DoSomething.org and The Wireless Foundation extend availability of “Bully Text” after over 128,000 young people play the game
Whether the victim of bystander, “Bully Text” educational mobile game empowers young people with strategies on how to stop bullying
DoSomething.org and The Wireless Foundation announce the extension of ‘Bully Text’, a virtual text-based educational game where users choose how to respond to bullies, whether the victim or a bystander, in typical situations at an imaginary high school.
In only three months, more than 128,000 young people learned how to best respond to bullying by participating in “Bully Text.” With an estimated 160,000 kids skipping school each day to avoid being bullied[1], DoSomething.org developed ‘Bully Text’ to educate students on how to stop bullying in their schools.
‘Bully Text’ offers a “choose your own adventure” where participants virtually experience different bullying situations and are offered options on how to react. Depending on the users’ responses, the results show them the impacts of their reactions in a safe learning environment.
DoSomething.org found a natural partner in The Wireless Foundation and their mission: bringing organizations, people, and technology together so wireless innovations will continue to enhances lives in communities across the United States.
The campaign is part of DoSomething.org’s proprietary mobile gaming model – through which they built their mobile subscriber list to over 1.3 million young people. With the average teen sending 3,339 texts a month and texts having a 99% open rate; SMS is a powerful tool to effectively engage young people on issues they care about.
“The best way to stop bullying is to step in when you see it,” says Nancy Lublin, CEO and Chief Old Person of DoSomething.org. “The Bully Text is like a vitamin in a Twinkie: young people learn how to stop bullying under the guise of playing a game on their phone.”
“Bullying is an issue that many children may face, and the ‘Bully Text’ is a safe way for kids to determine the best response if they find themselves – or are a bystander – in that kind of situation. Our partnership with DoSomething.org on this important initiative engages teens via mobile, their favorite form of communicating, to help them learn how to best handle bullying,” said Steve Largent, President of The Wireless Foundation and President and CEO of CTIA-The Wireless Association.
Thanks to success of the ‘Bully Text’ campaign, DoSomething.org and The Wireless Foundation will continue to offer the game until January 27, 2014. To find out more about the campaign, visit: http://www.dosomething.org/bullytext or text BULLY to 38383.
About DoSomething.org:
We love teens. They are creative, active, wired…and frustrated that our world is so messed up. DoSomething.org harnesses that awesome energy and unleashes it on causes teens care about. Almost every week, we launch a new national campaign. The call to action is always something that has a real impact and doesn’t require money, an adult, or a car. With a goal of 5 million active members by 2015, DoSomething.org is one of the largest organizations in the US for teens and social change. Join us at www.DoSomething.org.
About The Wireless Foundation
The Wireless Foundation leverages mobile technology via innovative programs that empower individuals and enhance American communities. The Foundation focuses on health, education, children’s online and wireless safety and environmental sustainability initiatives, which demonstrates the transformative powers and unique capabilities of wireless technology. The Wireless Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was formed by CTIA-The Wireless Association member companies in 1991.
