CAMPAIGNERS are hoping to press delete on cyber crime and online bullying.

It comes as a survey revealed more than half of children in the North West have been bullied on the internet to make them ‘fit in’ with certain social groups.

The research, by Action for Children, also found that 47 per cent of eight to 17-year-olds in the region picked on others online to prevent being targeted themselves.

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Lancashire Police is launching a crackdown on cyber crime as part of Safer Internet Day today (TUES). Officers are encouraging parents to be on the look out for signs that there children might be being bullied.

DC Mark Laing, the forces cyber crime liaison officer, said: “Tackling cyber bullying is one of our main priorities. It is not different to normal bullying, but the internet makes it easier to say things anonymously.

“It is a fight against a virtual world. It is huge and it is very difficult for us to see the scale of the problem because it is underreported.

“But the police can do something about it and our response to it is increasing.”

East Lancashire schools, including Christ Church CofE Primary, in Colne, will be leading workshops for youngsters making them aware of some of the online dangers.

Lancashire Police will also be holding a question and answer session on its Facebook page today between 12.30pm and 1.30pm in a bid to solve any queries internet users may have about online safety.

Carol Iddon, Action for Children’s director of children’s services (UK North), said it was important children and their parents talked often about what was acceptable online as online bullying was often harder to detect than more traditional forms.

She said: “It’s shocking that online bullying is so prevalent. It is much more hidden now because if they were being bullied in the playground, there would be witnesses, but if the child is in their bedroom, unless they tell somebody, nobody else may see it.

“But we must not lose sight of the fact that many of these children bully others because of something going wrong in their own lives, or being driven to it through fear of being bullied or social shunned themselves.

“Low self-esteem, stress at school or being victimised themselves by peers or adults are all reasons a child might act out on others.

“It’s important for parents to ask children about the day they’ve had online, just as they ask about the day they’ve had at school – whether your child is being bullied or bullying others, the problem, and any potentially more severe issues surrounding it, must be addressed.”