It’s a fact that cyberbullying and its effects have become one of the worst living nightmares for many children and parents alike. An ever-greater number of children are being bullied online as well as through text messages and other social media.

Such messages sent to kids are meant to harass, threaten or embarrass them.

In other cases, individuals hack e-mail accounts to send cruel or untrue messages.

Other forms of cyberbullying include negative ratings on websites that accentuate some form of common teenage concern (such as acne, for example). Such abuse originates from peers, classmates, online acquaintances and/or anonymous users.

With 90 per cent of children making use of the internet, this issue has become more widespread than ever and deserves urgent and drastic action. Media reports indicate that cyberbullying has resulted in deaths, with some minors taking their own lives due to the added pressures and depression brought about by online abuse.

I have recently raised the issue of cyberbullying at European level through a parliamenatry question directed at the European Commission. I stated that the EU must draw up common rules on cyberbullying not simply because this is a common and cross-border problem but also because there is a pressing need for the homogenisation of national laws.

This rings especially true when one considers that a child accessing the net from home might be haressed by someone who is in another EU state.

I also proposed the examining of access to high quality and safe Internet content for children of all ages.

In her reply, former Commissioner Neelie Krose said that she shared my concerns. She referred to the Commission’s Digital Agenda which incorporates the need to instil safe internet practices amongst children and adolescents.

This shall be done through the use of information campaigns, training, technical tools and enforcement of laws that together reduce the risks of content and contacts that may be abusive to the younger generation.

This reply also highlighted some actions which are already in place including the establishment of Safer Internet Centres in all EU countries. The Malta centre (which operates the 179 hotline) is coordinated by four organisations, namely the Malta Communications Authority, Appoġġ, the Educational Services Directorate and the Foundation for Social Services.

This is all good work but I believe that more needs to be done.

Whether we like it or not, the explosion of new sites and our children’s heightened proficiency on the net have led to an increase in cyberbullying. However, depriving our young ones from the positive tools they can access on the net in order to protect them from cyberbullying is not an option.

The explosion of new sites and our children’s heightened proficiency on the net have led to an increase in cyberbullying

Thus all member states need to get involved to produce a concerted effort aimed at helping European children and adolescents protect themselves. We also need to encourage parents to make themselves more available to help their teens.

This was the message I hammered home over the past few days when I joined Bay Radio’s campaign #stophate aimed at showing cyberbullying for what it really is: the propogation of hatred among the younger generations. I noticed that Bay Radio has taken this information campaign very seriously. It has made use of professional tutors who worked intesively with its team to prepare this campaign.

I wholeheartedly support this campaign as well as the message it communicates: the acceptance of diversity, a message which needs to be brought home especially to teenagers who are in a very delicate stage of their lives. No one should feel superior to their peers as this in itself is a weakness. Rather, each and every one of us should learn to appreciate the strengths of others because the very beauty of our society is to be found in the richness of its diversity.

I look forward to further supporting this campaign as well as to meeting students and other key players. Congratulations to Bay, MITA and to the different ministries who came together in developing and delivering this just message.

Meanwhile, last December I reiterated my appeal for action on cyberbullying to representatives of major ICT companies (including the likes of Google, Facebook, Twitter and Ask.fm) in the field who come together in Brussels for what is known as the ICT Coalition meeting.

I encouraged them to expand and extend their voluntary actions aimed at curbing such abuses. I stated clearly that if these voluntary actions do not materialise or are not effective enough, then I for one would continue to champion the need for new, stricter EU-wide leigislation on this matter.

I will strive to achieve a common and effective European front to protect minors from such situations. We cannot afford to have our children exposed to such negative experiences and we certainly cannot risk losing more children along the way.

Miriam Dalli is a Labour member of the European Parliament.