First Do No Harm: How to be an active witness - Tip Sheet

Did you know? Two-thirds of Canadian students have helped someone who was being picked on online.

When you see or hear bad things happening online, you have a lot of power to make things better – or worse. Sometimes it’s hard to know the right thing to do, so ask yourself these questions:

Be Respectful, patient and kind: How youth are building a better world online

MediaSmarts asked Canadian teens attending a Digital Youth Summit what they do to make the online world better for everyone. Here’s what they said:

10 tiny ways you can make the world a better place today

You can make the world a better place TODAY. 10 tiny ways you can make the world a better place today.

Some reactions hurt more than you think

Before you react, ask yourself:

• Am I letting things go because I'm worried about making things worse for the person being targeted? Some things we do when we witness cyberbullying – even when we're trying to help – can make things worse, so it’s always a good idea to step back and think about the situation before jumping in. 
• Am I letting things go because I don't like the target? It can be hard to feel bad for someone we don't like.
  Cyberbullying, Digital Citizenship, Internet & Mobile

What starts as a joke can end up hurting someone

Lots of times kids will say they’re not bullying, they’re ‘just joking’ – in fact, it’s the number one reason for being mean online. Other times, people will play down how serious the situation really is.

Not reacting to cyberbullying can hurt as much as cyberbullying

How witnesses react can make a BIG difference in stopping cyberbullying and making it hurt less.

It can be hard speaking out when cyberbullying happens for a whole pile of reasons, but what you say and do is really important.

When you react the right way to cyberbullying you can turn things around

Ask yourself:

• Am I letting things go because I don't think I can do anything to help? Actually, what you do is super important. What witnesses do about bullying is actually one of the most important factors in how much someone is hurt by it and can go a long way in building positive online spaces.
• Am I letting things go because I'm worried about becoming  a target? It's normal to be afraid that someone who's being mean might get mad at you if you do something public to defend the person they’re targeting.
  Cyberbullying, Digital Citizenship, Internet & Mobile

Talking to kids about hate in media

Along with images of natural disasters and violence, one all-too-common news item that can be distressing to kids is reports of hate crimes. Seeing or hearing about hate-motivated assaults and vandalism of homes, cemeteries and places of worship in media, can lead to fear and anxiety in young people, especially if they belong to a vulnerable group. In many cases, the effect will be worse because news isn't the only place Canadian kids see hate and racism: almost half see hateful content online at least once a month, and one in six sees it every day.

Authentication 101 – tip sheet

Did you know that almost a quarter of adults have shared a false news story, and that we’re least likely to fact-check news and other things that come to us through people we know and trust on social networks (even though for many people these are their most common sources of news)?  

Four tips for managing your kids’ screen time

Minimize screen use, especially for the youngest children: