Tag: bullying

Tozi marks Anti-Bullying Week with social campaign to support young people online

Tozi, the anti-bullying and cyber-safety app developed by Vodafone Foundation, in collaboration with DCU Anti-Bullying Centre and the ISPCC, is marking Anti-Bullying Week (wc 10 November) with a new social media campaign: Supporting Young People in the Digital World.

The campaign aims to empower young people to recognise, respond to, and rise above bullying and is launched as recent ESRI research shows that 62% of 13-year-olds reported experiencing at least one bullying behaviour in the past three months, while one in ten Tozi users have activated the app’s SOS feature in the last year, connecting them directly to Childline via call or chat —demonstrating the importance of a trusted digital space and the need for quick, seamless access to support 24/7.

At the heart of the campaign is a short video featuring two girls exploring Tozi’s “Beat Bullying” module, sharing their thoughts on the app and how it helps them navigate online challenges with confidence.

Tozi:

In 2022, The Vodafone Ireland Foundation developed and launched Tozi, a free app to combat cyberbullying and promote online safety among children and young people. Since its launch, Tozi has had over 20,000 downloads, and is currently being rolled out across Europe following the Irish success.

It offers a content library with advice on handling online challenges, a private journaling space with a feeling’s tracker, and direct access to Childline through the SOS feature for 24/7 support.

The ESRI research also found that 37% of 13-year-olds faced repeated incidents, with online bullying and name-calling among the most common forms, while children targeted at age nine were more likely to be bullied again at age thirteen, underlining the need for early intervention.

Expert Perspective:
The Irish Girl Guides have been a Vodafone Foundation partner since 2023, working to provide lessons on digital skills to older people through the Hi Digital initiative. The Irish Girl Guides work closely with young people across Ireland and see firsthand the challenges girls face online. Their experience underscores the urgent need for resources like Tozi, which aims to empower and protect young people in the digital world.

Speaking on the growing issue of online bullying, Irish Girl Guides Tir na nÓg Leader and Programme and Training Commissioner, Róisín Mills, said:

“As a Leader with the Irish Girl Guides, I worry about the impact social media is having on the girls in my Unit. I see them becoming more disengaged, and I’ve witnessed the effects of online bullying and the pressure to present a perfect image. That’s why we run activities focused on body image, cyber-security, and smart surfing—giving our members the tools to stay safe and confident online. We’re realistic about phone use and guide the girls to use technology in a positive, informed way. Creating a safe space for these conversations is vital, and I believe it’s making a real difference.”

Tozi doesn’t just teach users what bullying is — it shows them how to stand up, speak out, and support each other in the moments that matter most.

Tozi is available for free download on the App Store and Google Play. Learn more at https://www.to-zi.com/

Eight in Ten 18-34 year olds in Ireland have seen or experienced online bullying

According to latest research conducted by LADbible, 8 in 10 (81%) of Irish 18-34 year olds have seen or experienced bullying online. Currently, Irish citizens haven’t got anything legally sufficient to protect them from it. Leprechauns, however, were given a special protected status in 2009 under EU Law.
Dublin-based creative agency Folk VML have teamed up with digital youth platform LADbible for a bold new campaign highlighting the lack of online protections for Irish citizens by drawing comparison to the country’s most famous mythical creatures, leprechauns. ‘The Leprechaun Law’ calls on the people of Ireland to change their identities and identify as leprechauns to benefit from greater legal protections.
Although the stunt may sound as fantastical as the mischievous “little people” themselves, it is rooted in legal reality. Under the EU Habitats Directive, leprechauns are designated as a “protected” species alongside other flora and fauna in Ireland’s Sliabh Foy Loop area, giving them the right to live ‘undisturbed’ in their habitat.
LADbible’s research also found that 1 in 10 18-34 year olds in Ireland have personally experienced online bullying at least once a month (11%), and 63% of 18-34 year olds in Ireland believe online bullying has worsened over the past five years. The most common reasons stated for this is the growth in social media followed by anonymity online leading to worse behaviours.
Ireland currently does not have any specific laws concerning hate speech, making the country an outlier in the European Union.  Ireland hasn’t updated its hate speech laws since 1989, although there has been an ongoing effort to update them since the Dublin riots in 2023 – but so far this has not been successful.
Sylvia Julius, solicitor, said: “Ireland’s hate speech laws, which pre-date the internet, are not fit for the digital age, and lag well behind those of other EU member states in protecting citizens from online hate – in stark contrast to the rights and protections afforded to leprechauns under EU legislation that grants them heritage status. The government must step up to ensure that people online (as well as leprechauns!) are appropriately protected under the law.”
LADbible Ireland, one of the most engaged and influential social publishers, with 5 million followers across all social platforms, is uniquely placed to call for action – and keenly aware of the prevalence of online hate affecting its own followers. In a recent Instagram post, the channel revealed that 91% of its audience had witnessed hateful comments online.
Tom Butcher, General Manager LADbible Ireland said: “As a digital publisher, we’ve witnessed firsthand the appalling abuse, bigotry and hateful comments that our readers are increasingly subjected to online – with scant protection offered by hate speech laws which pre-date the internet. We wanted to highlight the urgent need for change in a witty yet thought-provoking way – by offering citizens the chance to become as well protected, legally speaking, as our national mascots.”
Karl Waters, Chief Creative Officer at Folk VML, said “Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, Leprechauns have protected status in Ireland, whereas us mere humans do not online in Ireland. Our ambition is to create a community of leprechauns to help change that. We are delighted to be working with LADBible on this crucially important campaign to change Ireland’s hate speech legislation.”
The call to action is led by an animated film that skewers the Emerald Isle’s friendly reputation and stunning scenery by contrasting it with the ugly online reality, the film depicts a postcard-perfect Irish landscape, before revealing that Ireland is “the land of a hundred thousand ways to spread hate online.”
Alongside the film, The Leprechaun Law will feature a pop-up law firm booth, on 26th March in the city centre, where passersby can apply to change their identity in person and sign a petition urging the Irish government to update its hate speech laws.
Anyone can sign up to change their identity to a Leprechaun here and call on the Irish Government to urgently review and reform Ireland’s hate speech legislation.
See summary of 1989 law and efforts to update it: https://hatecrime.osce.org/hate-crime-legislation-ireland