This cyberbullying video hit us in the gut

What would you do if you saw someone say: “Fat bitches like you should go on a diet”? Or what about: “Everyone hates you–you should hate yourself, too”? Or: “All Muslims are terrorists.” All of these quotes came from actual people on the internet and are part of this remarkable campaign from “In Real Life,” an effort to stop online bullying, for National Bullying Prevention Month (October). The video shows a series of staged confrontations to see how real people react; the campaign uses the hashtag #clickwithcompassion and offers a collection of emojis developed to support victims of online harassment.

The campaign was initiated by Monica Lewinsky, an anti-bullying advocate who had been one of the first victims of the then-emergent internet age, bullied and gossiped about online for her affair with then-President Bill Clinton.

Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever stopped someone else from being bullied, online or in real life?

For more on bullying, visit:

• “How Do You Stop Bullying? Advertisers Try to Help” (New York Times)
• Bullying Ad from Burger King
• Facts for kids about bullying via StopBullying.gov, a federal government website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Monica Lewinsky’s TED Talk, “The Price of Shame“