Sextortion and social media harms

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It took just six hours for Jordan Buta to go from scrolling Instagram to taking his own life. The 17-year-old was contacted by scammers pretending to be a girl his age. They persuaded him to send explicit photographs, then blackmailed him for money. He sent what he had — but they threatened him for even more.

Jordan’s case is extreme. But more and more experts today are warning about the harms of social media. It is not just sextortion and cyber-bullying. It is also the constant comparison of your own life with others’. It is the fact that you are reachable at any place at any time. It is the 30-second clips that are stealing your attention span. It is the books you are not picking up and the friends you are not going out to see in real life.

This is not a one-sided story, of course. Smartphones and social media undoubtedly have a positive side — from LGBT+ teenagers who find a welcoming community online to cultural exchange across the globe.

But is it enough to outweigh the bad? And if turning back the clock is impossible, how do we navigate this new connected world?

### 1. What is the main issue discussed in the text?

- Answer: The main issue discussed is the rise of

### 2. What message does the text give to those who may be experiencing sextortion?

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### 3. What kind of support does the text suggest for victims of sextortion?

### 4. Why might this message be important for teachers to communicate to students?

• Have you ever experienced or witnessed bullying, exclusion, or unfair treatment in college? How did it make you feel, and what impact did it have on you or others involved?

• What do you think colleges can do to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for students of diverse backgrounds and perspectives?

• How important is building strong friendships and connections in college, especially when facing academic or personal challenges?

• Do you find it easy or difficult to talk openly about personal or academic struggles with friends, professors, or college staff? What factors make it easier or harder?

1. Why do you think some people choose to engage in cyber bullying or trolling behaviors online? What might motivate them to act this way?

2. How is cyberbullying different from in-person bullying? Are the effects on the person being bullied similar or different? Why?

3. What do you think are some safe and effective ways to respond if you or someone you know experiences cyberbullying?

4. How can we support friends or classmates who are being cyberbullied, even if they haven’t directly asked for help?

5. What responsibility do bystanders or witnesses have when they see someone being bullied online? Should they intervene, and if so, how?

• Task: Present a few example posts or comments (either hypothetical or anonymized real examples) that might be considered trolling or online bullying.

• Discussion Questions:

  • What makes these comments “trolling” or “bullying”?

  • How do you think a comment like this could affect someone emotionally?

• Goal: Help students recognize the characteristics of harmful online behavior and its impact on others, fostering empathy and awareness.

2. Role-Play Responses

• Task: Split the class into small groups and assign each a different scenario involving a troll or online bully. Each group should create a response strategy.

• Scenarios Examples:

  • A classmate posts a hurtful comment on a social media post.

  • A friend receives repeated rude messages in a group chat.

• Discussion Questions:

  • How can you respond to a troll without escalating the situation?

  • Are there times when ignoring might be a better approach?

• Goal: Encourage students to think critically about various ways to handle online conflict and develop non-reactive responses.

3. Empathy Mapping

• Task: Give students an "Empathy Map" worksheet for understanding the experience of someone who has been targeted by online bullying. Include prompts such as:

  • How do they feel?

  • What might they say to themselves?

  • What might they wish others would do?

• Discussion Questions:

  • How would you feel if you were in their shoes?

  • What supportive actions could help someone in this position?

• Goal: Build empathy and understanding of the emotional impact of online bullying, helping students consider how to support victims.

4. Creating Personal “Digital Boundaries”

• Task: Ask students to list three personal “digital boundaries” they would set for themselves online (e.g., "I won’t respond to messages that feel hurtful," "I will block accounts that are harassing," etc.).

• Discussion Questions:

  • What are some situations where these boundaries could help you?

  • Why is it important to set boundaries online as well as in person?

• Goal: Equip students with proactive strategies to protect their mental well-being, promoting self-respect and resilience in online spaces.

Discover what the British Law says about bullying and harassment.

link: www.theday.co.uk/?id=DA5AE64C-545A-4222-A431-FD954C108461

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enter the article title to find the reading. Select the reading level of your choice. L 3 , L 4, L 5.

ANSWERS BELOW

Entry 3 reading

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### 1. What is the main issue discussed in the text?

- Answer: The main issue discussed is the rise of "sextortion," which is described as a type of online exploitation where individuals are pressured or blackmailed over intimate or private content.

### 2. What message does the text give to those who may be experiencing sextortion?

- Answer: The text reassures individuals that they should not feel responsible for the situation and encourages them that, even if it feels overwhelming now, the problem can be resolved.

### 3. What kind of support does the text suggest for victims of sextortion?

- Answer: The text implies that there is support available for victims, and it advises them not to feel alone or guilty. It suggests that there are ways to fix the problem and encourages reaching out for help.

### 4. Why might this message be important for teachers to communicate to students?

- Answer: It is important because students might feel isolated, ashamed, or frightened if they experience sextortion.

“I wasn’t known as one of the singers in Little MixAn English pop girl group who were formed on TV show The X Factor in 2011.. I was known as the fat, ugly one,” Jesy Nelson says in her new documentary. “It literally consumed every part of me.”

Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out painfully details the relentless cyberbullyingHarassing or bullying others online, whether through rumours, threats or posting personal information about a victim. According to the UK’s Office of National Statistics, 19% of children aged 10 to 15 experienced online bullying between March 2019 and 2020. and trollingPosting online comments that are intended to hurt others. that drove Nelson to attempt suicide after her rapid ascent to fame.

In 2011, Jesy Nelson was a barmaid from DagenhamAn area in east London, UK. who longed to be a singer. She applied for The X FactorA British reality TV show in which singers compete to win a record contract. The format has been used in countries across the world., never dreaming that she would become part of the first girl group to win the show. By December, fame and fortune beckoned.

But while her dream was coming true, a nightmare was unfolding. When producers on the show told the group to join social media, Nelson discovered a dark underworld of hatred and abuse. She saw hundreds of comments a day mocking her appearance, each more vicious than the last.

“My brain started to believe everything I was reading,” Nelson admits. Eight years later, she still struggles to watch footage from the time.

Now aged 28, Nelson says that the documentary let her begin to heal, although the scars will never go away.

“If I could have my Jesy back from before, and not have any of it,” sobs the star’s mother Jan in the film. “I’ve lost Jes.”

After the show aired on Thursday, social media was overflowing with praise and admiration for Nelson.

“Show it in schools, tell your mates, watch it,” tweeted actress Emily Atack. “You have just done so much for so many,” wrote former Love Island contestant Olivia Buckland.

It has also sparked a conversation about the potentially colossal price of fame.

“Fame is a horrible business for most who cross its path, and it would be hard to watch this documentary and come away with the illusion that it is anything else,” wrote Rebecca Nicholson in her review for The Guardian.

Long before the age of social media, some of the greatest female stars of the 20th Century struggled to cope with the attention of fame.

Working in Hollywood from the age of two, Judy Garland was tormented with self-doubt during her short, tumultuous life after Hollywood producers told her she wasn’t attractive.

Garland’s contemporary Marilyn Monroe The actress (1926 – 1962) is best known for her roles in films such as Some Like It Hot and The Seven Year Itch., who wrestled with agonizing insecurity about her acting ability, was open about her contradictory desires for fame and anonymity.

“Dreaming about being an actress is more exciting than being one,” she said.

Is fame a curse? Of course, say some. By its nature, it measures the value of a person by the opinions of others. It is almost always fleeting, which condemns those who gain it to anxiety and torment. Now, social media is amplifying nasty comments that public figures would never have known about before. Fame is more toxic than ever.

Or does that just apply to hollow, fickle, looks-based fame pursued by reality stars for its own sake? Surely, there is value in the fame that arises organically as a by-product of rare talent, as seen with great writers and artists. Or the deserved recognition of the likes of Greta Thunberg A teenage climate activist who inspired a mass environmental movement by schoolchildren in 2018, when she was just 15 years old. She has since spoken at the UN and been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize. and Malala YousafzaiA Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2012, aged 15, she was shot by the Taliban., who wield their fame for good and are sustained by an iron sense of purpose.

Q & A

What do we know?: Little Mix was formed on the 2011 series ofThe X Factor. The group comprises Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall. With four platinum albums,Little Mixis one of the most successful girl groups in British history. Their most recent album, released in 2016, became the longest reigning number one in the UK for a girl group since the Spice Girls in 1997.

What do we not know? If the show will have a wider impact in the fight against cyber bullying. In the documentary, Nelson speaks to a number of teenage girls whose mental health was damaged due to cruel comments they received online. A 2017 study found that half of all UK girls aged between 11 and 18 are bullied on social media.

Understanding Bullying:

• What are some different forms of bullying you’ve encountered or heard about, and how do they impact the individuals involved?

• Empathy and Perspective:

  • How might someone who is experiencing bullying feel, and what factors could prevent them from speaking out or seeking help?

• Workplace Bullying:

  • What do you think workplace bullying looks like, and how might it differ from bullying in schools or social settings?

• Prevention and Solutions:

  • What strategies do you think are effective in preventing or addressing bullying, both in schools and in workplaces? How can bystanders play a role in resolving these situations?

Entry 2 can complete some questions from the presented materials

Anti Bullying TWEE mixed levels Level 1 Level 2