Library Science Students - Responses (Series 1 Online Resilience)


Academic session 2019-20


Response 1. Based on the individual knowledge I acquired through the videos on how each scenario would play out based on her mom’s knowledge I would advise Maddie to ask her mom to speak with the child based on the fact that the mother does not comply with this wish and ultimately complies mostly with the advice from Kids Health  which is to avoid talking, build her resilience and also she has then made an adult aware of any issues so they can keep an eye for any escalations. 

Response 2. Maddie should seek guidance from a responsible adult, which in this scenario is her mum. Maddie tends to overthink and internalise the problem and it affects her ability to concentrate and sleep. A problem shared and spoken about can often minimise this internal turmoil. The success of this option hinges on the support given by the mum. The mum could visit these sites Child Helpline International or the UK Safer Internet Centre for advice. The mum’s approach should allow for Maddie to voice her feelings in a safe space where a solution can be worked on together. 


Response 3. Children should talk to adults when upset or uncertain. Parents cannot control what other children do, only their child’s responses. I disagree with the inference that an adult educated in 2002 is prepared for parenting in 2019. These apps didn't exist then. Neither parents nor children are prepared for the challenges these apps present. But children who are online as often as Maddie are exploring faster. Maddie’s mother needs to gather information; about block/mute functions and abuse rules, but also about screen time and Wi-Fi impacting sleep patterns and anxiety. Environmental factors can cause anxiety as well as social ones. 

Response 4. Maddie should both ignore the message while also telling her mother about the situation. When it comes to cyberbullying, it's important to disengage with the cyberbully, so as to not give them any more attention, which is probably what they want. But by going to her mother, Maddie has someone she can talk through her feelings, concerns, and fears with. And the two of them can come up with a plan as to how to deal with the situation together. Although, narratively, it could be much more interesting for Maddie to confront the child herself, possibly challenging her to a lip sync battle to resolve the situation. 


Response 5. Maddie should talk to her mum, I would recommend that mum gets clear and informed advice herself from appropriate safeguarding guidelines on supporting young people online, setting screen time, managing parenting controls and online safety such as www.thinkuknow.co.uk or www.internetmatters.org. The other issues raised are poor sleep and anxiety, Maddie's mum may choose to seek advice from their General Practitioner along with following NHS guidelines on good sleep hygiene, for example:
It would be useful to talk to with Maddie's teacher so the matter is communicated and that Maddie gets support from home and school. 

Response 6. I think that Maddie should speak with her mum. Her mum is a source of support and Maddie needs someone she can trust and confide in. It sounds like her mum is aware of technology but is a little uncertain about her approach to managing Maddie's online time and the negative impact on her such as sleep loss and anxiety. There are many resources with really good advice such as webwise.ie and the Irish Government's Be Safe Online safety hub:

Response 7. Maddie should definitely speak to her mother about the situation, if not her mother at least an adult who she can trust. The most sensible will be to not respond and carry on with making her videos. If the girl continues to leave negative comments she could ask her friend to find out if she has an issue with Maddie. If it is innocent this could lead to a quick solution. If the underlying issue relates to bullying then parents can be brought in to find an resolution. 


Academic Session 2020-21


Response 1. I would recommend a multi-targeted approach. Option 6 would help reduce the chances of another negative comment from the child. I would then encourage speaking to a parent/trusted adult, so somebody is aware of how Maddie is feeling (Option 3 alternative). The adult can talk through the negative aspects of social media, ways of dealing with them, and perhaps some reasons why people lash out. Not excusing but giving potential context. Mental well-being is incredibly important. Young people often don't have the life experience or coping strategies to deal with these hurdles, so it is important to speak to others.

Response 2. My advice to Maddie in this situation would be to encourage her to unfriend the child and block the account from accessing her posts. There is a risk in whatever she chooses there could be negative consequences in her social relationships, but I would stress to her that her mental well-being will suffer if she continues allowing this bully to abuse her. Her self-identity (like many of today’s adolescents) is connected to her online presence, so I do not think it would be appropriate to minimize what being online means to her by encouraging her to quit the platform wholesale. However, I would encourage that she and her mother have an open dialogue about the positive/negative effects of what being online are and provide them with resources around cyberbullying and mental health support for teens and their families. The resources I would suggest are below:
I think Maddie should unfriend and block the child. She should also tell her mother what's happened and what she's done. Maddie doesn't need this negativity, nothing constructive, and the child will probably do it again. By blocking the child, she's sending a strong message about what behaviour is acceptable on her account.


Response 3: I would also advise Maddie to unfriend and block the child. It's important for Maddie to feel safe online and not put up with bullying. In addition, I would speak to Maddie's mother as an adult to let her know about the situation. I would advise her mother to be more aware of her child's online activities, to encourage Maddie not to equate self-worth with internet popularity and to limit Maddie's phone usage where sensible (e.g. no screen time before bed). Her mother should be more kind/emphatic when speaking to Maddie and give her more positive support.

If she feels able to, Maddie should ask her mum (or another trusted adult such as her teacher) for advice. I think that talking about her worries could help Maddie work through steps on how to deal with the problem. An adult might also be able to direct Maddie towards online sources of information so that she can learn about online safety and feel more confident about handling the situation. There are lots of online sources designed for young people, educators, and parents that deal with various aspects of online safety and bullying for example:
Response 4: First and foremost I would suggest that Maddie unfriend and block Jasmine. The worst thing to do with online bullying is to reply back and acknowledge the bully. Trying to ignore or hide from the feelings can result in intrusive thoughts, negative thought loops, and further anxiety. I would recommend the following after she has separated her online presence from Jasmine:
  • That Maddie speaks to her mother about how to handle the feelings and anxiety caused by the situation.
  • That Maddie speaks to her friend Kristin about it as he might provide some emotional support to Maddie herself who is clearly stressed that their relationship may be in jeopardy.
  • To screenshot the comment and keep in a separate folder or have her mother keep it in case the bullying worsens.
  • To help her understand that it's alright to feel anxious and upset over this and that there's nothing wrong with her if the thoughts return later on.
Additional sources that may help Maddie and her mother can be found here:


Response 5: As stated in the Final Thoughts video, the issue is not clear-cut and there's no cure-all remedy for Maddie's issue. However, if I was pressed to pick one resolution, I would advise Maddie to give the phone to her mum. Maddie engages in a worrying amount of screentime as it is, and evidence exists to suggest a link between high levels of screen time and depression in children: 
Influencers and social media stars are beginning to endorse 'digital detox' days in support of mental health:
I think participating in something similar would benefit Maddie's mental wellbeing.

Response 6: I believe that Maddie should block and unfriend Jasmine for the following reasons: blocking online trolls will prevent them from following you, sending you a direct message to your account or tagging you. If she continues to follow this person , she may be tempted to respond to her comments .Then the troll would continue to post. hateful and repulsive content. This situation may cause Maddie to develop low self esteem and self images issues. And in most cases, some persons who are constantly bullied online, experience symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety disorder. In addition, I would advise Maddie to take further action by reporting the comments to the social media website, so that the website can suspend or deactivate the account.


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