Engl. transl.: The digital information resources offered to French-speaking Belgian and Canadian parents in response to the problem of cyberbullying : a critical discourse analysis

The term “cyberbullying” refers to any situation where a person or group communicates content using social-digital technologies in order to harm the well-being of a third person. This research focuses on digital information resources (DIR) addressed to Frenchspeaking parents in Belgium and Canada, in response to this social problem. Based on the theory of critical discourse analysis, our research aims to describe the “ways of acting” and the “ways of being” most often proposed to French-speaking parents in Belgium and Canada, then to evaluate them in terms of what scientific research judges appropriate in this area. An analysis of the discourse of 17 Belgian DIRs and 35 Canadian DIRs was conducted. All the propositions presenting “ways of acting” and “ways of being” in these documents have been classified in analytical categories taken from the scientific documentation. The discourse of the Belgian DIR prescribes modalities of intervention in the situation of cyberbullying which are proactive ; preventive actions focusing on the promotion of respect for others ; a media education prescribing good uses ; the exercise of a democratic parenting with an authoritarian tendency. The discourse of Canadian DIR prescribes modes of intervention in cyberbullying that focus on the well-being of the child-victim ; preventive actions aimed at understanding the socio-media universe of young people ; media education based on support and open dialogue ; the exercise of a democratic parenting with a permissive tendency. The two countries are different in terms of “ways of acting” and “ways of being” promoted in the discourses of the DIR. Our observations are consistent with the findings of surveys showing that parenting in Latin Europe is conducted in a more authoritarian way than in Canada.

"The discourse of Belgian RNIs is characterized by: (1) proactive modes of intervention (e.g. evaluate the level of risks and contact the police if necessary); (2) preventive actions focusing on promotion of respect for others (to be an example to the child in terms of respect for others); (3) good prescriptive media education uses and monitoring children's online activities (stay close and keep an eye on the child while they learn and socialize online); and (4) exercise democratic parenthood (more authoritarian than permissive). The Belgian discourse as a whole is therefore somewhat out of step with the ways of being and acting deemed desirable by several studies, which show that the active and democratic support of young people in use digital technology is a protective factor against involvement in situations of cyberbullying, as an aggressor or as a victim. Yet, it offers parents ways of acting and being that match their common sense knowledge about parenting. It could therefore be received positively by Belgian parents and also have a positive influence on their ability to be and act on the problem of cyberbullying." (Bégin et al., 2018, pp. 12, 14-15, 18, translated by Joanna Beeckmans)