The last week has drawn attention to cyberbullying - bullying behaviour that takes place online, on social networking sites, mobile phones, gaming and instant messaging - for the most tragic reason.
The death of Hannah Smith has shown this particularly nasty form of behaviour needs tackling as a matter of urgency.
Research by Respectme, Scotland's Anti-Bullying Service, reveals that 16% of young people aged between eight and 29 have been cyber-bullied and one-quarter of all people questioned said online bullying was a concern.
These statistics are too high and we need to be absolutely clear this will not be tolerated.
Appearing on the BBC3 Free Speech programme with an audience of young people this week brought home to me how widespread the impact of cyberbullying really is.
While the members of the studio audience were very much in favour of action being taken to clamp down on online abuse, sadly the social media messages from the audience watching at home made clear that many people accept this is just a fact of modern life. I refuse to accept that.
There are actions we can all take to protect ourselves but what is needed most is a culture change in the belief that this is a fact of going online or that these bullies escape punishment. Parents and young people need to learn about how to protect themselves online and the people behind social networking sites can help them do this. These companies can share their expertise to improve security settings, make reporting abuse easier, provide help when needed and send a message to online trolls that such behaviour will be punished and the internet doesn't provide a shield from prosecution.
There is advice about online safety on the Choices for Life website, www.choicesforlifeonline.org, to support young people to make informed decisions on how they behave and what information they share.
One of the main barriers to tackling online bullying is the fear and anxiety adults have towards how their children use the internet, phones and laptops. Combating that is not simply a matter of filters and hardware; it is about giving knowledge and confidence to parents to empower them to act. There is excellent advice for parents at www.respectme.org.uk on the importance of appropriate security and privacy settings.
I think a quote from that website sums up what is needed in our approach to ending bullying: "Cyberbullying can make us want to switch off. Disconnecting mobile phones or the internet isn't the answer. Connecting with our children and young people is."
Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People
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