2 August 2007
In a bid to clamp down on cyber-bullying, representatives at the conference of the Professional Association of Teachers, (PAT) after hearing that many pupils and even staff have been victim of abusers posting phone videos of them being attacked or humiliated on websites, have backed a motion demanding that such websites be closed down.
Kirsti Paterson from the PAT's Highland and Western Isles Federation was moved when one teacher had been the subject of a death threat which was posted online and was the first to propose this action, claiming,
in the short term, confronting this problem must be the closure of sites encouraging cyber-bullying.
However, YouTube strongly deny advocating such conduct, a spokesman for the website stating
YouTube is a community site used by millions of people in very positive ways. It's also used by organisations such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth to reach people on a range of important issues. Sadly as with any form of communication, there is a tiny minority of people who try to break the rules.
Emma-Jane Cross, chief executive of the charity Beatbullying, has rushed to the defence of YouTube, and rejected the idea of closing down such websites after YouTube joined the UK government's bullying task force, working closely with teachers unions and others.
Keep up to date with industry and Nomensa news by signing up to Nomensa newsletters.
