Cyberbullying Special Broadcast with TripleH 100.1fm

This week was the culmination of a number of weeks introducing the guests on the show today. We were hosted by Asquith Girls High for Triple H’s first school Outside broadcast – the first of many I hope. The recording is a little scratchy but don't let it that stop you listening to the gems delivered in the 90 minute show.

My guests today were Lauren and Tess from Asquith Girls High School, Snr Constable Lynda Hart the Hornsby local command School Liaison Officer, Kym Carlson Clinical Manager KYDS, Leonie Smith 'The Cyber Safety Lady' and, via the airwaves, we had a previously yet specially recorded interview with The Honourable Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Bradfield and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications.

Why have a panel show and an outside broadcast on Cyberbullying? Because it is something our whole community are affected by and our whole community can be involved in doing something about.

My focus is from the space that we have to be the change we want to see in the world – computers don’t do it, mobile phones don’t do it, social media platforms don’t do it. It is us who press the buttons that use all of those tools as a medium to express in a way that can either harm or not. Responsibility and accountability are keys to making the innovations of today and tomorrow something that support us to connect on a far wider scale than we have ever been able

Paul Fletcher MP talked us through the role of the Children's e-safety Commissioner and the legislation that is in place to support children. The interview is split into two for the purpose of the show and an expanded version of the interview can be found on Soundcloud through this link. 

Cyberbullying doesn't just affect the people who are on the receiving end.
There is a ripple effect to all those related to the person affected as they try to support and deal with the offending material.
The harm extends beyond the immediate effect 
and can affect many of the bystanders engagement in life.

Top Tips

• Set your privacy settings
• Do not let others see your friends on your Facebook Page
• Protect your photos unless you have a publicity manager
• Approve your followers - do you know them all, if not is it time for a cull?
• Lock down your accounts
• Shore up your privacy settings
• Don't fuel the conversation
• We must ask permission to put photos of our friends up on a public website.

Just because you can post anonymously now - don't think for a second that apps which can reveal your identity are not on their way
You will be found out and brought to account

Support

• Friends
• Family
• Teachers
• School Counsellor
• Take advantage of visitors to the school
• Online and community support groups - a few of those are listed below under resources
• KYDS
• Police School Liaison Officer - Hornsby Police Station

Let's learn to build each other up not tear each other down

• Make sure you don't 'like' some of the abusive comments, if we all start saying 'that is not OK' then we bring a herd immunity  to moderating comments and change what is acceptable discussion and free speech and what is simply abusive.
• Appreciate that talking to anyone is a first step to reaching out, an understanding that it is OK to feel that was and to get support from others.
• If the first person you go to doesn't respond in the way you expect or give you the support you want, don't stop there - don't give up, find someone else.
• Appreciate yourself when you manage to bring understanding to a situation and handle it well, it builds a lived experience in your body that then supports you the next time anything comes round - you don't just know you can do it in theory, you know you can do it because you have done it before. Therefore less anxiety and less surface resilience.

How comfortable are you with what you say online? 
Is it possible you are a bully and you don't know it?

All Rise Survey - Have your voice heard

All Rise is an international project looking at the consequences of Cyberbullying - have your voice heard and contribute to the statistics by completing the short survey

Complete the All Rise survey here

Where do we set the bar for 'normal'?

When we look at how people communicate there are varying degrees of 'normal', we asked Paul Fletcher how will the commissioner legislate a 'serious' abuse or threat..check out the interview for the answer.

We have to be the change we want to see in the world...as Albert Einstein said

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.

Young people have a huge amount to offer and the workshops, courses and support that we adults offer has to be founded on a call from youth – otherwise we are running workshops on what we think they need rather than what they have shown a call for. This was the loud and clear message from the panel here at Asquith Girls High and we all said - keep letting people know that you can be the change you want to see and how we can support you.

Resources

• Am I being a bully #BehindYou from the ABC?
• Asquith Girls High School
• Leonie Smith - The Cyber Safety Lady 
• Nadia Goodman Facebook Ted Talk

Don't forget to check out the other shows my guests have been in on Stay in the Loop with Lucy - all available on Soundcloud

Asquith Girls High School - Elizabeth Amvrazis - thank you for saying yes! Krishnaveni Ganeson, thank you for being inspired by the project and being right by my side from start to finish, Joe Carroll was the IT support who helped us find just the right spot to get the best signal we could!

Asquith Girls High School is a comprehensive single gender secondary school which enjoys a high standing in the community and is committed to developing young women who are independent and responsible learners and leaders, able to work cooperatively as future citizens. Their mission statement is as follows:

"To nurture personal best and global citizenship in every student by providing a safe and vibrant learning environment with inspiring teaching."

Information taken from Asquith Girls High school plan 2015-2017

Also...thanks to...

TripleH fm Outside Broadcast team including Mary in the studio who recorded the show for me, played in the interviews and generally back us up, Neil who was the mastermind behind the entire technical set up on site, he ran the show, he guided he cued he even joined in (off air!). Our Anzac day OB buddy Peter was a guiding support prior to the event and his support and guidance came in very handy. 

Glorious Music for the use of their music in my podcast. Check out their website and the albums I used tracks from. The tracks featured in this episode are Groove Your Foundations as the title music and Tango with Truth