# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How do you balance lively conversations with some members' temptation to bully and ? People usually think that it comes down to identity - if your online identity is connected to your offline identity, you're less likely to troll, since everything you say or do lives online forever.

Often, online identity is framed as an either-or decision - either it's completely connected to your "real identity" (including your Facebook page, LinkedIn account and everywhere else) or you're completely and untraceable.

But is this either-or way of framing the conversation the only way to look at identity online? No, and that's where the underused concept of pseudonyms comes into play.

Why Do People Use Pseudonyms?

Pseudonyms are often misunderstood - there's an assumption that people want to hide behind fake names for nefarious reasons. But the data says otherwise.

Disqus, a comment hosting service, conducted a study a few years ago about pseudonyms. On their service, they allow people to post under their own name or under a pseudonym - whichever they prefer. And they were curious why certain people chose one over the other.

What did they find?

It turns out that 70% of their respondents who do use pseudonyms do so for privacy reasons, so they can speak openly and honestly in a productive manner. Rather than seeing a pseudonym as hiding their identity, people in their study found that pseudonyms helped them embrace their identity online and speak what's actually on their mind.

That honesty is incredibly valuable in many types of communities and forums. Think about reviews for acne cream, or a book about something sensitive, like Crohn's disease or living with cancer - if people had to post under their real name, they may have been too embarrassed or ashamed to write a helpful, honest review.

Balancing Identity With Privacy

Beyond knowing that the majority of pseudonymous people have good intentions, why is there so much power to a pseudonym, as opposed to a real name or no name?

Requiring a name isn't inherently bad. And neither is anonymity. But there are pros and cons to both approaches, which are important to examine, and which illuminate why pseudonyms can be so revolutionary in a community setting.

First, let's look at the pros and cons of providing your real, government recognized name:

Proponents of this school of thought think accountability is important for two reasons.

1. If everything you say is easily traced back to you, hopefully you'll think twice about what you say, preventing potential trolls from trolling.

2. If you're trying to build a presence online, or are already a thought leader and want to use your name recognition to boost traffic, then using your name is hugely helpful. Remember when President Obama hosted an Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Reddit? If he'd done that anonymously, no one would've have known to tune in or why they should ask this person questions. The result was an enormous traffic boost.

But there is one enormous con to using your real name, and it can have real, negative influences on member engagement.

1. If you include your real name, you're forever accountable for actions (imagine a future boss or potential date searching you online). Even if you post behind a private community, everyone in the community knows who you are and can hold you accountable for comments or contributions - for better or worse.

If you knew the whole world was watching, could you speak? With the internet, that's basically the case - everything that happens, everything you post, is permanent. Anything you say can come back to you.

Is Anonymity the Solution?

Now let's look at the pros and cons for anonymity etc. etc.

That's where anonymity comes into play. Proponents of this school of thought generally see one enormous pro:

1. Anonymity can spur engagement if you want people to feel safe expressing their true opinions or to participate in sensitive discussions. Shedding your name takes away the fear that people will forever judge you or assume you're close minded. That's why anonymity is often the solution.

But, similar to requiring "real" names, anonymity brings it's own set of challenges. Along with the pro, anonymity brings with it one large con.

1. Some people think it shields users who want to fuel fires or be hurtful online and that anonymity actually gives trolls the power to troll.

So, what are you supposed to do? In terms of spurring engagement and creating safe, thoughtful spaces, does it have to be an either-or question - total accountability or total unaccountability?

The Power of Pseudonyms

As we live more of our lives online, we'll continually bump into this decision of attaching our real names to our activities. (Although books like So You've Been Publicly Shamed offer compelling reasons to attach our names to anything online.)

Pseudonyms could be the answer to this dilemma because they provide both accountability within the community, since they're trackable, as well as a shield from the wrath of the outside world. Just look at Reddit, one of the largest community creating spaces online, with over 200 million total unique users with unique pseudonyms.

One of Reddit's defining characteristics is their take on the issue - each Reddit user creates a unique user name, which becomes their identity on the Reddit platform. This doesn't mean you can't use your "real" name - just like President Obama's AMA, you can use your real name to call attention or promote yourself - but you get to decide for yourself.

How Are Pseudonyms Different Than Just Posting Anonymously?

By using a community-specific pseudonym, such as a Reddit-specific pseudonym , users can maintain a semblance of privacy - nothing comes up when they're Googled - while still maintaining a track record and building a reputation within their community. Believe it or not, people can find meaning and create community even if they don't know what name is on someone's driver's license, or where they're from, or what college they went to. Sure, in professional communities, those details can be important, but it doesn't mean all communities need them. In some instances, those details can hinder conversation or create biases.

Although pseudonyms are a type of anonymity, they help foster community because a member uses the same name over and over again. Soon enough, you learn who's an expert, and who's just full of air. Rather than judging someone on their profile, you have only their user name and comments. And that's really all you need in order to build community - people and ideas.

Maintain Respect

Still, many people have that nagging thought - just because people won't troll under a pseudonym doesn't guarantee nothing bad will happen. Although pseudonyms allow most people to talk honestly and productively, all it takes is one person to ruin everything.

That's why, no matter your policy - names, pseudonyms, or anonymity - you need to have a policy in your community. Create terms and conditions that everyone must follow, and hold them to it. Trolls will be trolls, but there aren't as many out there as the internet would have you think.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Power of Pseudonyms in an Online Community - Higher Logic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How do you balance lively conversations with some members' temptation to bully and ? People usually think that it comes down to identity - if your online identity is connected to your offline identity, you're less likely to troll, since everything you say or do lives online forever.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The term " stranger danger " was coined as a warning to children: beware the unknown adult, proceed with caution and be very careful what personal information you reveal. The question is, do adults take their own advice? Perhaps most would be more guarded and make sure they know who they are dealing with before revealing too much about themselves. But our relationship with "strangers" has been evolving and social media has torn down some of the barriers that used to protect us.

Now a relative stranger could be a Facebook "friend" and evidence shows that sexual predators are using this to their advantage. How we transition from stranger to non-stranger relationships is a relatively unexplored strand in research, with little recognition paid to the fact that the internet has completely transformed our level of engagement with strangers.

At the same time other studies are showing how the rate of reporting sexual offences to conviction is low. A report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) concluded that 1 in 4 sexual offences should have been recorded as crimes but were not. Reasons cited for this were mainly centred on poor processes for recording the crimes and transferring them on to national recording systems.

Kamira/Shutterstock

Regardless of these issues, the reporting of sexual offences is on the rise, with this attributed to increased reporting of sexual offences and apparent improved investigative responses. In the year ending March 2015, the Office of National Statistics recorded the highest figure for sexual offences since recording began in 2002, up 37% increase on the previous year. For female victims of serious sexual assaults, 16% were recorded as "stranger relationships". Other categories included partner/ex-partner (47%) other known (33%) and family member (4%).

What is a 'stranger'?

What is our understanding of how stranger rapes occur? Do we believe this happens within a dark alleyway, involving victims randomly chosen by someone they have never interacted with? Given that most of these attacks are perpetrated by people the victims know - as opposed to the dangerous "stranger" - do these statistics allow us to feel safe within our online social interactions? Herein lies the problem: people we know. At what point would we say we actually know someone in the online and interconnected society of today?

One in three relationships now start online. The change in how people communicate in their day-to-day lives has impacted on the "modus operandi" of sexual offenders. The online environment has evolved a " new type of sexual offender". Police forces have recorded a six-fold increase in the number of "internet-facilitated" sexual offences between 2009 and 2014.

The vast amount of dating and social networking sites easily accessed through smartphones has resulted in the normalisation of providing personal information to strangers. Even Snapchat now allows users to share their exact location. People are able to see your every move from your home location, work, school or college.

Snapchat states that their default setting is "off" for location-sharing and users must activate it. They claim that locations can only be shared with your friends list. Given our friendship circles are continually changing and our friends lists are likely to contain people we have never met, how practical is this safety feature?

Are you being groomed?

Grooming techniques are individually tailored to meet victims' expectations. From child sexual grooming research, we know that trust is key in developing relationships online, with boundaries slowly broken down before introducing sexualised conversations. In cases initiated through online dating that resulted in sexual assaults, sexual communication was reported in over 50% of cases prior to meeting, with online contact to first meeting occurring within a week for 43% of cases . The frequency and intensity of interactions allows victims to feel comfortable and shifts the perception of the relationship from stranger to non-stranger quicker than offline encounters.

National Crime Agency evidence reveals 72% of internet-facilitated sexual assaults took place in the victim's home. Exploration of attack locations of 459 internet-facilitated rapists showed more than half occurred within a 1.6km radius of the offenders' home. This differs from previous findings where offenders travelled further to their assault location in a bid to reduce the risk of identification. Is this due to an expedited transition from stranger to non-stranger, where the regular dating precautions are dismissed, with victims meeting their victims sooner and in unsafe locations?

New offenders, new crimes

Recent research exploring sexual offending within the UK appears to back this up, concluding that the typical offender profile and crime scene behaviours have changed. Stranger rapists are appearing to be less "criminogenic" - in other words, they have fewer criminal convictions. And those with previous convictions are now likely to be for more low-level offences. This new type of sex offender is also taking fewer precautions and less likely to use forced entry or violence in their sexual attacks.

The same techniques used by online sexual offenders are being employed by so-called " romance fraudsters " targeting dating websites with the intention of extracting money from victims. Around £34.4m from over 3,100 victims was recorded regarding romance fraud last year.

More needs to be done to increase the understanding of the term "stranger" and how this is defined within criminal justice agencies. More importantly society as a whole needs to start getting to grips with the term. Our interactions online are now embedded at such a young age. They have allowed us to become comfortable in revealing personal information and speeding up the relationship process at a dangerous pace.

So before engaging with new "friends" online ask yourself: is this person really a stranger? Have you transitioned them to "non-stranger" status too quickly? Are you really being safe online?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'Stranger danger' in the online and real world

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The term " stranger danger " was coined as a warning to children: beware the unknown adult, proceed with caution and be very careful what personal information you reveal. The question is, do adults take their own advice? Perhaps most would be more guarded and make sure they know who they are dealing with before revealing too much about themselves.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
No Hate Speech Movement

The No Hate Speech Movement was a youth campaign led by the Council of Europe Youth Department. It seeks to mobilise young people to combat hate speech and promote human rights online. Launched in 2013, it was rolled out through national campaigns in 45 countries, running until 2017.

The National Youth Council of Ireland co-ordinated the Ho Hate Speech Movement in Ireland from 2014 - 2018 with the support of many national organisations, and a team of amazing Youth Ambassadors led by Youth Ambassador co-ordinators Fionn Scott and Aiste Slajute.

Although the campaign has formally ceased it continues as part of the Council of Europe's and NYCI's ongoing work around human rights and equality. This webpage offers information and resources to support individuals and groups maintain the work of tackling on-line hate speech.

As a direct result of being involved in the Movement NYCI has joined the Irish Coalition Against Hate Crime which is campaigning to have Hate Crime legislation established in Ireland.

TRANSFORMING HATE IN YOUTH WORK SETTINGS - Manual and Activity Resource

This educational tool and practice manual outlines an innovative new approach on how to transform hate in youth work settings. Focused on the youth worker, and their practice, it looks at self-awareness, taking a needs based approach, and building connections with young people though empathic listening. We start from the conviction that hate and discrimination will not be changed by taking a punitive approach, and that being able to connect, and stay connected with young people who cause hurt is an important part of making real and lasting change.

Racism can be reported by victims or observers. NYCI is a member of INAR and encourages anyone experiencing or observing racism to report it through the new iReport App

Reporting Racism is a critical component in the fight against racism. This has become easier now with iReport App from the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR).

A hard-hitting video on reporting racism will be shown in cinemas throughout Ireland showing people the prevalence of and importance of reporting racism. The video has been produced as a part of the Cannes Young Lions international competition. It contains actual footage captured and reported to iReport.

Hate speech, as defined by the No Hate Speech Movement Ireland, covers all forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or attempt to justify any form of hatred, stereotyping or discrimination based on intolerance.

This includes, but is not limited to, intolerance of people based on their ethnic and cultural backgrounds (including Travellers and Roma), religious belief (including those with none), disability and health (including mental health), sexual orientation and gender identity. Hate speech also includes sexism, misogyny, aggressive nationalism, and all forms of threatening and/or abusive language based on an identifiable characteristic of a person.

Hate speech covers all forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or attempt to justify any form of hatred, stereotyping or discrimination that is based on intolerance.

Online hate speech is not the same as online bullying. Online bullying targets an individual - sometimes because of their identity group but not always. Online hate speech always targets by identity group, sometimes toward an individual by relating to their group identity but more often it targets the group, thus seeking to hurt everyone in that group. Its reach and damage is wider as it impacts everyone in that group.

The online world is a space where the values of human rights are often ignored or violated. Hate speech online has become a major form of human rights abuse, with very serious consequences for people, both online and offline. Hate speech affects all of society. Young people are directly concerned as victims, targets, active and passive agents.

What can you do about online hate speech?

To tackle online hate speech, we believe we need to create a culture of intolerance toward it, so that it becomes unacceptable and that those who are the targets of hate speech see support online rather than hate.

There are 4 methods we use to challenge online hate speech

Try not to share instances of hate speech online as it only gives it more coverage - instead screen shot it and report it. We stress that reporting works and it is easy to report hate speech. Report it to the platform where you have seen it - Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, online news reports and their comment sections etc. Also report it to any online reporting discrimination mechanisms that exist such as www.IReport.ie (for reporting racist hate speech). Report it to the Gardai if it is threatening or inciteful.

When you see something nasty on social media challenge it by commenting back, using your personal name and profile. It's enough to say that it is offensive - you don't need to have well thought out arguments. Encourage others to comment too. We want it to become the norm to always challenge any offensive and hurtful things said online, to make it unacceptable and to develop an on-line culture that is based on human rights. Share the Movement's Facebook and Twitter posts that challenge hate speech and other trusted posts, especially from human rights NGOs. Ask your friends and contacts to like, follow and share the posts.

Share stories with a human rights perspective that are insightful and that challenge stereotypical and hateful content. By ensuring that different perspectives, i.e. counter-narratives, are present and shared widely in newsfeeds it puts doubt in the minds of those inclined to listen to, share and/or develop discriminatory content.

Spread the messages the Movement posts online. Like the Movement's Facebook page and follow the Movement on Twitter.

(Please note that these are external accounts and are not run or monitored by NYCI.)

Sometimes we find ourselves looking at arguments where both sides have clear rights. We don't take sides in the No Hate Speech Movement, we promote respectful debate and the right to share opinions. Research shows that people lose arguments in the online space when they turn offensive in any way, no matter how strong their case is or how angry or upset they feel. Always disagree with respect.

Love Not Hate Campaign for Hate Crime Legislation

NB: We believe it is too difficult to legislate against online hate speech due to the difficulties of defining it. Instead we are campaigning for legislation against hate crime (which may sometimes involve an element of online hate speech). Join the campaign for Ireland to put legislation in place against Hate Crime.

Watch and Share this video on tackling hate speech we made at a Sports Against Racism event

Watch and share this cool video made at No Hate Speech youth activist residential event: Keep Crossing Borders

Two of the major tools of the campaign is the use of "Bookmarks" and "We Can".

Bookmarks

Bookmarks is a manual to use with groups on combating hate speech online through human rights education.

We Can

We Can is a manual that presents approaches and tools for youth and other human rights activists to develop their own counter and alternative narratives to hate speech.

Activities

Do Activities to promote Human Rights. We like this one a lot.

This activity makes human rights more real. Participants must depict different rights to members of their team using anything they like - except for words! (Similar to Pictionary or charades)

Group size - 12-16

Time - 60 minutes

Objectives - To understand the rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

Materials

Copies of the Human Rights Handout: make 1 copy for each team. Cut the handout up (see below)

Space for 2 or more teams to work separately, ideally in different rooms

2 facilitators (ideally)

UDHR Summary (see below)

Post-its or small cards

Flip chart and markers (optional)

Instructions

1. An optional starter for groups unfamiliar with human rights might be to ask the group what they understand by human rights. You can use prompt questions. For example:

Who has human rights?

Can you name any human rights?

Who has to make sure that human rights are respected?

Where do they come from?

2. Divide the group into teams of 6 - 8 people. Hand out the following to each team:

A copy of the UDHR summary (at the end of this activity)

Post-its or cards to write guesses on

Rules of play

Aim of the activity: guess all the human rights before the other team(s)

1 person from each team (the 'Collector') collects a human rights card from the facilitator. Their task is to convey the right written on the card to the rest of their team without speaking. They are allowed to draw pictures, use gestures or mime, but cannot use any other props to communicate the right written on the card.

The rest of the team has a copy of the UDHR to help them and they need to guess which human right is being depicted. This should be discussed and agreed by the whole team before an 'official' guess is made. When they have agreed on the team's guess, this should write it down and give it to the Collector. The Collector then says if they are right or wrong. If the team makes an 'unofficial' guess - in other words, they don't write it on a card - the collector must not respond! They can encourage them and nod or shake your head if they ask questions about anything else, for example, 'are you sweeping the floor?', 'are you in prison?', 'is that an ice cream?', but NO SPEAKING!

If they are wrong they can only have one more guess. After that, the right is regarded as 'not guessed' and the next Collector goes to fetch a new card from the facilitator.

A different 'Collector' should be sent up for each new rights card. When everyone has had a turn, a second round begins.

The game ends when one team has guessed all the rights correctly, or when one team has guessed more rights correctly than the other team.

Not all rights are included in the game: there are 30 different rights in the UDHR, and only 12 cards to guess.

Allow participants to wind down after the heat of the competition! Use some of the following questions to debrief the activity.

Debriefing

Which of the rights were most difficult to communicate? Why?

What conclusions can you draw about communication: why is it often difficult to understand each other? Is it the fault of the 'communicator' or the 'listener', or both?

Were any of the rights particularly difficult to understand?

Do you think you could 'do without' any of these rights? If so, which ones?

Do you think these rights should apply to the online world as well as the 'real' world? Can you think of examples where some of these rights are relevant to online activity?

Do you think that human rights are respected on the Internet?

Human rights belong to everyone, and they are 'laws for governments'. Human rights mean that governments have to make sure that individuals are protected from unfair treatment, extreme abuse and violence - amongst other things. Human rights are important because they protect us, and because they mean we shouldn't behave towards others in a way that does not respect their rights.

Reflections on hate speech

Explain briefly that hate speech is any 'expression' of hatred towards a group or member of a group which is nasty, hurtful and likely to lead to violent reactions towards members of the group. Ask for a few examples to clarify.

Which of the rights in the game might be relevant to hate speech? Why?

If you were a target of hate speech online, which rights would you be most likely to need?

What can be done about the proliferation of hate speech online?

Tips for facilitators

The game will be more effective with 2 facilitators. The facilitators will need to make sure that Collectors do not respond to 'unofficial' guesses (for example by shaking the head or looking encouraging).

Participants could work in pairs to convey the rights. This may be helpful to allow them to discuss what the rights mean, but it may also add time to the activity.

You may wish to concentrate on one or two of the areas of 'reflection' in order to explore issues more fully. Do not try to cover all questions!

Note: The activity could be run purely as a drawing activity, or purely as a drama activity, or both, as in the instructions above.

Handouts

Make the following into a set of Human Rights cards that you can cut up and hand out

Article 1 All human beings have the same human rights

Article 14 Everyone has the right to ask for asylum in another country if they are being persecuted

Article 2 No-one should be discriminated against

Article 18 Everyone has the right to religious belief

Article 3 Everyone has the right to life

Article 19 Everyone has the right to freedom of expression (to say what they want)

Article 5 Everyone has the right to be free from torture

Article 20 Everyone has the right to join an association and to meet with others

Article 11 Everyone has the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty

Article 21 Everyone has the right to vote in elections and take part in government

Article 12 Everyone has the right to privacy

Article 27 Everyone has the right to take part in the cultural life of their community

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

(Summary)

1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

2. Everyone has the right to be treated in the same way, irrespective of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political opinion, property, birth, or other status.

3. Everyone has the right to life and to live in freedom and safety.

4. No-one has the right to treat you as a slave nor should you make anyone your slave.

5. Everyone has the right to be free from torture and from inhuman and degrading treatment.

6. Everyone has the right to recognition by the law.

7. The law is the same for everyone; it should be applied in the same way to all.

8. Everyone has the right to an effective remedy when his/her rights have not been respected.

9. No-one has the right to detain or imprison you unjustly or expel you from your own country.

10. Everyone has the right to a fair and public trial.

11. Everyone should be considered innocent until found guilty.

12. Everyone has the right to have their privacy (including home and family life) respected.

13. Everyone has the right to live and travel freely within state borders.

14. Everyone has the right to go to another country and ask for protection if they are being persecuted or are in danger of being persecuted.

15. Everyone has the right to a nationality.

16. Everyone has the right to marry and have a family.

17. Everyone has the right to own property and possessions.

18. Everyone has the right to believe whatever they wish (including, but not confined to, religion).

19. Everyone has the right to say what they think and to give and receive information freely.

20. Everyone has the right to join associations and to meet others in a peaceful way.

21. Everyone has the right to take part in the government of their country, which should be chosen through free and fair elections.

22. Everyone has the right to social security.

23. Everyone has the right to work for a fair wage in a safe environment and to join a trade union.

24. Everyone has the right to rest and leisure.

25. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of themselves and of their family, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary social services.

26. Everyone has the right to education, including free primary education.

27. Everyone has the right to share in their community's cultural life.

28. Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realised.

29. Everyone must respect the rights of others, the community and public property.

30. No-one has the right to take away any of the rights in this declaration.

Tackling Hate Speech as a Youth Ambassador

Youth Ambassadors are at the Heart of the No Hate Speech Movement

Youth Ambassadors are young people who communicate the no hate speech message, whether acting on the European stage or at national, regional or local level. Among the online community of Ambassadors are those who run our Facebook and Twitter feeds, and who actively counter any hate speech they see in online spaces - all on a voluntary basis. The No Hate Speech Movement would be nowhere without their dedicated and inspiring activism.

Youth Ambassadors have developed some amazing videos and written some inspiring blogs.

Help us fight hate speech by spreading the message

Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. Ask your friends and contacts to like us and follow us.

(Please note that these are external accounts and are not run or monitored by NYCI)

Testimony from our Youth Ambassadors

A youth exchange in Lithuania:

Myself (Emmanuel) and Happymore, were attending a youth exchange in Lithuania. The exchange gathered a group of 30 young people from 5 different EU countries. This diversity inspired us to talk a little bit about the No Hate Speech Movement. I had some No Hate Speech stickers and the Bookmarks Manual in my bag. We spoke about the history of the movement, its aims and how it is run. Then we ran one of the activities from Bookmarks on confronting cyber bullying. Because the group had developed a deep level of connection among each other during the week, we were able to hear people's honest opinions and personal stories in regards to hate speech online. I must admit it was one of the most powerful no hate speech workshops I have ever run, Happymore and I both felt as real hate fighters when we heard the feedback from the group.
It turned out that we actually had a lot of victims of hate speech online within the group who got emotional and told us their stories. Others said they "have never thought about it that way", and a lot of people asked how they could join or help. The best thing I heard from the workshop came from a young Lithuanian man who said he "was always on the other side of the story, has always been the guy who posts these kind of stuff and never realised what it causes to others" and he thanked us for workshop. This kind of positive feedbacks is what Happymore and I both agree that keeps us going on with this campaign, we may not be stopping tanks from manoeuvring, replacing bombs with colour powder or dumping guns into volcanos but at least we know we are replacing hate, the generator of all that with something the produces peace, one, two or three people at a time. It has been said many times that hate will only grow as big as we let it grow, so why stand aside and watch when we all know very well that it's about time we cut down the tree of hate, it's about time we appreciate our difference and see each other as fellow humans. I have to say, my eyes are tired from seeing the atrocities of war, I want to give my eyes the chance to see peace and its attributes.
Emmanuel Tacima

You can be a Youth Ambassador in lots of ways - We received this inspiring letter from students in Limerick:

We are writing to you from Laurel Hill Secondary School in Limerick, where we are 6th year students. As part of our Leaving Certificate Politics and Society Project, we have to write a submission to a relevant agency and we chose your (No Hate Speech) Movement. We wanted to convey our support and admiration for the impact and global outreach your Movement has. It indicates to us that our project is not a notion we conjured up in class, but that this is a real human rights issue people worldwide want to address. We were stunned to find out this Movement is occurring in over 45 countries.
We knew a letter or e-mail would not be substantial enough without an action behind it. The criteria for our project was to research the denial of a human right from the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and we chose to examine the difference between hate speech and freedom of speech and where this political and social line is crossed. We conducted classes with four different years groups in our own school, examining these two forms of rhetoric online, as we know the online perspective is a focus for the No Hate Speech Movement. We love using Twitter ourselves but are fully aware of the dark side of it, whether it's harmful personal comments between people or politically driven remarks. We searched for tweets concerning examples of violence, terrorism and religious and ethnic groups in society which have received the most scrutiny and prejudice in the last five years. Together, we compiled packs of ten tweets, with five examples of freedom of expression and five examples of hate speech. We asked the students, in groups of five, to separate the tweets into two piles of five tweets, deciding off instinct which were examples of hate speech and the latter, freedom of speech. We discussed, with use of powerpoint, the differences, definitions and global examples. Once more, we asked the students to examine their two groups of tweets and move any into a different pile if they felt they may have incorrectly placed them. We told them which category each comment fell under and had open discussions with the groups each time of why they placed a tweet in one of the two categories. This was really eye opening from our perspective as many students did not need to know the political language or words that were often used to get the correct answers. Therefore, we believe we learnt something extremely profound, that hate speech is not tied to knowing in-depth details about politics, but that it lies on a basic humanitarian level of understanding. Almost any age can detect when the wrong kinds of language are being used. Since President Trump's presence has become consistent on Twitter, there has been further fuel to the fire. Our project doesn't circulate around President Trump, yet it was an example that students brought up when we asked them if they have seen or personally experienced hate speech in their own lives. We are fully aware that your movement is a Council of Europe initiative, but regardless of our UDHR criteria for the project, in the case of almost all legislation regarding hate speech, we found a strong and alarming contradiction. Article 3 of the UDHR states that you have the right to live, and to live in freedom and safety while Article 19 protects the right to think what you want, and to say what you like, and nobody should forbid you from doing so. You should be able to share your ideas - also with people from any other country. As individuals, we completely believe in the right to freedom of expression, it is intrinsic to every free and just society, yet, cyber hate and cyberbullying can exploit this right. It is our hope that in the future, particularly as young people, that there will be a separate and well thought out article or provision, for example, to be found in the European Convention on Human Rights which can level prosecution and increase safety for others regarding hate speech online. We want to thank you for taking the time to read this email. This was really about sharing our experience of learning about hate speech; we hope that our action helped educate young people to be more careful and vigilant of what they say on social media and also on how to communicate in the wider world.
Thank you again,
Yours Sincerely,
Sophie Slater and Niamh Hickey, Sixth Year Politics Project, Laurel Hill Secondary School, Limerick

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
No Hate Speech - National Youth Council of Ireland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The No Hate Speech Movement was a youth campaign led by the Council of Europe Youth Department. It seeks to mobilise young people to combat hate speech and promote human rights online. Launched in 2013, it was rolled out through national campaigns in 45 countries, running until 2017.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior.

The most common places where cyberbullying occurs are:

Social Media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Tik Tok

Text messaging and messaging apps on mobile or tablet devices

Instant messaging, direct messaging, and online chatting over the internet

Online forums, chat rooms, and message boards, such as Reddit

Email

Online gaming communities

Special Concerns

With the prevalence of social media and digital forums, comments, photos, posts, and content shared by individuals can often be viewed by strangers as well as acquaintances. The content an individual shares online - both their personal content as well as any negative, mean, or hurtful content - creates a kind of permanent public record of their views, activities, and behavior. This public record can be thought of as an online reputation, which may be accessible to schools, employers, colleges, clubs, and others who may be researching an individual now or in the future. Cyberbullying can harm the online reputations of everyone involved - not just the person being bullied, but those doing the bullying or participating in it. Cyberbullying has unique concerns in that it can be:

Persistent - Digital devices offer an ability to immediately and continuously communicate 24 hours a day, so it can be difficult for children experiencing cyberbullying to find relief.

Permanent - Most information communicated electronically is permanent and public, if not reported and removed. A negative online reputation, including for those who bully, can impact college admissions, employment, and other areas of life.

Hard to Notice - Because teachers and parents may not overhear or see cyberbullying taking place, it is harder to recognize.

Laws and Sanctions

All states have laws requiring schools to respond to bullying. As cyberbullying has become more prevalent with the use of technology, many states now include cyberbullying, or mention cyberbullying offenses, under these laws. Schools may take action either as required by law, or with local or school policies that allow them to discipline or take other action. Some states also have provisions to address bullying if it affects school performance. You can learn about the laws and policies in each state, including if they cover cyberbullying.

Frequency of Cyberbullying

There are two sources of federally collected data on youth bullying:

The 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice) indicates that, nationwide, about 16 percent of students in grades 9-12 experienced cyberbullying.

The 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) indicates that an estimated 15.9% of high school students were electronically bullied in the 12 months prior to the survey.

See also " Frequency of Bullying."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The internet can be a dangerous neighborhood for everyone, but children and teens are especially vulnerable. From cyber predators to social media posts that can come back to haunt them later in life, online hazards can have severe, costly, even tragic, consequences. Children may unwittingly expose their families to internet threats, for example, by accidentally downloading malware that could give cyber criminals access to their parents' bank account or other sensitive information. Protecting children on the internet is a matter of awareness-knowing what dangers lurk and how to safeguard against them. Although cyber security software can help protect against some threats, the most important safety measure is open communication with your children.

1. Cyberbullying
The vast majority, 90%, of teens agree that cyber bullying a problem, and 63% believe this is a serious problem. What's more, a 2018 survey of children's online behavior found that approximately 60% of children who use social media have witnessed some form of bullying, and that, for various reasons, most children ignored the behavior altogether. And according to enough.org, as of February 2018, nearly half (47%) of all young people had been the victims of cyber bullying. Social media and online games are today's virtual playground, and that is where much cyber bullying takes place, and it's operating 24/7. Children can be ridiculed in social media exchanges. Or, in online gaming, their player personas can be subjected to incessant attack, turning the game from an imaginative adventure into a humiliating ordeal that escalate into cyber bullying across multiple platforms and in real-life.

The best foundation for protecting against cyber bullying is to be comfortable talking to your children about what is going on in their lives online and in in real-life (IRL) and how to stand up to bullies. Cyber security software and specialized apps for monitoring your child's online and mobile activity can help, but nothing will replace an open dialog.

2. Cyber Predators
These days sexual and other predators often stalk children on the internet, taking advantage of their innocence, lack of adult supervision and abusing their trust. This can culminate in children being lured into dangerous personal encounters IRL. These predators lurk on social media and gaming platforms that appeal to children-the same virtual venues where anonymity facilitates cyber bullying. There, they can exploit not only children's innocence, but also their gift of imagination. "Let's play pretend" is a common and healthy part of online gaming and interaction, but predators can use it as a hook to pull children in.

The FBI offers guidance in safeguarding against predators and other online risks to child safety. However, again, the best protection is regularly talking to your children about what is going on in their day-to-day lives.

3. Posting Private Information
Children do not yet understand social boundaries. They may post personally identifiable information (PII) online, for example in their social media profiles, that should not be out in public. This might be anything from images of awkward personal moments to their home addresses or family vacation plans.

Much, but not all, of what your children post is in public view. This means that you can also see it-and there's no harm in reminding them that if Mom and Dad can see it, so can everyone else. Avoid snooping, but speak frankly to your kids about public boundaries and what they mean for your children and your family as a whole.

4. Phishing
Phishing is what cyber security professionals call the use of emails that try to trick people into clicking on malicious links or attachments. These can be especially difficult for kids to detect because often, the email will appear to be from someone legitimate, like a friend or family member, saying simply, "Hey-thought you might like this!" This can also be done with using messaging apps or text messages-then it's called "smishing".

Phishing emails and smishing texts can pop up at any time, but the cyber criminals who devise them keep watch on sites that are popular with children, and gather information such as email addresses and friends' names and other information to tailor their attacks, just as they do when spear phishing adults to access corporate networks. Teach your children to avoid clicking on emails or texts from strangers and to be wary of messages that appear to be from their friends but seem "off" or have no genuine personal message attached.

5. Falling for Scams
Children are probably not going to fall for Nigerian princes offering them a million dollars, but they might fall for scams that offer things they value, such as free access to online games or special features. Young people are easy marks for scams because they have not yet learned to be wary. As with phishing, cyber criminals can use sites popular with children to identify potential victims, and then promise prizes in return for what they want-like parents' credit card information.

Young or old, the best protection against scams is knowing that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't true. Teach your children to be leery of online offers that promise too much.

6. Accidentally Downloading Malware
Malware is computer software that is installed without the knowledge of permission of the victim and performs harmful actions on the computer. This includes stealing personal information from your computer or hijacking it for use in a " botnet," which causes sluggish performance. Cyber criminals often trick people into downloading malware. Phishing is one such trick, but there are others-such as convincing victims to download malware masquerading as games -can be especially beguiling to children.

As with scams, educating your children is the best protection, but comprehensive, cross-device cyber security software and related security protections can help safeguard your child's computer against any malware that sneaks into it. In addition, many internet security products also include specific parental controls and applications that can help you build a secure framework for your children's online activities.

7. Posts that Come Back to Haunt a Child Later in Life
The internet does not have a "Delete" key. It is the opposite of Las Vegas. Things that happen online, stay online. Forever. Anything your child puts online is nearly impossible to remove later. The dangers of social media are especially daunting. It is hard for teenagers in particular to consider how a party picture or Snapchat message could cause problems ten years down the road when they interview for a new job, or how a prospective mate might respond to personal content that they post to their social media profiles or other websites.

Explain to your teens that their style and opinions are guaranteed to change as they grow older. With no "Take-Back" or "Delete" buttons, their 15-year-old self can dramatically alter their adult life in a single click. How they wish to present themselves online and IRL will likely change as they age-but internet posts are forever.

The internet can pose serious dangers to children. It can also open doors of wonder for them that previous generations could not even have dreamed of. Help ensure that your children's online safety so they experience the joys and opportunities of the online world, and avoid its hazards. Be aware. Be vigilant. But first and foremost be actively involved in your children's digital and day-to-day lives and communicate openly.

More helpful articles:

Internet Safety for Kids: How to Protect Your Child from the Top 7 Dangers They Face Online

Online Safety for Kids: Protect your child from these 7 internet dangers. Awareness & communication a crucial, but there's more. Learn what you need to do.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Internet Safety for Kids: How to Protect Your Child from the Top 7 Dangers They Face Online

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Online Safety for Kids: Protect your child from these 7 internet dangers. Awareness & communication a crucial, but there's more. Learn what you need to do.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dhruv's mother just finished explaining to his teacher that he was unable to attend class yesterday due to issues with internet connectivity. She also tried to convince the teacher to give him an extra day to finish the assignments allotted that day. The teacher understood that, like many of her students, Dhruv too has been struggling to adapt to the new form of learning. As someone who is always excited about classes, the recent reluctance to attend online classes on Dhruv's part was a cause of concern for his parents and teachers.

Although the newer generation is more internet savvy, there are certain limitations of e-learning. Dhruv was used to studying amongst peers and in a familiar environment that promoted learning. An active student in the classroom, his participation and willingness to answer during class went down when studying online. The lack of one-on-one interaction with his teachers also left him with more doubts, and he struggled to finish his schoolwork.

Most parents with kids in school would agree that their kids are facing the similar issue as Dhruv. The recent pandemic has forced kids to move out of their familiar learning zones like a classroom to a setup that is the stark opposite of what they were used to. Most parents and instructors are working hard to ensure that this transition to a new way of learning is as comfortable as possible for the students. Online learning comes with its challenges that can impact the children to a great extent.

Impact of Online Classes on Children

Loss of motivation and a sense of self-discipline needed to study online are some of the major struggles that children face. A school classroom provides a structure and an environment of effective learning which learning at home lacks. This ensures a cycle for students struggling to finish their assignments, leading to a lack of motivation and lower goals for themselves.

In addition to that, a classroom and interaction with peers are very important in the school years. It provides students with a neutral environment for social interactions that aids in developing skills like setting boundaries, learning cooperation, and empathy. These skills are extremely important for building social relationships as a child but also as an adult.

Online Classes: The Need of the Hour

The impact of online classes can be a cause of concern for many parents. But with the right support system, these students can easily overcome the challenges posed by online learning. While the situation is very worrying, it is what the current situation calls for.

It seems to be a difficult task to reopen schools in the near future and pausing it due to the pandemic can also cause severe repercussions. Online classes have brought a sense of normalcy in these otherwise uncertain times and have given students a way to use their time productively.

The continuation of education during these trying times is a relief for parents who are worried about their child's future. But with the right planning and support system, they can ensure that their child can adjust to the changing environment and their education is secure even during difficult times.

Parents today are more worried about their children's educational future than ever. It is always wise to plan for the future of your kids and that too in these times of uncertainty. By using the following Child Education Calculator, you can easily figure out the amount that you need to set aside for a bright future of your child.

MUTUAL FUND INVESTMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO MARKET RISKS, READ ALL SCHEME RELATED DOCUMENTS CAREFULLY.

To know more about KYC documentation requirements and procedure for change of address, phone number, bank details, etc., please visit https://bit.ly/36BTr0u. One-time KYC registration is mandatory to invest in mutual funds. You can complete your KYC by submitting the following at any of our branches or collection centres: a) Duly filled and signed Central-KYC form b) ID Proof and Address Proof: Any Document notified by the Central Government, self-attested. PAN is mandatory for investing in mutual funds. c) Proof of Address: Same as Identity Proof (except PAN) d) Recent passport-sized photograph. Originals must be carried for verification. Investors must deal with/ invest in only SEBI Registered Mutual Funds. Details are available at www.sebi.gov.in. Investors can reach us on +91-8048893330 or write to us at mutual@kotak.com. For escalation, write to sonali.khokhani@kotak.com or lodge your grievance with SEBI through their SCORES (SEBI Complaint Redressal System) Portal at http://scores.gov.in.

Disclaimer: Content Produced by Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The effect of online learning on your child: You need to know this

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dhruv's mother just finished explaining to his teacher that he was unable to attend class yesterday due to issues with internet connectivity. She also tried to convince the teacher to give him an extra day to finish the assignments allotted that day.