With #StandForSafety, Bumble aims to create awareness & empower its community: Mahima Kaul
Kaul, Bumble Head of Public Policy, APAC, says the ‘Stand for Safety’ campaign was launched in response to growing safety concerns, especially since the onset of the pandemic
Just recently, Bumble – the women-first social networking app – launched the second phase of its much-talked-about ‘Stand for Safety’ campaign. The campaign is part of the app's continued global effort to help create a safer, kinder and more respectful internet.
In a recent conversation with e4m, Bumble Head of Public Policy, APAC, Mahima Kaul shared more about the campaign and the impact it is having on society.
Edited excerpts follow:
Tell us more about the 'Stand for Safety' initiative: what is the core idea behind the campaign and how does it align with Bumble’s brand values?
Safety has been central to Bumble's mission from day one. We have always been guided by clear principles: empowering women and using Bumble's platform and technology to create a safe and equitable environment for our community. Bumble is built around the principles of kindness, respect and equality. Everyone in the community is accountable and we do not tolerate any form of bullying, harassment, hate, or aggression of any kind.
In response to growing safety concerns especially since the onset of the pandemic, we launched the ‘Stand for Safety’ campaign last year. Through this initiative, Bumble aims to create awareness around digital safety and empower its community to recognise, tackle and combat online hate, discrimination and aggression.
What is the second phase of the campaign about? How is it different from the first phase?
Bumble’s Stand for Safety is part of the app's continued global effort to help to create a safer, kinder and more respectful internet. This year, we have partnered with the Centre for Social Research (CSR) and Nyaaya to co-curate a one-of-a-kind safety handbook to drive awareness around digital safety and support and empower our community with resources that can help recognise and combat online hate, aggression and discrimination.
Per Bumble’s recent nationwide survey, conducted by YouGov, we found that 1 in 2 (50%) people surveyed have encountered hate-driven speech and bullying online. 2 in 5 (40%) people say that they have faced hate-driven speech and bullying with regards to discrimination against a particular group or community, and physical appearance. When it comes to being aware of their legal rights and offences, we found that in general, people know very little about formal authorities that deal with cybercrimes. 39% of the people surveyed know very little about their own digital rights and cyber laws in India. With Stand For Safety initiative, we want to continue to demonstrate our deeper commitment to creating a world where all relationships are healthy and equitable.
How do you think this campaign will benefit society?
It's crucial to understand what online hate and abuse look like—and what to do if you or a loved one face such harassment. Our safety guide and the handbook are aimed at driving awareness, educating, and equipping Indians to better deal with instances of online abuse–be it identifying and recognising online hate, understanding ways to safeguard yourself, or the knowledge on how to exercise your digital legal rights.
Our safety handbook is accessible to everyone and details helplines and redressal measures that one can take if needed. It also aims at sharing crucial information about offences that are punishable under the law in India and other resources to seek to combat online hate and bullying.
