令和版 ネットいじめの現状と対策（兵庫県立大学 竹内和雄）：校内研修シリーズ№154

Main ideas / concepts conveyed

1) Internet bullying is accelerating alongside “smartphone + school internet” changes

• Japan’s “Giga School” initiative brings internet use into everyday school life—for example, elementary students using the internet as “stationery” starting from 1st grade.
• Because internet access and online activity start much earlier than many adults assume, schools can no longer treat online problems as only a family matter. Schools must proactively address children’s internet-related issues.
• The speaker emphasizes that adults’ assumptions about when children start using the internet/smartphones are often wrong—so adults should challenge their “common sense.”

2) The “type” and “mechanism” of bullying has changed

• Children’s understanding of “who bullies” differs from adults’ stereotypes:
  • Adults may imagine an obvious loud bully (“Gian”), but kids often say traditional “Gian”-style bullying is not the main form anymore.
  • Children describe bullying as tied to social dynamics and status (e.g., popularity, group influence).
  • Bullying may involve students who appear polite or smart, acting strategically.
• What bullying is “for” has shifted:
  • Past: hedonistic/self-satisfaction bullying (bullying for one’s own pleasure).
  • More recent: more “educational” / instruction-like bullying patterns—where actions are framed as justified through accusations or social “reasons.”
• Elementary school observed pattern: conflict spilling into the school day
  • Students may fight about online games (including voice chat) before school, then cluster socially around that conflict.
  • This is described as more common among boys in upper elementary grades.
• Middle school observed pattern: bullying as exclusion on social media
  • Increasingly, bullying appears as ignoring/exclusion via platforms and messaging apps—especially LINE.

3) A concrete example shows how “exclusion” works and why it’s hard to spot

Hanako’s story (middle school bullying via LINE; exclusion/indirect harm)

• In Hanako’s class, most students use LINE.
• A class leader (A-ko) posts harmless anime-related content.
• Hanako comments with a stuffed animal prop (“Isn’t it cute?” / implying an evaluation).
• Many read the message, but nobody responds afterward.
• The next day at school, Hanako is ignored by everyone, and she becomes very upset.
• Key point: bullying can be subtle (no direct slur), yet outcomes can be cruel through coordinated exclusion and indirect interpretation.

How kids “organize” bullying (grouping and even-number structure)

• Typical group sizes are often around six.
• The speaker describes a strong preference for even numbers when forming pairs/groups so nobody is left out.
• This affects how targets are selected and how coordination spreads: if one person is designated a target, others comply to avoid being the next excluded one.

“Rapid target switching” and silence

• Previously, a target might stay the same for about a year or two.
• Recently, targets may change within about a month or even a week.
• “Good” kids may endure bullying, not tell parents/teachers, and avoid intervention—so adults may later “go out of control” (react strongly once they learn).

4) “Secondary victimization” from adults/teachers can worsen harm

• When adults or teachers handle bullying improperly—or react in ways that reveal who knows—the harm can intensify.
• Mechanisms described include:
  • Parents/teachers confronting someone directly in ways that expose information.
  • Anonymous assemblies or class interventions still leading to instant identification because the social system reveals who was involved.
• The speaker frames it as: the child is already harmed, and then adult handling can create additional social consequences.

5) Early detection + early intervention is critical

• Bullying may appear as a group problem, not only one person’s issue.
• If adults wait too long, the situation can spiral:
  • Classroom/peer disruption patterns recur over time (described as repeating about two years into middle school).
  • Eventually, the strongest bullying may land on a single person severely enough that they can’t attend school.
• Therefore:
  • Intervene when bullying first begins.
  • Aim to prevent everyone from becoming increasingly sad—not only the “final” victim.

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Prevention / countermeasures (detailed methodology & instruction-style points)

A) Use peer-mediation / high-quality mediation (not slogans alone)

• The speaker’s core prevention concept is mediation:
  • Bullying isn’t solved by simply telling students to “stop.”
  • Effective prevention requires high-quality mediators who can resolve conflict while maintaining trust and reducing risk for all involved.
• Teachers often cannot directly see what happens online, so:
  • Students need training in how to stop it.
  • Peer mediation should be taught and practiced.

B) Teach specific “comfort/repair” responses using role-play and discussion

• Example prevention exercise:
  • Present Hanako’s misunderstanding scenario to students.
  • Ask: “If you were B-chan at that time, what would you say to comfort Hanako?”
• Goals:
  • Offer alternate interpretations.
  • Encourage defending the victim appropriately while de-escalating the misunderstanding.
• Example outcomes described:
  • Elementary: students may forget punctuation but still deliver direct supportive messages.
  • Middle school: students may explicitly acknowledge the victim’s perspective (“I think she’s cute though”) and give the victim a chance to respond.

C) Don’t force adult-style “resolution”; teach peer support so problems don’t escalate

• The speaker cautions that trying to fix everything through adult-style instructions can create further trouble.
• Instead:
  • Train younger people (including older students) to help peers through peer-to-peer support mechanisms.

D) Student-generated school measures (Kansai workshop example)

• In a workshop, junior high students proposed anti-bullying measures aimed at teachers, parents, the government, and themselves.
• Two main takeaways:
  1. Adults may expect disciplinary tools (posters, strict stopping), but kids emphasize relational and climate-building steps.
  2. Proposals that resonated most were those making school feel enjoyable and socially safe.

Examples of kid-proposed ideas (instruction-like / actionable)

• Make the school atmosphere fun so bullying doesn’t take root:
  • Play “Daruma-san ga Koronda” during school.
  • Use fun music for lunchtime instead of only classical music.
• Promote direct, positive social interaction habits:
  • Say “thank you” and “sorry” out loud.
  • Acknowledge each other and greet with smiles.
  • Interact with many people.
  • If someone seems tough, talk to them or check in with friends.
• Reframe behavior and responses:
  • Don’t label it only as “bullying”—aim to be friends.
  • If the aggressor shows remorse, treat them normally (reintegration, not only punishment).

E) Build a “healthy relationship with the internet,” not internet prohibition

• The goal is not to treat the internet as “evil” to be banned.
• Instead:
  • Teach children how to relate to the internet healthily.
  • Use cyberbullying as a cautionary story (a way to prevent hearing “it started again”).

F) Create a school culture together with children (trial-and-error)

• Since society doesn’t yet have complete answers, schools should:
  • Think and experiment with children rather than rely solely on existing adult frameworks.
  • Develop rules and culture as smartphones are still relatively new and norms about when/how to begin are unclear.

G) Teachers must help make school enjoyable through participatory learning

• Teachers should make school engaging by:
  • Creating enjoyable lessons.
  • Using pair work and activities that students can participate in.
• However:
  • The responsibility isn’t solely on teachers.
  • Teachers still matter greatly, but the broader approach includes talking with children and shaping how they view the internet.

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Overall lessons / conclusions

• Online bullying changes forms quickly; adults must update assumptions.
• Exclusion-based cyberbullying can be subtle, coordinated, and hard to detect—so early intervention matters.
• Slogans and strict supervision alone are insufficient; central is training students in peer mediation and conflict repair.
• Prevention emphasizes school climate, peer support, and reintegration after remorse—not only punishment.
• The desired direction is shared, iterative culture-building around internet use, with children included in the thinking.

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Speakers / sources featured

Speaker

• Takeuchi (竹内和雄), Hyogo Prefectural University (兵庫県立大学)

Referenced sources/organizations

• Cabinet Office (内閣府) survey data on internet/smartphone usage by age
• LINE (LINE messaging app; referenced in the example as the communication tool)
• Giga School concept (GIGAスクール構想 / initiative framework)

Notes on named people

• No other distinct named real speakers are identified beyond the main speaker.
• Characters in the example (e.g., Hanako, A-ko, B-chan, etc.) are presented as classroom examples rather than real presenters.