Over the past few months one of the leading cyberbullying charities, Cybersmile has announced some extremely powerful and thought-provoking campaigns.
The campaigns were released as part of Stop Cyberbullying Day back in June, showing the long term commitment of both cybersmile and the brands it partners with to make the internet a safer and more friendly and tolerant place to spend our time.
Please note that this article does contain statistics and stories that some readers may find upsetting so please take care when reading on!
Beyond Likes
Cybersmile published the ‘Beyond Likes’ report,. These reports are something the organisation does annually, focusing on a different theme every year. Reading the reports every year always makes my heart sink. They always filled with very thought-provoking and often heart-breaking statistics in regard to what we see on the internet, how it makes us feel and affects our mental health. Highlighting why the work of organisations like Cybersmile are so important and very much needed.
For the report they asked 1000 adults aged 16+ across the US a number of questions relating to their experiences of cyberbullying, both as targets and bystanders, and how those experiences impacted their mental health and self-image.
The research was conducted by Censuswide in the United States with 1009 general respondents who are social media users between 04.18.2024 and 04.29.2024. The sample of the study is representative of US demographics across all 50 states.
88% feel that cyberbullying is a serious issue with 70% feel that cyberbullying should be a criminal offense across all states. 51% want to see improved reporting on social media to better address cyberbullying. While 60% know someone who has experienced cyberbullying, 55% have seen someone else cyberbullied or harassed and 25% have deleted a post due to cyberbullying or harassment. A staggering 60% of those who have experienced cyberbullying or harassment said it negatively affects their mental health while 10% have considered self-harm or suicide due to being cyberbullied or harassed.
Beyond Profiles
Beyond Profiles aims to spark meaningful conversation and promote positive actions against online abuse through the personal experiences of influencers and content creators whose lives have been deeply affected by the issue.
The film features the following influencers:
Sydney Gordon, reality TV star, went on a show to find love but instead faced a very different kind of experience. Following a public backlash and after receiving death threats and hundreds of hate messages, she is now hoping to use her platform for good to raise awareness of the realities of cyberbullying and prevent what happened to her.
Christie Val, who was the first bald model for Sports Illustrated and the founder of Baldtourage, a community for girls with alopecia, hid behind a wig and didn’t want anyone to know about her condition when she was first diagnosed. She is now proud of herself and has become an inspiration to many young women.
Charlie Rocket, who started in the music industry, representing talent like 2 Chainz. Charlie sold over 10 million records and went on to participate in 8 world tours and won a Grammy with 2 Chainz. However, after being diagnosed with a brain tumor and surviving, he decided to follow his passion for helping other people and started a foundation called Dream Machine, where he helps struggling kids around the world make their dreams come true.
The campaign short, filmed at a studio location in Los Angeles, features three creators who each share powerful first-hand testimonies relating to their own experiences of cyberbullying and abuse. The aim is to remind viewers that there are real feelings and emotions behind social media accounts.
Give A Little
For the Give A Little campaign Cybersmile teamed up with TV network TLC. The campaign is designed to tackle online abuse, raise awareness around cyberbullying and encourage people to consider the power of their words when interacting online.
The partnership has been formed as part of TLC’s ongoing Give a Little initiative, which is dedicated to empowering people to stand up to bullies and rally around messages of inclusion, acceptance, and respect, regardless of our differences.
 The Give A Little campaign features a PSA by Whitney Way Thore from TLC’s popular reality show My Big Fat Fabulous Life. In the series, viewers follow her journey after being diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, a disease which caused Whitney to gain weight. Whitney is confronted with bullying in her everyday life, both online and off but continues to be a role model teaching respect and how a kind approach to others can benefit everyone.
If you are affected by anything touched on within this article, then please reach out to Cybersmile by visiting there Help Center.
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