Children ‘failing to see bigger picture’

A forensic psychologist who runs courses on cyberbullying has said viral videos such as the Cork schoolgirl fight will serve to wake youngsters up to the dangers of posting their lives online.

The footage, recorded on a mobile phone by a bystander and uploaded to the internet, lasts over two minutes and depicts two secondary school students wrestling. A crowd of up to 20, many in school uniforms, surround the girls, egging them on while also recording the bust-up.

“Young people are digital natives. Their lives are lived online,” said Maureen Griffin, the director of Internet Safety For Schools.