Editorial: Put end to cyber nasties

Teachers are feeling ill-equipped to deal with cyber bullying.

Everyone is so easily accessible these days.

If you're like me, it can sometimes feel like your phone is glued to your hand. There's calls, emails, text messages, plus a range of other messaging apps plus Facebook and Twitter.

Unless you are in the remotest area, you are pretty much always contactable.

It's scary that this technology is being used by people to intimidate, torment or bully others.

A surge in cyber bullying has been widely reported in the past few years, but a recent annual global survey of teachers' and students' internet use found parents expected teachers to educate kids about internet safety but the time spent covering online safety in class didn't match up with expectations.

The AVG Technologies survey also found nearly a third of teachers felt ill-equipped to deal with cyber bullying and only 18 per cent had received formal training to teach online safety.

In today's world, even the most basic cellphones can access the internet, which is where the majority of cyber bullying takes place.

A Mount Maunganui principal said the average age of teachers was about 52, meaning they were not experts across all aspects of technology.

I can understand the frustration of both parents and teachers who could feel like they are not equipped to deal with cyber bullying.

Children are often also good at hiding what is really going on and if messages are sent privately, then it could be easy to conceal from a parent or teacher.

Tech experts advise to keep family computers in a space where parents can see what they are doing, but a cellphone can be more easily concealed.

I'm pretty sure everyone knows of someone who has been affected by cyber bullying. It seems to be something which flies under the radar until it is too late.

A Tauranga mother featured in today's Bay of Plenty Times said some parents didn't realise how serious the problem was because they had never been taught about it.

The problem is not one that can be solved solely at home or at school.

We need to raise awareness, to encourage children to speak up and to make sure help is always available.

As a community it is our job to keep these children safe.