MUMBAI: MTV has unveilled its new multi-year initiative, A Thin Line.
This is to empower America‘s youth to identify, respond to and stop the spread of digital abuse. Digital abuse is an emerging issue that includes behaviours like "sexting," cyberbullying and digital dating abuse.
According to a new study released by MTV and The Associated Press exploring the full scope of digital abuse, 50 per cent of those between 14 and 24 year olds have been the target of some form of digital abuse of which 30 per cent have sent or received nude photos of other young people on their cell phones or online.
A Thin Line will address digital abuse issues through a series of on-air, online and real world initiatives including integration in MTV‘s top-rated programming, a MTV News special focused on Sexting, True Life: I have Digital Drama, thought-provoking PSAs, innovative online and mobile tools and the Redraw the Line Challenge -- which calls on young people to submit innovative digital antidotes to digital abuse.
MTV has also launched www.ATHINLINE.org where young people can access information, resources and support on issues related to digital abuse.
Comments MTV GM Stephen Friedman, "Our audience lives online, and while every generation deals with their own set of abuse issues, the digital sphere exponentially increases opportunities for misuse.
"There is a very thin line between private and public, this moment and forever, love and abuse, and words and wounds. A Thin Line is built to empower our audience to draw their own line between digital use and digital abuse. "
MTV‘s partners on A Thin Line include a coalition of the foremost authorities on all facets of digital abuse, including Facebook, MySpace, The Family Violence Prevention Fund, WiredSafety, Anti-Defamation League, Blue Shield of California Foundation, loveisrespect.org, The National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline, National Network to End Domestic Violence, The Liz Claiborne Inc., DoSomething.org, Break the Cycle, Ruder Finn, Teenangels and PBS‘ FRONTLINE.
A Thin Line kicked off in tandem with Liz Claiborne Inc.‘s It‘s Time To Talk Day, an annual day dedicated to ensuring that Americans speak-up and raise national attention around domestic violence including teen dating violence and intimate partner abuse.
