From Awareness to Action: Taylor’s Hosts Anti-Cyberbullying Symposium & Workshop

Subang Jaya, 20th November 2025 - As part of World Children's Day, the School of Law and Governance at Taylor's University held an anti-cyberbullying symposium and workshop. In collaboration with the Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur and UNICEF Malaysia, this workshop brought together experts, educators, and UNICEF activies to discuss the growing issue of online bullying. 

This hybrid symposium featured well-known panelists, including Prof. Kanetsuna Tomoyuki from Kagawa University, Assoc. Prof. Yosutsuji Shingo from Osaka Kyoiku University, Ms. Saskia Blume, Head of Child Protection at UNICEF Malaysia, and Dr. Sia Chin Chin, Program Director of Law and Governance at Taylor's University. The panelists addressed different themes such as prevention strategies, the realities of experiences, mechanisms for intervention, and legal structural hurdles in redressing cyberbullying.

Ms. Saskia Blume Presenting about Addressing CyberBullying (Source : Gladys Liusdiawan)

The event began with a welcoming speech from Mr. Tsukamoto Norihisa, Director of The Japan Foundation in Kuala Lumpur, who emphasized the importance of international collaboration in creating a safer online space for children, followed by workshops led by the panelists and a question and answer session moderated by Dr. Mogana Sunthari Subramaniam, senior lecturer at the School of Law and Governance, Taylors University.  During this session, participants raised important questions about the extent to which artificial intelligence (AI) can contribute to the emergence or increase of cyberbullying cases. Panelists pointed out that it all depends on usage: AI can be helpful or harmful, depending on how the technology is utilized.

During the interview, UNICEF Malaysia representative Ms. Saskia explained that UNICEF plays a role in promoting changes in policy, curriculum, and education systems so that children feel more supported when facing cyberbullying. “Here in Malaysia, UNICEF works on changing policies and laws and the curriculum... so that students feel supported,” she said.She added that these efforts require reform at various levels—from parents and teachers to policymakers. UNICEF also studies best practices from other countries, including examples from Vietnam, and then adapts and applies them to the Malaysian context so that the resulting approach is more relevant and effective.

After presentations from several panelists and a lunch break, participants were divided into breakout groups for brainstorming and in-depth discussions. Facilitated by Dr. Sree Kala Kunju Raman Nair and Ms. Kalppana Thevi Gopal, participants presented a problem scenario that presented the case of a teenager whose photo had been doctored and then spread on social media. Each group was asked to formulate a handling strategy that included responses at home, coordination with the school, and steps that could be taken together with the community and policy makers. Through intensive discussions and presentations of brainstorming results, participants demonstrated a deep understanding of the psychological and social impacts of such incidents, while proposing collaborative approaches to deal with cyberbullying cases more effectively.

Participants who attended this event gained very deep insights. One of the student workers, Kimberly, emphasized that this event was important to increase public understanding of the real impact of cyberbullying on children's lives. She explained that activities like this help participants see the issue from the perspective of professionals. “The importance of this event is to spread awareness about cyberbullying,” she said briefly. Kimberly added that through the panelists' presentations and discussions, participants were able to understand how cyberbullying occurs in practice and explore various approaches to find more effective solutions to deal with it.

Towards the end of the event, the committee announced the best groups in the workshop session, followed by expressions of appreciation to the speakers and facilitators. The event closed at 5:00 p.m. Through this series of symposiums and workshops, Taylor's University reaffirmed its commitment to supporting regional and international efforts to create a safe, inclusive, and responsible digital space for children and young people.