Paris, 9 June 2020 – French social media platform Yubo and the e-Enfance Association have formed a unique partnership to support young people who are victims of bullying or in psychological distress. For the first time on a social media platform, users who report any form of bullying or suicidal behaviour will be offered direct connection from the Yubo application to a member of the Net Ecoute service (the free, confidential and anonymous helpline operated by the e-Enfance Association) which will provide the best possible support, via chat or a call to the freephone number.
With online activity skyrocketing during lockdown, leading to a 600% increase in time spent on Yubo live streams and a doubling of reports to Net Ecoute, Yubo and e-Enfance are innovating to support young victims of online harassment. After simply reporting a comment, live stream or user for harassment, the user will be offered the opportunity to contact the Association e-Enfance's free service. This is the first time that a child protection association has been in direct contact with users of a major social platform from a certified account. Thanks to this innovation, young people in difficulty will not have to leave the application to benefit from the support and advice of the Net Ecoute teams.
“It is very reassuring to know that Yubo, a social platform whose users are aged between 13 and 25, has integrated Net Ecoute. A simple button allows them to contact us directly, which makes it easier to listen to young people facing difficult situations. They need to know that we are there to help them; they should not feel alone or abandoned online.” explains Justine Atlan, managing director of Net Ecoute and the e-Enfance Association.
“We are particularly vigilant about cyberbullying issues and attentive to any deviant behaviour that young people may exhibit on our app. Direct contact with a professional service such as that offered by e-Enfance is essential for us. Providing the safest network for young people in France and around the world is our number one priority.” adds Marc-Antoine Durand, Director of Operations at Yubo.
Free, anonymous and confidential, NET ECOUTE is a national helpline specialising in the protection of minors on the Internet and all issues faced by young people in their digital practices. Managed by the e-Enfance Association (Child Protection on the Internet since 2005, recognised as a public utility), it helps teenagers, parents and professionals by providing practical advice and psychological, technical and legal assistance, Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
