MTV combats bullying with A Thin Line initiative

Earlier this month, we featured an article about social media’s powerful impact in a few great causes – breast cancer awareness and clean water to name a few. One important movement that has perhaps gained the most visibility in recent weeks focuses on raising awareness around bullying, both in schools and online.

With the A Thin Line project, MTV is doing their part to reach teens and provide them with a resource to combat harassment from their peers.

Launched in December of 2009, A Thin Line is MTV’s initiative designed to “empower America’s youth to identify, respond to and stop the spread of digital abuse.” The ongoing project aims to reach teens on a range of platforms – TV specials, an interactive website, an online contest, and an iPhone ap to name a few.

Just this month, MTV unveiled Draw Your Line, an online component to the project that allows teens to share what they’re doing to take action against bullying, in categories such as Protect Yourself, Help Others, and Join the Movement. Stories are linked to an interactive map that lets teens view actions by region and even school districts – giving them a unique snapshot of what others in their area are doing to join the cause.

The similar Over the Line iPhone Ap, allows teens to share personal stories of bullying or being bullied so that others can rate whether or not the actions are acceptable. As an adult, reading the user submissions – which range from “My girlfriend sent naked pictures of me to our friends after we broke up,” to “My mother has cancer and my friends say it’s my fault,” — is heartbreaking. At the same time, it’s great to see teens using the forum to vent their frustrations and fears, and to see others giving great feedback in return.

While A Thin Line won’t solve the bullying problem, I’m happy to see MTV using their resources to reach teens in a positive way. And, if the project gives even just a few tweens and teens the information and peer support they need to stand up for themselves against bullies, then that’s a step in the right direction.

Megan Maguire (@megan_maguire) is an Account Manager at Mom Central.

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.