MTV.com: Fighting digital harassment with social media tools

By Kim Chou on March 17, 2010 | 1244No Commentshttp://think-social.org/mtv-com-fighting-digital-harassment-with-social-media-tools.htmMTV.com%3A+Fighting+digital+harassment+with+social+media+tools2010-03-17+17%3A32%3A37Kim+Chou

Yesterday MTV.com launched a new tool to help young people gauge digital harassment by asking their peers whether a particularly racy text or Facebook message is “Over the Line.” On the site that Fast Company called MTV’s “online morality meter,” teens can submit anecdotes about situations they’ve been in — whether its someone posting smears on one’s Facebook page, or a boyfriend or girlfriend constantly checking the other’s text-message inbox, two current examples — and then see what others on the platform have to say: “over the line,” under, or neutral. (To prevent bullying on athinline.org, the posts and comments themselves are also moderated.)

Athinline.org also hosts a quiz, hosted by rapper Asher Roth and actress Michelle Trachtenberg, that helps site visitors determine what they think is appropriate and inappropriate (sample question: “Your boyfriend texts you over 100x/day to ask where you are, what you’re doing … You think …”); facts and definitions of “sexting” and “spying” online; and tips on how and where to get help with such a problem and support others in sticky situations.

While campaigns against sexting and cyber-bullying have increasingly cropped up in the last year or so, those that have previously been in the news have been headed up by family foundations and concerned parents. Time will tell whether this collaborative, online comment community by MTV will prove a better tool for teens than, say, the Family Violence Prevention Fund’s sock puppet videos on ThatsNotCool.com. But MTV seems to have hit upon an idea that presents knowledge about and tools to fight cyber-bullying in a format (an online comment-board platform, and content that’s created by “real people” like them) that the young people likely being cyber-bullied are more than familiar with. The flashy black, yellow and gray design, informative but sometimes humorous Twitter stream (“We still kinda think Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” is a digital abuse awareness message. The video? Not so much… http://bit.ly/9Rvmdo“) and celebrity sponsorship also help make “Over the Line” attractive to teens — and even attractive enough to use it.

And from watching what non-profits and public interest organizations have done in getting their supporters to submit and vote on ideas to help the cause, I think having participants in this new MTV campaign vote on their peers’ ideas to fight digital abuse will only make the participants feel more involved, more responsible for what goes on with the campaign — which can only be a good thing.