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Today mobile phones and the internet provide an easy and often anonymous way for kids and teenagers to bully and intimidate each other. The main mode of attack is by circulating hurtful comments, embarrassing photos or video.

The virtual world of the internet, SMS, email, instant messaging and chat rooms have replaced the playground and are now the main avenues for bullying.

Cyber-bullying is extremely detrimental in teenagers as it reaches into the safety of their own homes and attacks them on a mental and emotional level which can leave deep and long lasting scars, long after the bruises of a school yard scuffle would have gone.

How to protect your child
Talk to your children and encourage them to let you know if they feel bullied or intimidated. Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away, and there are steps that they can take to address the cyber-bullying. What is most important is that they tell someone.

As in the real world, encourage them not to respond when someone is being aggressive or hurtful online. This can only make it worse.

If someone is posting anything about your child online, especially personal information, contact your Internet Service Provider. Most likely your provider can have the information removed.

Report cyber-bullying to your child’s school. If you have serious concerns for your child’s safety, contact your local police.

Protect personal information and privacy
If you are allowing your children to communicate with others online then talk to them about how important it is that they keep personal information private. Encourage them not to give out their or your e-mail address.

If they have their own email or other online accounts make sure that they have a strong username and password that doesn’t reveal anything personal. For example the user name ‘Katy1998’ could reveal name, gender and age.

Educate your children about managing spam. Encourage them to delete any messages they get from anyone they don’t know.
Ensure your anti-virus and anti-spyware software is up to date.

If your children tell you that they have given out personal information online, contact your Internet Service Provider or the site where the information is posted to see what you can do to have it removed.

Take steps to protect your child online:

• block inappropriate content
• increase your online security and privacy
• set up your computer to only access approved websites and email addresses, and
• monitor where your children go online

Here are some additional steps for you to protect young people online

Explore the internet with your children – consider using safe zones and exploring child-friendly websites. Bookmark websites for them that you have approved.

Discuss the kinds of sites that are okay to explore, and those that are not. Let your children know that not all websites are suitable and if they encounter a site that makes them feel uncomfortable, they should leave the site immediately, either by clicking on ‘back’ or closing the browser altogether.

Reassure your children that they won’t be denied access to the internet if they report seeing inappropriate content.

Monitor and supervise internet use by having the computer in a visible place in your home.

Consider tools that filter access to chat rooms and prevent giving out personal information.

Check to see if your ISP is Family Friendly by looking for a lady bird logo on their website. These ISPs must adhere to the Internet Industry Association codes of practice. They offer information and online tools to help parents and children use the internet in a fun and safe way.

For more information about online safety and young people visit or call:
Cybersmart website.
Call the Cybersafety Contact Centre at 1800 880 176.
Report abuse or suspicious activity through the ThinkUKnow website.
If you know about a child who is in danger  call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000. 
           
Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: Stay Smart Online

Guest Post: Julie Gale. Director, Kids Free 2B Kids.

Note: This blog necessarily contains explicit material not suitable for children and which may offend some readers.

“It is a continual frustration that the media will not print examples of covers of pornographic material sold within view and access of children. (or examples of content and text in unsealed mags.) So, of course, my message is continually minimised in the process. And it means that many people understandably don’t really get what the fuss is about.

One of the reasons BP, Mobil and Shell/Coles Express removed all category 1 restricted magazines from their company owned stores nationwide is because I sent them graphic (but pixilated) images of the covers, content and text in magazines they were selling. I also explained that many distributors were flouting the law, and this meant that unintentionally a lot of their stores were selling illegal content.

Removing ALL category 1 nationwide. That is responsible action… not undertaken lightly and goes to show that providing examples made the issue very clear.

It’s so ironic and hypocritical that the material is deemed ok to be displayed in front of kids – but definitely far too inappropriate for the media to show.

I understand it is a tough call from the media perspective – but so frustrating for those of us who are just wanting to show it how it is.”

Rather than including the images I provided, the ABC’s The Drum unlashed  chose to link to the sayno4kids petition site – which does have examples of some ‘soft p-rn’ lad mags –  but at the moment the images do not reflect the editors note (nor the child advocates statement) accurately.

I just wish that the media would say/show it how it is instead of editing out relevant and important information.

Julie Gale is the founder of Kids Free 2B Kids.

Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.

Editor’s Note: For images of the sorts of magazines child advocates are calling to have limited to sale in adults only premises, please see here. These images may offend some readers.

A recent review “Violent Video Game Effects on Aggression, Empathy, and Pro-social Behaviour in Eastern and Western Countries: A Meta-Analytic Review”, published by the American Psychological Association has used meta-analytic procedures to test the effects of violent video games on:

• Aggressive behaviour
• Aggressive cognition
• Aggressive affect
• Physiological arousal
• Empathy/desensitisation, and
• Pro-social behaviour.

Today more than ever young people are exposed to ever increasing quantities of graphic violence be it on the television, in film or through violent video games. This review has found that “evidence strongly suggests that exposure to violent video games is a causal risk factor for increased aggressive behaviour, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect and for decreased empathy and pro-social behaviour”.

The review was extensive and involved “70 independent effects involving over 18,000 participants from multiple countries, ages, and culture types, it yielded strong evidence that playing violence video games is a significant risk factor for bother short-term and long-term increases in physically aggressive behaviour”.

It is interesting to note that aggression in each culture differs greatly according to the nature of the communities which form them, “cultures characterised by collectivistic values, high moral discipline, a high level of egalitarian commitment, low uncertainty avoidance, and which emphasize values that are heavily Confucian showed lower levels of aggression than their counterparts” (Bergeron, N. & Schneider, B. Explaining cross-national differences in peer-directed aggression: A quantitative synthesis. Aggressive Behaviour, 2005, p.116).

The report would seem to suggest that within society as a whole the only inhibiting factors to increased aggressive behaviour are:

• Fear of retaliation
• Negative emotional reactions to images and thoughts of violence
• Moral beliefs opposing violence, and
• Pleasant situational events that put people in a good mood.

The study looked at both short term and long term effects of playing violent video games. It defined ‘short term effects’ as those in which a person plays a video game for a brief time (e.g. 15 mins) before relevant measure are obtained.

‘Long term effects’ are those that occur from repeated exposures over a relatively long period of time such as months or years. They found that long term effects mainly result from relatively permanent changes in beliefs that are brought about by repeated exposure to video game violence.

The report explained that “video games can be exciting, fun, frustrating, exhilarating, and boring. Being the target of potential harm, even in the virtual world of video games, is likely to prime aggressive cognitions and emotions and to increase physiological arousal”.

The main findings were:

• Exposure to violent video games was significantly related to higher levels of aggressive behaviour
• Playing video games over a long period of time increases aggression regardless of cultural restraints
• Video game violence (VGV) affects both the eastern and western cultures regardless
• Children are more susceptible than young adults to the effects of violent video games, and
• Violent video game exposure was positively associated with aggressive behaviour, aggressive cognition, and aggressive affect.

The study concluded that “playing violent video games is a causal risk factor for long term harmful outcomes. This is especially clear for aggressive behaviour, aggressive cognition and empathy/desensitisation.”

“It is true that as a player you are ‘not just moving your hand on the joystick but are indeed interacting with the game psychologically and emotionally’. It is not surprising that when the game involves rehearsing aggressive and violent thoughts and actions, such deep game involvement results in antisocial effects on the player.”

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.

Source: Violent Video Game Effects on Aggression, Empathy, and Pro-social Behaviour in Eastern and Western Countries: A Meta-Analytic Review. 2010 American Psychological Association 0033-2909/10 DOI: 10.1037/a0018251

There are growing concerns over a new drug on the streets commonly known as “Meow” that is becoming very popular on the clubbing scene.

The fear is that many teenagers new to night clubs and drugs might underestimate the strength and harmful effects this drug can hand out. The greatest danger lies in its addictive nature which leaves the user craving for more.

Its’ effects are similar to that of cocaine or ecstasy; including a feeling of euphoria, excitement, heightened awareness, the urge to talk openly and the ability to stay awake for extended periods of time.  It is cheap and easily available over the internet. Combine this with gentler coming down effects and you have a drug which is very attractive to teenagers.

The key ingredient is Mepherdrone; commonly used in fertilizers. In the UK it is illegal to sell Mepherdrone for human consumption but it can legally be sold as “plant food”.

Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner Kevin Zuccato says anyone who wants to use it should think twice. ” It is a dangerous drug, no question about it. There have been deaths reported that have been linked to meow” he said.

Paul Dillon from Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia and speaker at the Generation Next seminars said, “definitely in terms of short-term effects we’ve seen some people who’ve used quite large amounts of it get very sick, people have talked about hallucinations but we really don’t know. Anyone who plays around with this drug really is being a guinea pig for the future”.

Those who have tried “Meow” say some of the side effects include an increased heart rate that sometimes leads to palpitations,  psychotic episodes, nose bleeds, hallucinations and in some cases self mutilation.

An online survey of 2,222 readers of the clubbing magazine Mixmag was recently carried out in the UK by the National Addiction Centre at Kings College. They found that 51% of mephedrone users said they suffered from headaches, 43% from heart palpitations, 27% from nausea and 15% from cold or blue fingers.

Recently, the Australian Federal Police seized 70 kilograms of drugs sent through the mail, including 20 kilograms of “Meow”. Research shows that it is contained in some legal highs and is sometimes sold mixed with methylone, also known as “Bubbles”.

It has now been banned in Finland and Sweden following the death of an 18 year old Swedish teenage girl in December 2008.  In Australia mephedrone is not specifically listed as prohibited, however  Federal Police have stated that it is an analog to methcathinone and therefore illegal. Technically mephedrone/4MMC can still be sold in the UK, although not for human use and it is still unscheduled in the USA.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha