A group of students directed under Dr. Yasin Silva, professor of applied computing at Arizona State University West, developed an application called BullyBlocker which identifies and assesses the likelihood of a child being bullied on social networking sites.
Once connected to a Facebook account, a series of complex indicators and algorithms will detect and weigh insulting phrases with a child’s age, gender, and other factors to generate with a numerical risk value and related statistics. These generated data – the Bullying Rank – will be subsequently communicated to the parents.
“Parents can then decide how they want to be alerted. You could get a message every day, every week, or every month. It’s just a great way for parents to make sure if their child is safe online,” said Silva.
On the issue of the adolescent’s privacy, the developer’s page noted that the user’s personal data will remain anonymous and private.
According to ASU officials, before BullyBlocker becomes freely available to the public, the developing team is in need of additional funds to continue and finalize the project. If you would like to contribute to the project or want additional information, you can visit their website HERE.
More About ETCB:
The End to Cyber Bullying Organization is the world’s number one source for up-to-date cyberbullying information, news, legislature, and cyberbullying prevention tips. ETCB is instantly accessible online, and phone assistance by certified and professional cyber bullying counselors is available to any inquiring individuals. Highlighting cyberbullying as a leading issue in today’s technological society and raising awareness throughout the web and throughout communities is the first and primary step to putting an end to cyberbullying.
A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, ETCB is an international cyberbullying awareness campaign that has united over 4.5 million individuals internationally. Youth initiatives have started up in not only the fifty states, but also in nations such as China and the UK. Partnering with other organizations, such as the Girl Scouts of USA and Sears Anti-Bullying Coalition, has enabled us to outreach even further. All of the money raised has been utilized to continue expanding ETCB, helping to increase the impact we’ve made. Most importantly, we are grateful to have comforted and served thousands of cyberbullying victims of all ages. Future victims no longer need to feel as isolated and helpless as I once did.
