A window into their world shows we are off the mark.
“Everything we get told is about what we shouldn’t share and what we shouldn’t post, like sharing nudes, not about what you shouldn’t be doing to others and how you should be treating people.”
Wise words from a 15-year-old, about the problematic way we preach to kids about being online. Yes of course we need to remind people not to put themselves in harm’s way, but why are we putting all of the responsibility back on the potential victims of abuse?
This 15-year-old featured in a revolutionary documentary by young people exposing the truth about life online for the majority of our population, “Like This”. And the truth is nothing like you think. The documentary shouldn’t be revolutionary, but it is – because the problems young people are facing are nothing like what we have been told. It takes a completely different route to the discourse we hear from governments and institutions everywhere. Why? Because it is adults who are deciding what makes kids unsafe, instead of kids themselves.
It was devastating to hear from a Year 7 student that on forums designed to share traumatic experiences, to encourage disclosures, kids are regularly met with feedback from their peers like ‘Kill yourself’. It was a wake-up call to hear that language kids use toward each other is now uber sexualized, because if it’s ok online, then it’s ok in person. It was heartbreaking to hear about the bullying that happens even when someone has the courage to express themselves publically on YouTube.
The adult lecturing kids in a school assembly about what they shouldn’t post or share is not the pathway to ‘safe online’ education. So beautifully put by one of the documentary’s cast: “we most learn from what is considered socially acceptable”.
This eye-opening documentary, produced by the House of Muchness and commissioned by Child Wise, is now available for screening on request.
Request a screening by contacting Child Wise: info@childwise.org.au
Child Wise celebrates, values and includes people of all backgrounds, genders, sexualities, cultures, bodies and abilities.