New 'Notification' on Social Media Harms

It follows the publication of its latest research, focusing on social media and its impacts.

The report’s findings showed that young people are most commonly exposed to cyberbullying and harassment in West Yorkshire. It also drew links to anxiety, low self-esteem, self-harm, and suicidality.

Director of the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), Chief Superintendent Jackie Marsh said:

“Apart from a cyberbullying project trialled in America, there is currently no other formal evidence base for resources and interventions that specifically address online harms in a school setting.

“We need to know the extent to which social media is influencing our young people and crucially, what is effective in preventing or reducing the negative impacts.

“Thanks to our latest research, we are now in a prime position to lead the way nationally and develop a new understanding on what actually works.”

Jessica Hughes-Nind, from research partners Social Finance said the insights, principles and recommendations will now help to shape a new school-based intervention:

“The research demonstrated clearly that we need to overcome the binary distinction of online and offline – children’s lives move across the online and offline world and there’s potential for harm across both.

“By working in a school-based setting, it will address the potentially harmful impacts of social media in an integrated way, linking to other interventions and drawing on already established support networks for children and young people."

Chief Superintendent Marsh added:

“By the end of the summer, we hope to identify a provider for the next phase of this work and begin to deliver a project that will potentially have international significance.

“If we get this right, it will be another huge milestone in our partnership ambitions to create a safer, fairer West Yorkshire.”