Help stop cyber pressure: Thats Not Cool
March 11, 2009
A new site from the AdCouncil is designed to help communicate with teens about the problems associated with “Cyber pressure.” Times are certainly different for teens now than they have ever been before, thanks to technology being as accessible and popular as it is. Thats Not Cool is a site that helps teens find ways to respond to pressure brought on by their peers through texting and social networking. What’s more is that the site is clever, funny, and engaging, without being overly preachy or authoritative. Specifically, the topics covered are such things as “textual harassment” (harassing cellphone messages from a significant other), “Pic Pressure” (requests from a boyfriend or girlfriend to send lewd pictures) and “privacy problems” (which is about what it sounds like, especially when it comes to social networking).
The site has some great content, including cute sock-puppet starring videos that are designed to tell both sides of the story, which allow viewers to make decisions of what choice the subject should take at the end. There are also “Callout Cards,” which are badges and graphics that site visitors can take and paste onto the profiles of someone who may be harassing them. It allows teens to take matters into their own hands before they escalate too far, and to educate them about the perils of peer pressure and disrespect.
As cheeky as the site is, there is a lot of merit to the AdCouncil’s initiative, as it affects teens in a way they haven’t had to deal with in the past. There’s even a section for teens to get further help if they need it. Let your students know there’s assistance out there on the web if they are being pressured to do things they aren’t comfortable with, or if their friends are harassing them in ways they can’t relate to adults. For a site that’s called “Thats Not Cool,” this site is pretty darn cool. -JEREMY S. GRIFFIN
With all the 
Stranger Danger! Children are taught at an early age how to recognize a stranger in their community and how to respond appropriately. However, in the 21st Century our students are socializing in more communities, on and 0ffline, rather than just with their local neighbor. As many more of our students are becoming active participants in the community of the World Wide Web we need to teach them safe ways to interact without shutting them down.
