Half of Gen Z is afraid of one thing. And the other half may be part of the problem

In today's increasingly connected world, The Internet and social media offer great opportunities for communication and learning. However, along with the advantages , new risks have also developed, including one of the most insidious: cyberbullying . The latter refers to a form of bullying that manifests itself through digital means, such as smartphones, computers, social networks, messaging apps or online gaming platforms. Unlike traditional bullying, it can strike at any time and place, often anonymously and continuously . According to a study by the National Research Council, the phenomenon involves over a million young people between the ages of 15 and 19, while a survey by the Indifesa Observatory carried out by Terre des Hommes found that 52 percent of under-20s fear becoming a victim of cyberbullying .

And it is precisely in this context that the update “ Digital citizenship: a game to win ” fits into the project, now in its fourth edition, “Nel cuore della Rete” , promoted and conceived by Synergie Italia and Fondazione Carolina. In fact, every year, Synergie and Fondazione Carolina meet students distributed throughout Italy through continuous education projects on digital citizenship. The program promotes a safe and conscious use of digital tools among young people with training courses in schools to raise awareness among students and teachers on the importance of online safety and the prevention of cyberbullying .

Also because the latest data provided by the Carolina Foundation Study Center are alarming. At least 3 out of 4 kids are involved, directly or indirectly, in episodes of an incorrect or unaware use of the web. A figure higher than the trend photographed by Censis before Covid-19. On average, minors (the group most at risk) spend up to 6 hours a day online (excluding school time), while in the summer the hours increase to 10. Finally, 50 % of kids say that their parents know little or nothing about the meaning of phenomena such as chatting, sexting , grooming and vamping, which are the fastest growing trends online.

And about the project, its initiatives and its main difficulties, but also about how cyberbullying can be prevented at school, we talked about it with the representative of Synergie Daniela Stuppi and with the secretary general of Fondazione Carolina Ivano Zoppi who also revealed their next goals to Luce!

Meeting with the kids in schools

What gave rise to the need to create this project?

“We approached this topic during Covid. And although the company is young, many of us have school-age children. We asked ourselves, during the pandemic, about this hyperconnection and the risks that could arise from it. On the other hand, we needed to stay in touch with schools. So we structured a first online course with them and with students on issues related to digital citizenship and cyberbullying. We then met, even though we already knew it, Fondazione Carolina. Their project is wonderful, it has a powerful value. So we said why not? Together we wanted to give something back to the kids, their families, schools, teachers who find themselves having to manage and handle these situations without having the right skills to do so. From there we structured the project”.

What concrete activities or initiatives have you implemented?

“The heart of the activity takes place in the classroom with the contribution of Fondazione Carolina through a 16-hour plus 4 course where the use of tools, the danger of cyberbullying and the behaviors to be maintained are discussed. We have also carried out activities with sports organizations. We have carried out communication campaigns on social media, we have inaugurated a school that has taken the name of Carolina Picchio. The bulk of the projects take place in the school and conclude with a day together with students, families, and local institutions where the value of this course is encapsulated”.

What were the main difficulties encountered in implementing the project?

“We haven’t had any major difficulties. The project has been very well received by the schools. The same has happened within the company with a high level of participation by many colleagues. We have reached more than 5,000 kids. We have done 110 courses. So no major difficulties. I think it is necessary for everyone who can to act more and more with projects of this type. Because in the end I see that they are in demand”.

Zoppi adds: "Also because it is free for schools. The other added value is being able to build a model that differentiates itself in the themes over the three years. In the first year we certainly talk about social media but then we also address those, which from our point of view, would help to work better on the themes of bullying and cyberbullying".

Did any real cases of cyberbullying emerge during the project? If so, how were they addressed?

“We have received testimonies from kids who said they found themselves in these situations. And thanks to this project I hope they have understood how to get out of it. There is a very interesting testimony. There are three subjects of cyberbullying: the bully, the victim and the spectators. One of these girls found herself in the role of spectator and realized the seriousness. The project also intervenes on this segment. And this is where we can make a difference. That is, if those who see, if those who participate do not keep quiet, do not laugh, but intervene to protect the victim”.

Zoppi adds: “What this project tries to convey is to create a culture of attention on these issues. Which is not the definition of bullying or cyberbullying, or just that. But instead it is “guys, you have the power in your hands to hurt people, or to raise your hand and help them”.

What is the most important message you would like to leave to students on this topic?

"I think that a little bit all of us, even us adults, have the desire to have an impact, to be a little protagonist, to have a little visibility. Here, let's put ourselves on the side of those who raise their hand. You can be protagonists in this way too. It's a protagonism that you then carry with you as a value, not as something to hide. Since I think that there are many more spectators than bullies and victims, I would leave this message: don't be spectators but intervene, truly make a contribution".

And the teachers?

“We have met some wonderful ones. What we must strive for as parents, adults and teachers is not to minimize. Because the victim of bullying must know that we do not approve. If they see that there is a minimization, they also inhibit themselves from going to tell. We must declare that we oppose these things, that we do not share them”.

How is cyberbullying different from traditional bullying?

“Cyberbullying is more dangerous because in a bullying situation the episode ends the moment it occurs. In the case of cyberbullying, however, the Internet gives you the possibility of encountering that content (video, post, photo) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It can be seen everywhere and repeatedly. Furthermore, nothing can be deleted from the Internet. We want to convey this to the kids. They have the knowledge, the technical competence as well, they lack the emotional competence that allows them to develop that awareness and responsibility in using these tools”.

Which platforms or social media are most frequently involved?

“Let me make a premise. The thing that distinguishes this project even more is its circularity and continuity. Circularity in the fact that there are other initiatives outside of school and that the adult world is also involved. Educational continuity instead in the sense that this project is an important case history also with respect to the age of the kids since we are talking about the three-year period of high school. Returning to the question, there is not just one platform. We see serious situations on TikTok, on Instagram. Certainly, so little considered, but so frequented and so at risk, is WhatsApp. Because we have treated it as a simple messaging application while in reality it is a finished environment where kids, and not only, live and hang out”.

In your opinion, what are the keys to real prevention of cyberbullying at school?

“The relationship. We can no longer ignore building meaningful relationships for these kids and giving them the opportunity to meet adults of reference. What we see is that from the time they are little they have no examples, or negative examples, from adults. And especially when they are in difficulty they do not know who to turn to. The key is the relationship, educational continuity. We cannot afford to do a one-off intervention and then abandon. We must be in the territory and give people the tools to be able to welcome these kids before they even enter the classroom and show the slide with the definition of cyberbullying”.

What advice would you give to someone who is a victim of this?

“Talk. Always find someone to talk to. Don’t always keep everything inside but talk, tell. Because that suffering that you keep inside really hurts.”

You have reached the fourth edition of the project. What are your next goals?

“We hope to reach even more students. Continue to spread this message. And to the kids I would say: we have the task of making each of them understand that they are works of art. Unique, authentic, original and unrepeatable. There is no one equal. Works of art are preserved in museums, they are protected. No one has the right to harm them”.