Let’s start November off with a clear understanding that no one has to tolerate hate in any form, whether it’s online or off.
About: The first Wednesday of every November – this year, Wednesday, November 1, 2017 – will be known as National Block It Out Day (#BlockItOutDay). An initiative of STOMP Out Bullying, the goal of this day is to block negativity from our digital lives and, by doing so, end cruelty, homophobia, LGBTQ discrimination, racism, hatred and online violence.
Each of us has the power to choose what we give our attention to online. We can all choose to block out the online hatred, trolls and bullying that makes up the culture of cyberbullying. So let’s block the negative messages we each receive from social media, create a safe positive online space, and encourage and empower others to do the same.
What is Cyberbullying? Cyberbullying is when someone repeatedly and intentionally harasses, mistreats, or makes fun of another person online or while using cell phones or other electronic devices. Approximately 34% of the students surveyed by the Cyberbullying Research Center have experienced cyberbullying in their lifetimes. When asked about specific types of cyberbullying experienced in the previous 30 days, mean or hurtful comments (22.5%) and rumors spread online (20.1%) continue to be among the most commonly-cited. Twenty-six percent of the sample reported being cyberbullied in one or more of the eleven specific types reported, two or more times over the course of the previous 30 days.
National Block It Out Day is not about likes vs. dislikes. This day is about POSITIVITY!
You know who your friends are. They’re the ones who always include you. Sometimes you worry they’ll get bored of you, but somehow they never do!
And then there are the others. People who make you feel bad. Scare you. Insult you. Threaten you.
They show up on your social channels, on your phone, on your email. Whoever they are, wherever they came from–They gotta go!
And the only one who can make that happen is you. Don’t let them in. If a creep came to your front door would you let them in the house? No. The same goes for the creeps all around you in cyberspace.
You also would tell others about the creep lurking around the neighborhood, so do the same here. Pick the right people to tell. Maybe your parents. Maybe a teacher. But certainly your friends. Somebody’s got to know because even though blocking the creep will help, blocking does not stop this person from moving on to someone else.
So, spread the word, send texts, post, and get your friends to pass it on. Let’s shut the bullies out. Even if for one day!!
On #BlockItOutDay, be part of the movement to STOMP Out Bullying and change the culture for good.
Why: When it comes to cyberbullying, an “out of sight, out of mind” philosophy is an extremely effective strategy. When someone who is being harassed and trolled online, often and aggressively, continues to allow that harasser access to their social media, they willingly give their bully the power. This only allows bullying to continue. It takes bravery, but when a person blocks out their bully, they’re blocking out negative messages and creating a healthy, safe and positive online environment. When that person encourages their friends to do the same, they are leading by example and helping others create a safe space, too. When we come together in this way, we create a ripple effect that erases the spread of hate and cruelty on social media. On #BlockItOutDay, you block out more than your bully; you’re blocking out cyberbullying for all.
How it Works: On National Block It Out Day, STOMP Out Bullying is encouraging everyone who is being bullied, trolled and mistreated online to not only block out their bully on social media, but to go a step further and encourage and empower their friends to block their own bullies as well. We can all control what we take in, and we can and should refuse to take in negative messages of hate and discrimination! We can and will erase negative messages. We can and will take that power away from our bullies.
STOMP Out Bullying is asking youths around the world from every corner of the web to block out their bullies, erase the negative messages, and create a positive, safe digital space for themselves.
STOMP Out Bullying is asking youths to encourage and empower their friends to do the same! We will create a chain reaction that will erase cruelty, homophobia, LGBTQ discrimination, racism and online hatred.
Learn more about how to block on different social platforms here.
