Online bullying/trolling isn't anything new but figures show the problem is getting worse and not better.
Recently I had my first tiny taste of it and I felt compelled to do something about it.
It is estimated that 55% of young people in the UK have experienced some form of online bullying, which can include, rumours being spread, hurtful messages being sent or pictures being shared without consent.
Many will see it as 'harmless banter' but it really is not, Online bullying is a leading cause of depression, anxiety and even suicide in young people and national governments are now taking action to prevent these issues.
Part of our marketing strategy is paid social, a lot of the ad content features members of the team as we want to show our human side.
However, I've become nervous when I am included. Recently we created a 30-second video to why you should download Mattr, 320,000 people viewed it. Most of the comments were postive and inquisitive, however, there were a few commenting on my ears, eyes, and saying I looked untrustworthy.
I should expect this from such a large sample size but I couldn't stop thinking about it, especially as I suffer from RSD a very annoying by-product of ADHD.
It got me thinking if little comments like this from anonymous accounts got me so worked up, what about young people? Young minds, feelings and without that real-world experience this could be extremely damaging.
When we launched Mattr, safety was key for us. It is one of our non-negotiables. Everyone is verified so we know who is using our product. It also means if you get kicked out, you're not coming back in. We try to teach people through content (like this) what is acceptable behaviour and to feel a person out before launching in.
But we didn't feel what we were doing on its own was enough, so we partnered with Weare8 a social media platform redefining content for good.
Not only do we not get negative comments, but we also reach a like-minded community of people trying to make the digital world a better place, as and with all the ad campaigns a percentage of your spend goes to a charity of your choice.
We chose Cybersmile, a charity trying to solve the aforementioned issues by supporting victims of online bullying and preventing it from happening in the first place.
So to sign off, remember everyone is different, everyone has feelings, I am going to think twice before I post comments online as I am sure I've said things I regret now but until it happens to you, you may not ever realise.
Actions speak louder than words. And we are taking action here at Mattr.
Jamie.