Ljubljana – In April 2007 Slovenian awareness node SAFE-SI launched a promotion campaign encouraging teenagers to stop bullying through mobile phones. With this in mind, around 500 wall posters were distributed to Slovenian secondary schools.
The choice of this particular message for this particular age group was as a direct result of current events in Slovenia. The media were giving great exposure to the problem of mobile bullying that was happening in one school at the beginning of this year. Awareness node SAFE-SI in cooperation with sponsors responded with its STOP MOBILE BULLYING message which promotes the ethical use of internet and mobile phones.
The full message of STOP MOBILE BULLYING is as follows: Mobile phones are used for much more than just phoning. Especially among young people various ways of having fun with mobiles are very popular, like sending text messages, downloading tunes and exchanging photos. The most popular pastimes among young people in Slovenia are currently taking pictures and playing video games.
The possibility of being reachable at all times gives the users a sense of inclusion and security but also anonymity and freedom. For the last two reasons some also use mobile phones for harmful purposes. Threatening text messages, abusive calls, and calls from anonymous numbers, photos and videos that can hurt or disturb you, form a part of the dark side of mobile communications.
Harassment and any other form of violence are intolerable – the same goes for mobile harassment.
Safe.si gives the following suggestions:
Do not answer missed calls from numbers you do not know. If the caller needs to reach you, he will call again or send you a text message.
Do not ever answer an abusive text or call - that usually encourages the perpetrator.
Save the abusive text or photographs. These can be very important evidence if the case is subsequently reported to the police.
Give your phone number only to family members and close friends. Do not give it to just anyone and make sure your friends do not either.
If you receive text messages, calls or pictures that hurt you, do not hesitate to confide in an older person that you feel close to.
Always ask permission to take pictures or make a video of someone with your mobile phone. Maybe she or he feels uncomfortable about it.
Be courteous when using mobile phones - be tolerant and kind. Bear in mind: Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself. What goes around comes around!
