Cybersmarties.com joins with An Garda Siochána to launch cyberbullying solution

Cybersmarties.com, the social network training platform for children has announced it will now be working in conjunction with The Garda National Protective Services Bureau to help combat the dangers of cyberbullying and promote positive mental health among Irish primary school children.

In the first endorsement of its kind, Cybersmarties.com has been awarded the An Garda Siochána patent for Safety. This highlights the need for greater awareness and education when it comes to protecting primary school kids from the dangers and effects of online bullying.

According to a recent study by ZenithOptimedia, 1 in 5 Irish children say they have been a victim of bullying through social media. Over 80 thousand children are currently using the Irish owned platform CyberSmarties.com since its inception in January 2015. The purpose of the site is to introduce children between the ages of 7 and 12 years to the world of social media in a protected environment. The An Garda Siochána patent for Safety recognises the dangers posed to young people by popular social platforms.

Cybersmarties.com uses unique emotional learning technology which detects and protects children as they are sending messages and demonstrates why the content of those may upset others. Cybersmarties.com is all about educating positive coping mechanisms within children to help them deal with fear, anxiety and stress as they are growing up. Cybersmarties.com uses positive reinforcement devices, health and fitness videos and meditation to ensure children grow up feeling good about themselves.

Cybersmarties.com objective is to teach the next generation of internet users how to engage with social media in a positive manner so that cyberbullying becomes a thing of the past.

Cybersmarties has won numerous international awards for safety and innovation and has twice co-hosted Anti-Bullying Week UK with National Children’s Bureau UK. Cybersmarties is fully monitored and is the first social network to authenticate a child. Research by CyberSmarties shows wellbeing technology has resulted in a 94% reduction in inappropriate behaviour among children online.

Speaking about the awarding of the An Garda Siochána patent for safety, Diarmuid Hudner CEO CyberSmarties.com said:

“We have been working with the Garda National Protective Services Bureau for over two years now and we are incredibly grateful to have the support of such a dedicated and forward-thinking group of professionals. Ultimately we all want our children to grow up happy, be equipped with the skills to protect themselves online and behave in a positive way and as importantly learn essential life coping skills to help them deal with different forms of pressure.

As adults, we all know that we face a lot of challenges in our lives and Cybersmarties not only prevents cyberbullying but instils in children from the youngest age how to deal with problems as they are growing up in a way that they understand. It is our intention that Irish children will use social media in an entirely positive way as they mature into teenagers and adults and what a great society we would have if cyberbullying was no longer a factor in so many people’s lives. The An Garda Siochána patent for Safety is a testament to the safety features we have implemented to ensure children are kept safe online”.

For more information on CyberSmarties, please visit https://cybersmarties.com/