Sociologist Monique Dagnaud conducted a conference on the scourge of cyberbullying. Here is some information to consider on this topic.
The Cercle Condorcet des Alpes Maritimes association organized a conference to debate and inform on the subject of cyberbullying. Established in 1991, this organization is known for hosting conferences or seminars that are open to the public, promoting debate always in a positive atmosphere. These conferences or seminars can cover very diverse topics such as moral philosophy, politics, society, economics, history, current events, education, culture, science, or even ethics. Thus, for this conference on cyberbullying, they invited Monique Dagnaud to provide expert insight on the matter.
Who is Monique Dagnaud?
Monique Dagnaud is a sociologist, research director at CNRS-EHESS in Paris. She is a sociologist of media and social networks, making her an expert in the field of cyberbullying. She attended the conference on Wednesday, January 31, at Espace Magnan, to discuss a very important topic today… cyberbullying. The aim of this conference was to address various interesting questions: What are the nature and scope of the cyberbullying phenomenon? How does it affect young people? How do social networks perpetuate school violence? In what ways do they contribute to a digital ” fog” in teenagers’ lives? What legal challenges arise in response to a harmful climate and practices that have thrived? What problems and difficulties are encountered in implementing digital regulation in this area?
Important Statistics
The conference focused predominantly on cyberbullying towards children and adolescents. The IFOP study from November 2023 on harassment provides interesting figures. It reports that 15% of teenagers aged 13 to 15 declared being victims of harassment and 24% for young people aged 16 to 20. This is significant, especially considering that among these harassment cases, 44% involve cyberbullying.
The OpinionWay/Apprentis d’Auteuil Barometer from August 2022 surveyed young people aged 15 to 20, and 56% reported witnessing humiliating videos/photos circulating on smartphones. Additionally, 28% admitted to witnessing cyberbullying that went unreported.
Lastly, the General Directorate of School Education in 2018 stated that 25% of middle school students reported being the target of a cyberattack. Cyberbullying is a vast phenomenon. Effective management is nearly impossible due to the vastness of the internet. Anyone can hide behind a screen; hence, it is crucial to remain extremely vigilant.
The Case of Jessi Slaughter
The Jessi Slaughter case, which occurred in 2010, is likely the most well-known example of cyberbullying. It’s the story of Jessica Leonhardt, who was 11 years old at the time and very active online. She chatted on online platforms and loved posting videos of herself singing and sharing her life. However, one day she made the unfortunate decision to boast about having had a sexual encounter with a rock singer of the time. This left her a vulnerable target on the internet; she was innocent, outgoing, fragile, and utterly unprepared for what would follow. Millions of people pooled together to mock her, using videos, images, and memes. It reached a point where people unearthed her address and had improbable items delivered to her home, like hundreds of pizzas. Her father, concerned for his daughter, decided to respond in a video to put an end to the harassment. He mentioned pressing charges with the ” cyber police” if it continued, but predictably, things worsened, and now the father became a target of the internet as well.
How to Combat Cyberbullying?
The CNIL offers excellent advice on preventing cyberbullying, such as using pseudonyms and avatars. Setting your accounts and profiles on social networks to control the information you wish to share. Naturally, it is important to secure your online accounts with strong and varied passwords. One should also think carefully before acting online, as it is known that what you write, share, or “like” can have real consequences for those involved. It is also important to ask for consent before posting a photo of someone. Even if you are not directly involved, remain vigilant and report illegal actions, behaviors, and content.
Cyberbullying is something extremely serious that has driven many to suicide. If you witness or are a victim of cyberbullying, talk about it and take action! You can confide in a trusted person. You can report content and its authors to the platform where the content is published, keeping evidence indicating the date, time, and author of the content. You can block the account of the person(s) responsible for the offensive content to stop seeing their posts. And, of course, you can report it to the police.
If you need help, there are three toll-free and anonymous helplines available to listen to young people. Call 30 18, 30 20, and 119.
