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21 November 2017
By Rebecca Avery

Duke Of Cambridge Launches 'Stop, Speak, Support' Action Plan To Tackle Cyberbullying

On Thursday 15th November, the Duke of Cambridge launched a national, youth-led, code of conduct for the internet. The code called ‘Stop, Speak, Support’ aims to reach every 11-16 year old in Britain, to empower them to stop cyberbullying, by speaking out and seeking support. BBC coverage can be found here.

The Royal Taskforce

The Royal Foundation Taskforce on the Prevention of Cyberbullying was established by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. The taskforce  works with the technology industry to develop a series of commitments to help prevent the cyberbullying of children and young people, together with the guidance and expertise of charities, not-for-profit organisations and independent advisors. The Taskforce launched in May 2016 to develop an industry-wide response to the online bullying of young people. About the Stop, Speak, Support campaign As part of The Royal Foundation’s Taskforce on the Prevention of Cyberbullying, a panel of young people have developed a campaign to encourage other young people to take three simple steps when you see bullying online. The Stop, Speak, Support campaign has been created in response to 11-16 year olds saying that while they enjoy social media, games and online forums, that it is the only area of their lives that they feel does not have clear expectations or standards of behaviour they should all adhere to. The Stop, Speak, Support steps were created in partnership with a panel of young people through a series of focus groups and workshops.

Stop, Speak, Support Code

Stop, Speak, Support aims to help young people spot cyberbullying and know what steps they can take to stop it happening and provide support to the person being bullied. The code encourages young people to:

STOP

  • Action 1: Take time out before getting involved, and don’t share or like negative comments.
  • Action 2: Try and get an overview of what’s really going on.
  • Action 3: Check the community guidelines for the site you’re on.

SPEAK

  • Action 1: Ask an adult or friend that you can trust for advice.
  • Action 2: Use the report button for the social media it’s happening on.
  • Action 3: Speak to one of the charities set up to help with situations like this, such as Childline.

SUPPORT

  • Action 1: Give the person being bullied a supportive message to let them know they’re not alone.
  • Action 2: Encourage the person being bullied to talk to someone they can trust.
  • Action 3: Give the person being bullied a positive distraction from the situation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGcLa-vyxVQ Advice is also available for parents. BBC Newsround have covered the story here: Online safety: Prince William launches anti-cyberbullying plan