GenQ - For the not so straight individual

Ministers are urging schools to involve police in the most serious cases of cyberbullying of pupils and staff in a new crackdown on the "unaccceptable" and "insidious" use of new technology.
They say some instances might break criminal or civil law protecting people from threatening communications and could lead to Asbos. Police intervention, along with that of mobile phone and web companies, might be needed to track the digital footprint of perpetrators.

The move is part of a new drive to clamp down on the growing scourge of personal attacks against both pupils and teachers through phones and the Internet.

However, teachers have also been told to take action against pupils who forward malicious e-mails and text messages and are 'accessories' to bullying. Confiscated items will be returned at the end of the school day.

An online campaign called Laugh At It And You're A Part Of It will run on teenage networking websites for six weeks.

Phone companies and sites such as Bebo, MySpace and YouTube helped compile the guidelines.

Ministers will today also challenge homophobic bullying, saying it must become as unacceptable as racist remarks. They were shocked by a report by the charity Stonewall which said homophobic remarks were still common in everyday conversation.