‘Kids Read Mean Tweets’ shows cyberbullying is not funny
Mar 17, 2015, 12:22 AM | Updated: Apr 22, 2015, 8:24 pm
A Canadian nonprofit organization used a parody video to show the harsh effects of cyberbullying.
The video, which is modeled after the Jimmy Kimmel Live series’ Mean Tweets, shows various children reading social media posts directed at them.
The tweets begin with a light-hearted tone, complete with background laughter, before quickly taking a dark turn.
“No one likes you. Do everyone a favour. Just kill yourself,” the last tweet reads.
The video, created by the Canadian Safe School Network, is intended to show how detrimental cyberbullying can be to children and teenagers.
“We wanted to use the ‘Mean Tweets’ model because in a way, those videos give the message that cyber bullying is ok — even funny,” Stu Auty, president of the CSSN, said in a blog. “But adult celebrities have the maturity and confidence to overcome these hurtful words. Children don’t. For regular kids, words can cut like a knife. Cyber-bullying is an epidemic that invades their lives and leaves many feeling like there’s no way out.”
The organization has a valid reason to be concerned: while 8 percent of Canadian teens admit to being bullied online, studies show 18 percent of Canadian parents have a child who has experienced cyberbullying.
The CSSN included the video in an IndieGoGo campaign to raise $10,000 for ad space during the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs.
