If you suffered school bullying, just imagine today when children can’t get away, with social media and online sites. Mexican-American Lizzie Velásquez grew up in a Roman Catholic family, born with a rare condition that stops her from gaining weight and affects her bone structure (she is also blind in one eye). One day as a teen while surfing online, she found someone calling her ‘the ugliest girl in the world’. Devastated, she was comforted by her family and faith. But rather than give in, she gave a funny inspirational TED talk that went viral. She now writes books on kindness and is the subject of a documentary film. What’s also baffling is – we actually find her uniquely beautiful!
Recently, Lizzie asked her followers to take action on a viral TikTok teacher challenge account, where they filmed ‘scared reactions’ of people shown a picture of her as their new teacher. She wrote that in trying to get a reaction by teaching to be ‘scared of someone who does not look like them’, it is no joke. She wrote ‘Everything that these kids need to know about having empathy and being kind to one another, starts at home. We are human and we have feelings, so please keep that in mind’.
Two good apps to prevent cyber-bullying are:
- ReThink is a free app created by an Indian teen, who was upset at hearing of a teen suicide in the USA, due to bullying. The app reads offensive content written by online bullies, then asks ‘Do you really want to send this?’ 93% of people do not, thus preventing hurt and possible suicides.
- Bark App costs £50 to £100 per year (depending on age, with a free trial). Designed to not intrude on a child or teenager’s privacy too much (but with good monitoring designed by child psychologists, law enforcement and digital media), it monitors texts, emails, YouTube and over 30 social networks. So you can block areas of concern. So far in the US, it has prevented many suicides and over 50 school shootings.
