DHAKA: A sizeable 49 percent of school students in Bangladesh have experienced either ‘being bullied or disturbed online,’ ‘being bullied by the same person both online and offline’ or have actually engaged in bullying others online.
According to a cyberbullying statistics While less than half of Bangladeshi school students choose to confide in parents and teachers when faced with online bullying, the country sees a lower than average rate of consultation with adults compared to other markets in Asia, said a press release.
Grameenphone and its parent company, Telenor Group, hope to educate young users on the benefits of connectivity, as well as how to navigate online threats.
Cyberbullying refers to electronic communication used for the purpose of bullying.
Head of Communications of Grameenphone Ltd Nehal Ahmed said “Grameenphone and Telenor are dedicated to increasing internet safety for all, with an emphasis on youth.”
“With an estimated 100 million young people to come online in Telenor’s Asia markets by 2017, creating awareness around this topic is an important part of our efforts to actively reduce cyberbullying levels.”
With an estimated half billion youth in Telenor Asia’s markets of Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan and Thailand are accessing the internet for the first time in the next five years
By 2017, 134 million children in India will be online, giving them access to a well of information and knowledge. Yet, more than half of the children between the ages of 8 to 17 years (53%) who are currently utilizing the net, have faced some form of cyberbullying at least once.
As a result, parents in India fear online bullying more than physical bullying when it comes to their children. Compared to the global average, Indian parents are 20% more likely to limit their child’s online activities.
A 2015 study revealed that the majority of Malaysian schoolchildren are aware that such behaviours can be identified and reported. In the face of online threats by peers, most Malaysian children are likely to adopt a privacy setting or blocking strategies, and are aware of the channels to report to teachers or relevant authorities.
Nonetheless, there is a high likelihood that many youngsters will keep quiet and hope the cyberbullying will stop, rather than consult a trusted adult.
In Thailand, 33 percent of Thai school students have experienced either ‘being bullied or disturbed online,’ ‘being bullied by the same person both online and offline’ or they have actually engaged in the act of bullying others online.
Of the Thai students encountering cyberbullying and online peer pressure, 59% responded that they felt capable of resolving such issues by themselves or with adult guidance.
Be Smart Use Heart is Telenor’s symbol for initiatives across its global markets directed towards school-age children and their parents addressing cyberbullying.
For more information on how to make the internet a safer environment for youth, Telenor Group provides a Parent Guide: How to talk to your children about the internet in the website https://www.cybersmile.org/stop-cyberbullying-day.
BDST: 1700 HRS, JUN 21, 2016
BD
