Time for the grown-ups to stand up against cyberbullies

Often when we talk about cyberbullying, we focus on children—and rightly so. Nearly half (42 per cent) of school-aged kids have experienced cyber abuse in the past four weeks, and 60 per cent have witnessed others being tormented online. In truth, though, cyberbullying can happen to anyone, including adults. Indeed, in this hyper-connected digital age, there are more ways than ever to hurt someone through nasty emails or texts, sharing photos or videos, or hacking into a personal account; and cyber abuse is harder to stop than other forms of bullying. Increasingly, politicians are considered easy targets for cyberbullies; more so for women in the public eye. The fallout of these attacks is draining our political halls of the diverse voices and informed opinions needed to continue to keep Canada and our economy thriving. The statistics are alarming. A 2017 Canadian Press survey found that almost half of female Members of Parliament have experienced online harassment, often in the form of inappropriate, misogynistic and even violent online social media posts, messages and commentary. Former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne and Alberta premier Rachel Notley have both acknowledged they’ve received several threats of harm from internet trolls and online attackers. Meanwhile, in August, Newfoundland and Labrador’s finance minister Cathy Bennett resigned from cabinet following a period of sustained online harassment that included threats of sexual violence and messages telling Bennett to kill herself. It’s a destructive pattern of abuse that goes far beyond the perils of the job that even the thickest-skinned politician would consider acceptable. It is hurting real people and their families—and many experts in the field fear it is discouraging the next generation of leaders from entering politics at all. That’s bad news for the future of our country, our communities, and our girls and boys who are watching—and learning from—the actions of the adults around them. It is well-timed, then, that we will have a federal election in October, as well as provincial elections in Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. Each of these trips to the polls presents an opportunity for us to join together to improve the level of discourse online. It has never been more important to do so. Just as we teach our children to stand up against bullies on the playground, the time has come for the grown-ups to call out cyberbullying as it happens—even if the negative messages are directed towards a political opponent. It is also important to take a critical look at our own actions, and ensure that as we engage online, we are being thoughtful and respectful, even while expressing political views that may not align with the individuals we are engaging with. At Telus, we understand that one of the most transformative benefits of new technology is its power to connect us, no matter who we are or where we live. Through our laptops, mobile phones, and myriad of other connected devices, we have the power to build amazing communities, drive the next generation of innovation, and improve the quality of life for all Canadians. But, without education on how to make good decisions online, the Internet can also be a dangerous place. Telus has invested more than $205-million in educational initiatives to help promote safe and responsible online behaviour. From our Telus Wise internet safety program to our long-standing partnership with WE Day, our team members have dedicated their energy, passion, and resources to empowering Canadians and helping them stay safer online. These investments and partnerships are just the beginning of our commitment to foster an online environment that keeps Canadians safe from harassment and abuse. It’s why we are partnering with the Public Policy Forum on their latest project, Solutions for Cyber Harassment Aimed at Women in Political Life, which will look at tackling the all-too-common online harassment of women who are politically engaged at a policy discussion forum on February 19 in Ottawa. In May 2018, we launched our campaign to end cyberbullying, and we challenged all Canadians to commit to do better when they engage with others online. To date, nearly 1.7 million Canadians have taken our Telus pledge to end cyberbullying. There is, of course, more work to be done. We invite everyone—our politicians in particular—to take the pledge and create a safer, friendlier world online. Please, stand with us to #EndBullying. Visit telus.com/endbullying today to take the Pledge. We know that a single person alone cannot end cyberbullying ... but, together, millions can. Johanne Senecal is senior vice president of government and regulatory affairs for TELUS. The Hill Times

Time for the grown-ups to stand up against cyberbullies

As a federal election nears, Canadians from coast to coast have the opportunity to improve the level of political discourse online and help to build a safer, friendlier online world for everyone.

‘Prevailing sense that toxicity is continuing to rise,’ as report finds one in six tweets analyzed during 2021 federal election ‘likely to be toxic’

Cyberbullying more common for adults than children during pandemic, say experts

COVID-19 changed bullying, and it’s time for governments to respond

‘Prevailing sense that toxicity is continuing to rise,’ as report finds one in six tweets analyzed during 2021 federal election ‘likely to be toxic’

How can Ontario achieve net zero, with greater energy reliability and resilience? Roadmap to a clean energy future

Broadening access to digital services for Canadians through secure verification and authentication

Put security at the forefront as tech changes how Canadians connect with their money

Securing our North is a top priority for Trudeau government: Liberal MP Bryan May

No matter who forms government, oil and gas has won the Alberta election

On foreign interference, Poilievre wants to stir up scandal without knowing the facts

What if we rebuilt the curriculum for policing in Canada?

COVID-19 paused a lot of things, but not cyberbullying

CAJ calls on RCMP to investigate ‘vile’ hate-filled online attacks against journalists following Bernier’s tweets

‘Embarrassing,’ ‘bullying’ social media posts prompt some Senators to push for policies governing how Senators, staff use the platforms

Social media and politicians: let’s do a roundup, shall we?

Are Canada’s newsrooms ready to tackle fake news, cyber threats, ‘foreign adversaries’ ahead of 2019 election?

News

Get free news updates

Opinion

Submit a guest opinion article

resources

Advertise

subscribe

get help

Time for the grown-ups to stand up against cyberbullies

As a federal election nears, Canadians from coast to coast have the opportunity to improve the level of political discourse online and help to build a safer, friendlier online world for everyone.

Get The Policy Briefings Newsletter