Watch CBS News

Tech Report: Symposium Raises Awareness Of Cyberbullying

(KCBS) – Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Gernamotta, officially launched the Born This Way Foundation Wednesday. The Foundation is an education and advocacy group that they kicked off at a cyberbullying symposium at Harvard University.

KCBS Technology Analyst Larry Magid was in attendance and said it's great that people like Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey, who was also on hand, are using their celebrity for a great cause.

KCBS Technology Analyst Larry Magid:

"She's got a platform, and it's a huge platform. Why not use it for good?" said Magid. "I think she really believes in it. It's based on feedback from her fans and I think she really wants to have an impact."

Magid said that the symposium was just not about celebrities.

"We had some of the top researchers, academics and practitioners here. It was really a great group of cyberbullying experts," he said. "They really talked about the issues and how to change school culture and how to change the climate. The same type of long-term social change has to go into getting people to understand that kindness is really important and it's a long-term movement."

Magid said that while measures can be put in place to try to bring an end to cyberbullying, kids also have to believe in it as well.

You can hear Larry Magid's Tech Report Monday through Friday at 3:50pm on KCBS All News 740AM and 106.9FM.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.