Seepersad: Young people need to be good digital citizens

“YOUNG PEOPLE need to be trained to be good digital citizens to help combat cyberbullying,” Justice Frank Seepersad told students, parents and teachers at Canaan Presbyterian Primary School on February 21 to end its anti-bullying week.

Describing the internet as a new frontier for bullying, Seepersad said the practice of online taunting is now pervasive and prevalent.

"Unlike traditional bullying which often, in a school setting, when the dismissal bell rang cyberbullying is continuous and the anonymity provided by the internet often emboldens cyberbullies to mount severe and persistent attacks.

"This desire is often fuelled by likes and views which make the content creators feel validated, relevant, powerful and important. Cruel comments, ill-advised photographs, or harmful rumours, now spread like wildfire on the world wide web and the permanence of this type of digital content occasions long-lasting consequences which can ultimately affect mental health, academic performance and even future job prospects."

Seepersad admitted online posts are still an issue being deliberated by the courts and require "a lot of legislative interventions."

In August 2022, Seepersad delivered a landmark ruling which allowed messages on WhatsApp to be used as evidence of defamation. It resulted in a police officer having to pay some $100,000 to a woman police officer for comments he made about her in a WhatsApp group chat full of other officers.

Seepersad said he managed to find a way to ensure that social media posts could count as defamation because there are very real consequences for victims.

"A cellphone could actually be a weapon. You can destroy someone else’s life by simply forwarding a message which someone sent to you and that's a real game changer and poses a significant responsibility on our collective shoulders."

He advised parents to monitor their children's devices and limit their access to social media. He said there must be open communication within homes about online activities and the guidelines for internet use has to be clear.

This was echoed to parents by the Ministry of Education behavioural psychologist within its Student Support Services Division Sean Nicholson.

"We must know what our students, our children are doing online."

He suggested using shared devices with children who are younger than ten or 11 years old.

"I have 16, 13, 14 and my youngest is four. I know the password for everybody's phone. If not, you have no phone. Simply because my money spend for it and I want to know what you using it for."

He recalled having to report half a class to the school principal after going through his eldest child's phone.

Seepersad said there also needs to be an institutional change to engrain responsible online use in the youth.

"Our educational system must be modernised, as our young people must be trained to be digital citizens who are taught to approach their online interactions with mindfulness and respect."

He said everyone must understand they too play a role in the problem when they share or like harmful content.

"There is a critical need to foster a culture of digital empathy and responsibility.

"Collectively, we must change negative online behaviour and to use the power of technology constructively to empower not to emasculate, to encourage not eviscerate. We must all ensure that how we use our online moments and how we use our online spaces will be a manner which places connectivity and communication which is positive at the forefront and that we ensure in our school environments and when our children are at home that their use of social media is to foster their development and learning, to encourage their growth and to motivate them."

Seepersad told parents and teachers they have a responsibility to take every report of bullying seriously and to set up judgement-free zones where children can share their experiences, pain, fears, and disappointments without having to be afraid of retaliation.

"Parents and teachers you are literally on the front line and we must all speak candidly with our children about bullying as we urge them to be upstanders and not bystanders. Each of us, in our homes and our workplaces must model kindness, inclusivity, empathy, cultural diversity appreciation, tolerance and respect because we have to strive to lead by example."

Speaking directly to students, Seepersad reminded them they were not alone if they were enduring taunts or suffering from physical abuse at school. He said their pain is valid, their voice matters and support is available.

He urged them to share their feelings with their parents, caregivers, principal, teachers and even him.

"We will all help you because you are loved, you are special and you are worthy. Bullies thrive on the silenced and muted voices of their victims."

Seepersad told students even if they are not the victims of bullying, they can make a difference to someone who is by telling a bully to stop or their actions are not okay.

"As a bystander, you may feel that you do not have the power to make a difference but the truth is, when bystanders remain silent, bullies interpret that silence as approval. Your unintended silence very often emboldens the bullies to continue their harmful behaviour. So every time you witness bullying, you can elect to be part of the solution or you become part of the problem."

He added that they should also refrain from laughing at the bully's mean jokes as bullies often back down when they don't have an audience.

He said if, as a bystander, you cannot intervene, then report the bullying to a trusted adult or authority figure.

The Supreme Court judge also urged students who know they are engaged in bullying to desist, telling them there are avenues for them to work through any issues causing them to lash out.

"Your actions have consequences and the pain which you are inflicting upon your victims does not make you strong.

"Something is causing you to taunt or to tease. Maybe you are experiencing hurt and aggression at home, someone may be bullying you, or you may be feeling a sense of powerlessness over issues in your life. If this is what is occurring, then reach out to someone who loves you, a counsellor or a teacher because there is a better way to deal with your fears, your insecurities and your emotions."

Canaan Presbyterian Primary School Parent-Teacher Association president Stan Smith said it anti-bullying week was a proactive approach to treat the issue that has increasingly been in the news. He said several activities were hosted for children, parents and teachers during the week to educate and raise awareness of bullying, its effects and solutions.

"We had the first seminar on Wednesday, February 19 where we had the community police come in, the clinical psychologists came in and also chat with the parents. We understand that we need to have the parents sensitised first so they can set the example for the kids."

The school ended the week with a walk-a-thon on February 21 which was followed by the function at Canaan Presbyterian Church featuring Seepersad and Nicholson.