FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 17, 2015
Media Contacts: Anne Collier 801.663.6629, anne@netfamilynews.org
Sarah Elliott 650.477.6585, sarah@sqcomms.com
#iCANHELP AND NET FAMILY NEWS LAUNCH SOCIAL MEDIA HELPLINE FOR CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS
Open for emails anytime and toll-free calls 9am-4pm on school days throughout the 2015-’16 school year
SAN JOSE, CA—Net Family News Inc. and #iCANHELP today announced the launch of iCanHelpline, a phone and email helpline for schools they’re piloting in California this 2015-’16 school year. The Helpline, which is the first of its kind in the U.S., aims to help resolve problems in social media involving students, staff and others in the school community – problems such as cyberbullying, sexting and reputation issues. Where abusive content violates social media services’ terms of service, the helpline can help get it taken down. California school or district personnel can call toll-free on school days between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at (855) 997-0409 or email anytime at help[at]icanhelpline.org. They’ll find all this information and much more – including links to emergency and specialized help services and school social media resources – at the helpline’s Web site, iCanHelpline.org.
“The Helpline builds on our organizations’ longstanding relationships with social media companies and more than a decade and a half of experience in Internet safety, education and student leadership,” said Anne Collier, the Helpline’s founder and president of Net Family News. “We also work in close cooperation with Internet helplines around the world.”
“The Helpline is unique in approaching students as part of the solution and bringing traditional student leadership education and peer-mentoring practices to digital spaces,” said Matt Soeth, co-creator of iCanHelpline.org and co-founder of #iCANHELP. “We are blending prevention and intervention in a service that – through the work of #iCANHELP – can also offer students and staff on-site training in digital leadership.”
The iCanHelpline pilot is the first step in developing a national call center for helping schools resolve problems in social media. It has already received support from Ask.fm, ClassDojo, Facebook, Google, Snapchat, Twitter and Yahoo. To support this free service to schools, click here.
About us: Net Family News is a San Jose, Calif.-based national nonprofit organization founded in 1999 to educate the public and advise the Internet industry about research and developments in technology related to youth. #iCANHELP is a Bay Area-based national nonprofit organization that creates and promotes positive, school-based solutions & interventions to online harassment and bullying. To learn more, visit iCanHelpline.org.
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