Social media is a powerful communication platform, but unfortunately it can provide a place for bullies to reside with more ammo, with a thicker skin and the ability to bully from a distance and often with a degree of anonymity.

We all have a responsibility to step up to make sure that cyber bullying is highlighted and that the bullies are stopped and exposed.

A new survey finds victims of cyber-bullying may have no one to turn to in school to help them deal with the problem.

Education cuts mean that schools cannot offer the same one-to-one counselling service to students in distress, according to a new survey by the second-level school management organisation, the Joint Managerial Body (JMB).

We all must make it our responsibility to protect the vulnerable by helping them, their parents, guardians and teachers to learn and understand how these powerful and very useful social media platforms work, discover the risks and plan so that these risks can be managed and minimised.

Lead the way – We owe it to our kids to show them how to:

·    Set up their personal accounts properly

·    Maintain their privacy settings

·    Connect with “friends” safely

·    Think about what they post

·    Post appropriately

·    Spot and deal with inappropriate behaviour

·    “Unfriend” and Block certain users

·    Report Bullying

Greg Canty the Fuzion specialist in this area stated “While social media is both powerful and enjoyable in the wrong hands it can be very dangerous. This presents new challenges and responsibility, which we need to take very seriously to protect our young people”

For anyone wishing to download a print friendly “Safebook” Poster for their Notice Board or to share online, visit www.fuzion.ie