Norwegian children’s perceptions of effectiveness of social media companies’ cyberbullying policies: an exploratory study

ABSTRACT

There is a paucity of research that examines the effectiveness of social media companies’ anti-bullying tools from the children’s perspective. This article relies on two datasets from Norway: A small-scale exploratory survey and focus groups with children at one school in Norway; and the EU Kids Online survey with a nationally representative sample of Norwegian Internet-using children, to examine whether children and young people aged 9–19 are aware of and whether they use social media companies’ mechanisms against cyberbullying (e.g., various types of reporting, blocking, and companies’ safety and help centers). We also examine the extent to which children find these tools to be helpful and the underlying reasons for such perceptions of the effectiveness of social media companies’ mechanisms. The study further inquires into children’s perceptions of company responsibility for providing assistance in bullying incidents. While the majority of children in both samples know how to use basic tools such as reporting, the levels of awareness of various companies’ advanced tools as well as the use of these, are relatively low. Children also have mixed perceptions as to whether companies are able to assist. Results are discussed from the framework of children’s rights, offering policy recommendations.