lead to bullying and how to avoid these situations. The campaign also acknowledges the legal and psychological consequences of digital bullying.

Bruk Hue has visited 100 schools, 15,000 students and 7,000 parents

Since 2009, the campaign has visited 100 schools and directly involved approximately 15,000 students and 7,000 parents. The number of those who have felt the effect of the campaign is even greater.

Currently 20 percent of children in Norway, between 10 and 15 years old, say that they are familiar with the Bruk Hue campaign, while 45 percent of those, or a total of 34,000 children, say the campaign helped prepare them to handle possible digital bullying.

Learning to think about consequences

A large number of students could also confirm that they changed their behaviour in digital media as a consequence of what they learned from the campaign; three of four student who participated in Bruk Hue campaign say that they ask for permission to post other persons’ photos on Internet.

“An important message in this campaign is that students should think about the consequences of their behavior in digital media. It is wonderful to see that they follow the advice we give them," says Marianne Børke, from Red Cross.

The survey among teachers and students in the first 50 schools visited by Bruk Hue shows that they have learned a lot, such as where to go if they need help and what to do to stop this kind of bullying.

Survey results from 50 schools visited by Bruk Hue:

• 93 percent of students know what to do to avoid digital bullying and who to talk to if it happens.

• One in two children has already deleted others' photos from Internet if they were asked to do it, and close to 40 percent would do it if they are asked. 

• 99 percent of parents know what digital bullying is; 85 percent have talked about it with their children. 

• More than 50 percent of teachers have already discussed digital bullying in their class.  

• Three out of four students know about Telenor's bullying-filter, 95 percent know about Red Cross SOS telephone. More than 50 percent learned about these solutions through Bruk Hue campaign.
  

Dialogue with parents is important

The survey indicates the importance of the dialogue between children and their parents. Two of three parents have not talked about digital bullying with their children. However, among those who took part in Bruk Hue campaign, the number of parents who talked to their children about this issue increased to a total of 85 percent.

“We talk to both parents and children in every school we visit, because we know that it makes it easier for parents to talk about these issues with their children afterwards. The dialogue between parents and children is often crucial for the change in their behaviour,” said Øystein Samnøen, manager in Barnevakten.

Strengthening the fight against digital bullying

“For children and young people digital media is an obvious part of their everyday life. The new media offer many possibilites for personal development, but they also bring in some new challenges, which we have to face with. Children should feel safe and that is why we are strengthening the fight against digital bullying,” said Audun Lysbakken, Minister for Children, Equality and Social Inclusion.