What is Cyberbullying and How Does It Work in India?
While there are longer and more official definitions of “cyberbullying,” my short definition is: “Cyberbullying” is when an individual below 18 years uses digital technology as a weapon to hurt
another individual in the same age group. When adults carry out such activities, we call it “cyber harassment”, not “cyberbullying. It may involve someone posing as their target and doing things to humiliate them to get them into trouble. They may send threats or pass rumors. They may even take someone head shot and superimpose it on someone else’s naked body, threatening to release it.
While many other cybersafety issues are different in India, with parents worrying more about porn than privacy, we have learned through our interactions with 1500 students in Bangalore that cyberbullying works the same way as it does in the West. Perhaps, because of the important of reputation and integrity in India, it may have far more dire consequences to the target. If a young teen is targeted by a cyberbullying threatening to mock up fake sexual images of her, lives can be ruined and even at risk.
How big a menace is cyberbullying in India?
In a recent study published in The Times of India, one out of three parents fear cyberbullying. And 92% are worried about their children’s cybersafety. But, no one yet knows how many young people in India have been the target of cyberbullying. One of our aims is to determine that number through studies being conducted at various locations in India.
In the West, we carried out a similar study in the US wherein we polled 44,000 students. There were no fewer than 85 percent students who admitted cyberbullying happened to them at least once. In a smaller study of boys (1000 students), 70% admitted ot having cyberbullied someone else at least once.
Because of the important of reputation to the young people and their entire family, cyberbullying (especially rumor-mongering and sharing untruths or secrets about the young person) can affect the entire family, perhaps for years. India has a long memory when reputations are involved. Something that we may shrug off in the US can have lasting effects here in India.
How are Indian government and parents addressing this problem?
While parents are aware about cyberbullying, the government hasn’t yet looked at it as an issue. We hope to be able to guide that effort by being a credible resource and expert NGO in this space.
I was shocked to learn that there is no national program on either cybersafety as a whole or cyberbullying in India. We will remedy that thought our Indian-run and lead NGO. We are all unpaid volunteers, and with few exceptions, all with be Indian leaders in technology, media, policy, laws and business.
While there are smaller initiatives in certain areas, most focus on cybersecurity, not cybersafety, privacy and reputation management. This program will holistically address these issues, including cybersecurity and safer e-commerce and access practices, and industry best practices and ways the industry can self-regulate to improve their safety. The growth of Internet connections, especially through smart phones, is extraordinary. And even slum children and those in rural communities are being impacted by digital risks and porn.
In addition, social media is at its infancy in India. Social media is a female technology, yet in India two-thirds of those connected to the Internet are males. This will change rapidly as more women become connected and increase the use of social media. With increased use of social media, cyberbullying, reputational attacks and cyber-harassment will increase, as will social cybercrimes and abuse, especially
of women and children. That is why our work is essential. We hope to get everyone involved, and already have more than 1000 volunteers and the support of India’s leading corporations and influencers.
There is nothing currently in this country to teach safe and responsible use of Internet across all of India. All your programs are aimed at cyber security for corporates. Ours will be the first, and we hope through the adoption of Indian values of integrity, the important of self-respect and respect for others and community leadership, this program can be shared with the world, giving them a little bit of India values to help guide their lives as well.
How are you going to tackle cyberbullying in India? What is your strategy?
As the first program on cyberbullying to tackles this and other programs across India, finding partners and supporters is our first step. My US NGO, WiredSafety, has created a new cybebrwellness program. Through an MoU with The Art of Living Foundation, this will be delivered to their 500+ schools, colleges and universities throughout India and shared with the international Art of Living Foundations. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has personally blessed the program and is briefed regularly on our progress.
As part of the agreement, we will teach their volunteers about cyber wellness and they will in turn teach all their followers. We are also already training their teachers and school principals to deliver these programs within the AOL schools and within their communities. The teachers and trainers will, in turn, teach the parents and grandparents.
Next year, Art of Living and other volunteers will help us create and staff a helpline to help people across India get instant help when things go wrong online.
But, the program, although supported by leading spiritual leaders, is inclusive by design. Everyone, of all ages, in 31 languages throughout India will be able to access online resources and training to face-to-face programs in their local communities. The leaders in global technology are on board as well as leading cyberlaw and policy experts.
And while non-Indian leadership is limited by my choice to make sure this is an authentic India program addressing Indian needs in a uniquely Indian way, Joseph Alhadeff, the Chief Strategist and Chief Privacy Officer of Oracle, worldwide, and other world leaders have agreed to join us in an advisory capcity. No one, other than a handful of paid administrative staff, will be paid. We are all unpaid volunteers and will deliver these programs without charge across India’s 29 states. It is an Indian community-supported approach to an India need.
The aim is to roll out a holistic program for all ages and all communities on how to use digital technologies in a safer way, but not by adopting a US or UK approach. This program will begin by a careful study of current practices and needs, setting priorities and creating a new approach for Indian cybersafety and empowerment. In the one place in the world were all innovation is created and built, the population must have the best and safest digital literacy skills. It is crucial to India’s leadership and continued growth as a global technology leader.
How are you reaching other schools throughout the country? Are you looking to make it a part of the curriculum?
We have always avoid “curriculum” approaches. Schools already have too may pressures ot fit all the traditional learning into a school day. And there are many political roadblocks to adding something new to the curriculum. In India we will use the same approach we have worldwide, we will provide learning modules that can be downloaded or accessed online (and in India will be available in offline formats as
well, for less connected communities). Teachers can find one that meets their need, and deploy it in the classroom or in extracurricular activities in as little as 15 minutes or as much as 45 minutes. Each can stand alone. All are free and may be shared.
Our aim is to certify schools and teachers on digital risk management so that there is an ecosystem to tackle cyberbullying and cyberwellness. We will also be creating certification programs for medical and wellness professionals. I expect we will learn at least as much as we will teach in India.
Are you leveraging gamification in your endeavor?
Yes, we are. We have created an online character, Alex Wonder – Kid Cyber-Detective. Children can apply to become members of his cyber detective agency for which they have to learn about cyber bulling. At the end of the game, children get certificates confirming their competence. This is a great way of teaching them about cyber safety in a fun and engaging manner. It is also free and will be downloadable, initially in English. Later in Hindi as well.
How do you plan to raise revenue for your program?
We don’t know the full extent of the capital needed yet. The good thing is that we are working on an all-volunteer model with a very light administrative team. We will find ways to share offices and work thought supporters’ facilities, when possible. While we will look at sponsorships and corporate partnerships, right now we are spending our efforts understanding the needs of the parents, young people, millennials, seniors and schools and see how we can make the biggest difference in the most effective and fastest ways. But, we welcome anyone with funding development skills or financial supporters, of course.
How do you measure the effectiveness of your program?
We are always measuring the effectiveness of our programs. And we often go right to the young people and have them guide us on doing the most effective (and non-boring) way. They tell us how well we are working. Parents and schools also are constantly giving us feedback on their needs and how well we are addressing them The good thing about having 22 years in the cybersafety and policy field is that experience has taught you a lot.
We run also initiatives called Teenangels and Tweenangels in the West. (The students here want a new name, which they are thinking about. Some suggested “cyber-teenlegions” but we sent them back for better names.) No matter what we end up calling it in India, young people (under 18, and as young as 8) are trained to become experts in all areas of internet safety and teach their peers as well as advise world leaders and industry giants.
Our existing Teenangels run events at the US Senate for Senators, Congressman, FBI, Federal Trade Commission, and the industry (Facebook, Google, Disney, etc) leaders. They have also address the United Nations at the age of 14 on cyberbullying and cyberhate. We are petitioning ICANN to allow a panel of these students from India to address ICANN conference attendees in November, and they will also co-host an event in Delhi in January on Cyberwellness and Cybersafety – Digital Children and
