Pakistani youth calls for continued guidance to tackle online bullying amid increased internet use

Islamabad – 12 November 2021: More than two-thirds of 3,930 youths surveyed from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand agreed that online bullying is a serious problem for young people today. Of the 1,350 youth surveyed in Pakistan, 42 percent said they were bullied before the pandemic began and in terms of intensity, over 40 percent said they experienced more online bullying since the onset of COVID-19.

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The survey, conducted in August 2021 by Telenor Group, in partnership with Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aaghi (ITA) in Pakistan, found that 19 percent of youth in the country experienced online bullying at least once a week or more. Respondents selected social media, messaging apps, and online gaming and video game streaming as top three platforms where they experienced online bullying.

The survey also revealed that youths who were bullied online used a range of tactics to stop the bullying. These spanned from ignoring the bully which resulted in the person stopping, changing security settings online so the person could not contact them, and speaking to a parent or guardian about the problem.

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Refreshers on staying safe online needed

“Young minds across the world are growing up online, exposed to the internet’s world of limitless opportunities. But with these opportunities, come some risks that need to be identified and spoken about to raise awareness,” said Kamal Ahmed, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Telenor Pakistan. “The results of this survey highlight the growing need for refreshers on cyberbullying and online safety along with support and understanding from teachers, parents and guardians. While we aim to bridge the digital gap, online safety of the Pakistani youth is very close to us at Telenor Pakistan and we are actively educating children through Safe Internet Program to safely steer through the digital world” he further added.

Given the importance of this topic for youth, and the heightened intensity of online bullying since the pandemic, youth were eager for more training and guidance on how to deal with online bullying on social media apps (51 percent), how to protect their privacy online (41 percent) and how to improve their mental health and wellbeing (37 percent). Additionally, the respondents were interested in protecting themselves from online bullies on messaging apps (35 percent) and dealing with online bullying during gaming and streaming video games (38 percent).

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“With the marked increase in time spent on the internet by youth during the pandemic, there is a clear need to better equip youth with ways and methods to protect themselves online. It is crucial that awareness, training on online bullying and building digital resilience be a multi-stakeholder exercise. This should not be left just to educational institutions but should also involve parents and caregivers,” said Manisha Dogra, VP, Sustainability for Telenor in Asia.

Increased internet time

Overall, 58 percent of youth surveyed in Pakistan used much more or more time on the internet since COVID-19 began. 17 percent said they use the internet all the time – from waking up till bedtime – while 38 percent used it mostly in the evenings, and only 4 percent limited their use to only during school hours.

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Telenor’s top tips to stay safe online

For parents, guardians, caregivers, and youths who want to learn more about staying safe online, here are top tips:

For parents

For youths

1. Start a conversation by asking them about their life on the web.

2. Be open. It may be difficult for them to open up, so make them feel as safe and comfortable as possible.

3. Find out how different social apps are used. This will make it easier to know where the risks are for your child.

1. Think before posting. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes before sharing something that is potentially hurtful.

2. Protect your passwords. Don’t share them, not even with your best friend, and don’t give out your personal information online.

3. Get help. Don’t suffer alone if you are being bullied. Find a friend or trusted adult, or call a local helpline where you’ll find experts who are trained to support you.

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About the survey (Footnotes)

Regional demographics

Telenor Group ran a survey on the impact of COVID-19 on online bullying and online use to develop the questionnaire and to examine the survey results. The survey was disseminated in four countries: Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Thailand through social media and youth/educational networks. All surveys were anonymous and translated to relevant local languages.

Key survey figures:

– Nearly 4,000 people participated in survey across four countries

– Responses by gender: females (50 percent), males (47 percent), and prefer not to say (3 percent)

– Respondents’ countries: Malaysia (38 percent), Pakistan (34 percent), Bangladesh (16 percent), Thailand (12 percent)

– Most respondents from 13-15 (42 percent) and 16-18 (32 percent) years of age; other age groups were below 10 (1 percent); 10-12 (6 percent); and 19-21 (18 percent).

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Further resources

1. Top 10 tips for parents and guardians – How to talk to your kids about the internet

2. Top 10 tips for kids and teens – How to stay smart and safe on the internet

3. Digiworld

About Telenor Group

Telenor Group connects its 172 million customers to what matters most. Connecting the world has been Telenor’s domain for more than 160 years and we currently operate across the Nordics and Asia. We are committed to responsible business conduct and driven by the ambition of empowering societies.

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About Telenor Pakistan

Telenor Pakistan is 100% owned by Telenor Group and has a footprint spanning throughout the country. With a subscriber base of over 49 million, it is the second largest mobile operator in Pakistan. Telenor launched its operations in Pakistan in 2005 and has a workforce of over 1,300 employees. For more information, please visit: www.telenor.com.pk

(Footnotes) Survey figures are rounded and may not add up to 100 percent. As answering all survey questions was not mandatory, response numbers vary slightly from question to question.

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