Most people think of bullying as something that only happens on the school playgrounds, but with today's tech savvy kids chatting online daily, bullying has taken on a whole new "playground."
Build-A-Bear Workshops® has partnered with WiredSafety.org to promote October as Stop 
Cyberbullying month at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and it's online virtual world, BuildABearville.com.
What is exactly is Cyberbullying?
"Cyberbullying is the use of digital technology as a weapon by one minor to hurt another minor and it is a growing problem. The Build-A-Bear Workshop® online safety program is geared towards children and parents and has been developed in association with leading cyber safety expert Parry Aftab, executive director and founder of WiredSafety.org. The organization is the world's largest cyber safety group that aims to increase online safety awareness by providing families with resources 
and usage guidelines. The organization also operates StopCyberbullying.org. "
So, you think YOUR child isn't affected?
Think again! A recent poll by WiredSafety.org reveals that an astonishing 85% of middle school students polled admitted to having been cyberbullied. Also, 70% of high school students polled admits to having cyberbullied others. Studies show that children as young as 7 years old involved in cyberbullying and there has been a great increase of cyberbullying in 4th graders.
"This is a critical issue; with leading companies working together, we are accomplishing our mutual goals of making safety in the online space a top priority,” states Perry Aftab, who is advising Build-A-Bear Workshop® on the Stop Cyberbullying Program.
What is Build-A-Bear Workshops® and WiredSafety.org doing to help?
“Our objective is to be part of the solution to stop cyberbullying and to help ensure that buildabearville.com is as safe as it can be,” said Maxine Clark, founder and chief executive bear of Build-A-Bear Workshop. “We are a company committed to children and families and protecting kids is paramount to us. We are pleased to work in association with WiredSafety.org and other corporate leaders to address online safety for children.”
The Build-A-Bear Workshop® company-wide Stop Cyberbullying program is comprised of several online and in store elements.
Online:
- Citizens of buildabearville.com can take the WiredSafety Pledge to receive a virtual safety sash for their avatars.
- Build-A-Bearville® will feature a meter in Town Square and as citizens click the Safety Pledge they will be counted until they fill the meter which will allow all citizens of the virtual world to receive a unique Stop, Block and Tell move for their avatar.
- Build-A-Bearville is providing online Stop, Block and Tell safety tips for kids as well as resources and recommendations for parents.
In store:
- A map of Build-A-Bearville and the online Safety Pledge will be available to all Guests.
- ChloeRocks™, the star of The Build-A-Bearville Chloe Show, is featured in Online Safety Public Service Announcements in store.
“Build-A-Bear Workshop® is helping to create awareness for this important safety messaging for kids; we are committed to the goal of making our virtual world a safe and fun extension of the Build-A-Bear Workshop® in-store experience with enhanced games, imagination, education and learning,” said Dave Finnegan, chief information and logistics bear of Build-A-Bear Workshop®. “We are proud to be one of the first recipients of the WireSafety.org Socially Safe Seal for Build-A-Bearville and we will continue to engage in a dialogue with parents, technology experts and industry organizations to design safe online spaces for kids on the web.”
In addition to the online and in store Stop Cyberbullying program, Build-A-Bear Workshop® is participating with other corporate leaders and child advocacy groups in a first ever Stop Cyberbullying Coalition event to be held on Oct.13 in Washington D.C. on Capitol Hill. Youth cyber experts from WiredSafety will represent the teen and tween viewpoint along with Build-A-Bear Workshop® and other companies who will share cyber safety policies and practices."
Good job Build-A-Bear! Parents worldwide appreciate a company taking the essential steps to keep our children safer!
PLEASE take moment to visit www.stopcyberbullying.org and download Megan's Pledge Kit. READ her story. It will break your heart and open your eyes to the real truth about cyberbullying and what it can do to the destruction of a child.
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