First Steps ED Scroll Safe
Tellmi is proud to have contributed to First Steps ED's new autumn campaign, "Scroll Safe," which focuses on the impact that online content can have on young people's mental health and body image.
In recent years, social media usage has risen dramatically, becoming a staple part of our lives - especially for young people across the country. A recent poll revealed that 63% of children aged 8-11 are using social media, with that number rising to 92% for the 12-15 age range. Unfortunately, this widespread access has been shown to negatively affect users' mental health and self-esteem through experiences such as comparing themselves to unrealistic influencers and encountering inappropriate content.
In response to these concerns and coinciding with the launch of the Online Safety Bill, our partners, First Steps ED, created “Scroll Safe”. The goal of the campaign is to provide young people with the education and tools to: recognise harmful content, engage with online spaces mindfully, and foster conversations with the adults in their lives. This forward-thinking campaign will break down current issues and trends such as doomscrolling, fake news, and media manipulation into digestible chunks, whilst also including interactive content such as polls to help people understand if content is real, AI-generated or filtered.
Tellmi’s incredible users have got involved with the campaign by offering their own valuable tips and tricks on how they protect their mental health in online spaces. One user offered sage advice in commenting that they believed that "Influencers only capture the good parts of their life to make it more appealing to others, and that sets unachievable goals," which will be especially validating to hear for other users struggling with this. Furthermore, our co-CEO, Dr. Suzi Godson, has provided expert advice for young people regarding their social media habits, as well as guidance to be included in the campaign's digital handbook.
Tellmi is dedicated to being a safeguard against the curated and unrealistic content that many encounter online. By fostering a safe and anonymous community, Tellmi allows users to express their authentic selves and share the ups and downs of their lives by seeking and offering advice to others. Our 100% human pre-moderation policy ensures that the content on our site is age-appropriate for users. Likewise, the amazing advice offered by our users for this campaign is just a taste of the support users can access within the broader Tellmi community. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks on First Steps’ social media pages throughout the month!