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Bullying by SMS – take the survey please!

Michael of Openmind Networks feels very strongly about the issue of bullying by text. Now while the medium of text does, one would imagine, give the option for you to simply ignore or delete offending text messages, it’s just not that simple. The psychological effect can, I imagine, be quite terrifying. Michael would like to understand the industry’s viewpoint of the issue so, if time permits, please do take his quick survey below.

Over to Michael:

– – – – –

Bullying for many victims is a terrifying ordeal and many children who are being bullied are afraid to speak out. They are scared of reprisals if they tell someone and reports have shown that as young people grow older, they are less likely to tell someone. They become more and more isolated, experience depression and, in extreme cases, can harm themselves or attempt suicide. Bullying by SMS is a virulent form of bullying and is now an ever present reality.

Many of you reading this will be parents or guardians of teens or soon to be teens and the threat of bullying by SMS is very real. What can we do as individual subscribers or as mobile operators to counteract the threat of bullying by SMS? The following short SMS survey conducted by Openmind Networks will provide some valuable feedback as to the demand for a solution to bullying by SMS.

Instructions:

Please SMS results to +27 79 685 9486

SMS charged at standard rates.

Please send your SMS message in the following format:
Survey Code(space)Answers

‘Sur’ is the code, insert it before the answers.

For example:
Sur aceg

1. Would you agree that bullying by SMS is a reality?
a: Yes
b: no

2. Are you aware that there is a product (Protect from Openmind Networks) that will safeguard mobile subscribers from bullying by SMS?
c: Yes
d: No

3. Should mobile operators assist in protecting their subscribers from bullying by SMS?
(Select one or more answers)
e: Yes
f: No

4. Would you pay for a service that protects your children (even if you do not have any) from bullying by SMS?
g: Yes
h: No

The results of the survey will be posted on both Openmind Networks’ website and the SMS Text News website.

Please note: Your mobile number will never be used for any further communication and will not be divulged to any third parties. This is a one-off survey.

– – – – –

Thanks for that, Michael!

5 COMMENTS

  1. So the survey is completed and the results have been tabulated. Easy job really as I only asked a few questions as the survey was conducted by SMS. Having said that I received a fair few answers that were emailed to me. As good as you think you explain or outline the instructions, some people will see them differently.
    When asked if bullying by SMS was a reality 94% or 387 respondents said yes proving that the wider mobile telecoms community accepts that fact. 91% or 391 believe that mobile operators should provide a service to assist in preventing bullying by SMS and on the issue of price and who would pay for the service, 75% or 307 respondents said they would. This leaves 1 in 4 mobile professionals that would not be willing to pay for the service which places the spotlight on the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policies of the mobile operators and how they are advising subscribers to deal with bullying by SMS. The bottom line is that the survey results show that there is a groundswell of support for installing preventative measures and also that the overwhelming majority of subscribers are willing to pay for the service.

    You can look at the results in detail at http://www.openmindnetworks.com/operators/Bully

  2. So the survey is completed and the results have been tabulated. Easy job really as I only asked a few questions as the survey was conducted by SMS. Having said that I received a fair few answers that were emailed to me. As good as you think you explain or outline the instructions, some people will see them differently.
    When asked if bullying by SMS was a reality 94% or 387 respondents said yes proving that the wider mobile telecoms community accepts that fact. 91% or 391 believe that mobile operators should provide a service to assist in preventing bullying by SMS and on the issue of price and who would pay for the service, 75% or 307 respondents said they would. This leaves 1 in 4 mobile professionals that would not be willing to pay for the service which places the spotlight on the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policies of the mobile operators and how they are advising subscribers to deal with bullying by SMS. The bottom line is that the survey results show that there is a groundswell of support for installing preventative measures and also that the overwhelming majority of subscribers are willing to pay for the service.

    You can look at the results in detail at http://www.openmindnetworks.com/operators/Bully

  3. So the survey is completed and the results have been tabulated. Easy job really as I only asked a few questions as the survey was conducted by SMS. Having said that I received a fair few answers that were emailed to me. As good as you think you explain or outline the instructions, some people will see them differently.
    When asked if bullying by SMS was a reality 94% or 387 respondents said yes proving that the wider mobile telecoms community accepts that fact. 91% or 391 believe that mobile operators should provide a service to assist in preventing bullying by SMS and on the issue of price and who would pay for the service, 75% or 307 respondents said they would. This leaves 1 in 4 mobile professionals that would not be willing to pay for the service which places the spotlight on the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policies of the mobile operators and how they are advising subscribers to deal with bullying by SMS. The bottom line is that the survey results show that there is a groundswell of support for installing preventative measures and also that the overwhelming majority of subscribers are willing to pay for the service.

    You can look at the results in detail at http://www.openmindnetworks.com/operators/Bully

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