Big ambitions for anti-cyberbullying website

HE NEVER thought that a six-month trip to Australia with his family last year could turn out to be the catalyst that led to the founding of Dontcyberbully.com.

While he was there to settle his wife and daughter down into the new environment, Gilbert Goh, 47, was alarmed when he read news of how a girl committed suicide because of cyber bullying.
That was when his thoughts turned towards Singapore.

While anti-cyber bullying websites are common in Australia, he was shocked to find out that no Singapore equivalent exists, despite cyber bullying being on an uptrend.

“In the past, we would get bullied in school, but we had a home to run to; it is our safe haven. But nowadays, even the home is not safe for the child anymore. As long as you switch on the computer, you open yourself up for harassment,” said the English teacher, who also writes for TOC.

According to a survey conducted in 2006, 25 per cent of 3,488 students surveyed have experienced online harassment before. On a per-capita basis, this is the most compared to all other countries except the United States, said a Channel News Asia article.

Deciding to take action, Mr Goh then started the website...

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