Teachers say stop bullies targeting children and close down YouTube

Internet bullying has been in the news a lot recently with shocking and disturbing videos being allowed to be broadcast to millions via websites such as YouTube. Now, teachers have kicked out and have demanded that these websites must be closed down to stop bullies targeting children and school staff online.

But posting videos of physical bullying isn’t the only way bullies are getting their kicks. Instant messaging, E-mailing and text messaging are the new vessels for bullies who don’t want to be caught in the act.

Sites like YouTube make it very easy for perpetrators to broadcast the mobile phone videos, which often show teachers, not just pupils being attacked and humiliated.

In a recent investigation, YouTube was questioned about some violent videos showing beatings and even two children with guns acting in a threatening way to other people. Amazingly, YouTube didn’t think that the video with the guns was bad and kept it posted on the site.

Now, delegates are backing a motion demanding that these websites be closed down.
Kirsti Paterson, from the PAT’s Highland and Western Isles Federation was who proposed the motion after one teacher had been the subject of a death threat posted online.

A Pupil, who doctored a picture of the teacher to make them appear headless, proudly announced “YOU ARE DEAD”.

This has to be ended now. With the internet so accessible, cyber-bullying can be endless torture for the victims as with the aid of mobile phones bullies can always find them.

Kirsti suggests, “In the short term, confronting this problem must be the closure of sites encouraging cyber-bullying.”

When YouTube were approached about their negligence as far as censoring concerned and asked if websites like theirs ought to be shut down, a spokesman said,

“YouTube is a community site used by millions of people in very positive ways, It’s also used by organisations such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth to reach people on a range of important issues.“
“Sadly as with any form of communication, there is a tiny minority of people who try to break the rules. YouTube is part of the Government’s Cyberbullying Taskforce, working closely with teachers unions and others. If teachers or anyone else see content that they think is inappropriate and breaks our guidelines then they can flag it and we will review it. If it does break our terms then we will remove it.”

Surely this isn’t enough. It is impossible to monitor everything that goes on the website and indeed, it is also impossible to censor what our children do on the internet. If YouTube doesn’t do something soon, we will be giving bullies the upper hand, which will cause so much more heartache and pain to victims of bullying.

It is also down to the parents to educate children properly in responsible use of the internet and also how to treat other people. Although sites such as YouTube and MSN should be doing more to stop cyber-bullying, surely it’s time us, as parents, took our responsibilities more seriously and teach our children right from wrong?

In this day and age, unfortunately, children are desensitised to violence, sex, drugs etc through video games and the internet and many don’t see the error of their ways. It’s time that YouTube and other sites realise that they are giving bullies fuel to carry on terrorising and upsetting many people. Once these websites are on our side, we may just be able to make a difference.

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