Published on 10/29/2021
Cyberbullying is a form of harassment many teens face. In fact, it’s one of the most harmful. Unlike traditional face-to-face bullying, cyberbullying can occur anytime, anywhere because it occurs digitally—through text messages, emails, and posts on social media.In 2020, Bark Technologies analyzed more than 2.1 billion messages across multiple platforms and found that 82% of teens experienced bullying. The study also showed that 87.9% of teens encountered nudity or sexual content online and 66.6% of teens were involved in a self-harm/suicidal situation.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a designated time to educate and raise awareness about bullying prevention. Cricket Wireless wants families to continue the conversation all year long by equipping parents with the resources and tools needed to help their children navigate the complex digital world.
We recently launched a new microsite that features tips, tools and videos from leading experts to help parents raise their kids confidently in this digital age. Topics covered include cyberbullying, digital citizenship, sexting, speaking Gen Z and more. There’s also content from Facebook Live sessions where parents can submit questions to Bark experts as well as learn additional tips on technology and parenting in a digital world.
In addition to these great resources, we’re also teaming up with Bark to provide Bark’s parental controls free and at a discounted rate to help parents monitor what teens are often silent about – online predators, anxiety, bullying, sexting and more. There are two options available:
- Bark Jr: Free to Cricket customers and is perfect for younger kids. Parents and guardians can manage screen time and filter websites to ensure their children are accessing appropriate content. The app also gives parents and guardians a tool to keep up with their kids with location check-ins.
- Bark Premium: Comes with all the features of Bark Jr, plus the ability to monitor activities in emails, browsers, text messages, and 30+ apps and social platforms. Parents receive alerts for issues like cyberbullying, online predators, suicidal ideation, and more. (Bark Premium is currently available at the discounted rate of $9.99/month for new Bark customers. After 12 months, Bark Premium renews at the prevailing rate of $14/month unless you cancel.)
