Samsung Electro-Mechanics Holds Blue Elephant Forum on Preventing Cyber Violence

Samsung Electro-Mechanics Holds Blue Elephant Forum on Preventing Cyber Violence

On November 6th, Samsung Electro-Mechanics held the "4th Blue Elephant (PUCO) Forum" to discuss cyber violence prevention counter measures and present business performance of Blue Elephant at Samsung Finance Campus. The forum featured keynote lectures on global cyberbullying responses, case presentations from victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying, and discussions on the Blue Elephant initiative's effectiveness in preventing cyberbullying, as well as its social and economic impacts. Through real-life case studies shared by individuals with experiences of cyberbullying, the forum highlighted its severity and various experts and stakeholders came together to provide insights and recommendations on tackling the issue.

"Blue Elephant" aims to cultivate "pro-social skills" in youth, including honesty, responsibility, forgiveness, empathy, and the sense of ownership, helping them distinguish between what is "mine" and "yours." It also supports the healing process for students who are victims of cyberbullying. The program is led by Samsung Electro-Mechanics, with participation from Samsung Electronics, Samsung Display, Samsung SDI, Samsung SDS, Samsung Biologics, and Samsung Bioepis.

This forum was attended by over 250 participants, including representatives from six affiliated institutions including Samsung Electro-Mechanics, the Blue Tree Foundation, the Ministry of Education, the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and the Community Chest of Korea. The Blue Elephant forum had been held online annually since its first forum in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and this year marked the first offline event.

CEO Chang Duckhyun of Samsung Electro-Mechanics said, "Samsung launched the Blue Elephant program with the hope that young people would develop the skills to safely navigate the online world. We will continue to work with government agencies and civil society organizations to prevent and eliminate cyberbullying." Chairman Park Gilsung of the Blue Tree Foundation, added, "We hope that Blue Elephant's prevention education can be expanded so that children can develop pro-social skills through education."

The theme of this year's forum was "The Normalization of Cyberbullying: Sustainable Responses and Future Visions." Experts from international organizations, academia, the prosecution, the police, and the education sector gathered to share the current state of cyberbullying and discuss strategies to tackle it.

Ursula Wynhoven, representative of the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU), stated, "One in three young people worldwide experience cyberbullying. We must strengthen international cooperation, including victim support and comprehensive educational campaigns." Shin Hyejin, senior prosecutor at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, suggested, "A legal framework must be established to strengthen accountability for illegal and harmful content on online platforms, such as suspending perpetrators' social media accounts, providing support for victims' recovery, and implementing measures to prevent reoffending."

Additionally, victims and former perpetrators of cyberbullying shared their personal stories of overcoming these experiences. Hong (a 2nd-year high school student and victim of cyberbullying) shared, "A teacher once told me, 'No violence is ever the victim's fault. I'm grateful you're still here, not quitting school or taking your life. You're stronger than you think.' Those words gave me the courage to start a new life." He also encouraged others to truly listen to the stories of victims of cyberbullying and offer heartfelt support. Meanwhile, Kim (27, a former perpetrator of cyberbullying) shared, "Some may judge me for my past, but I hope my story will inspire someone to make better choices. My life began to change the moment I called the school police officer and admitted what I had done. I've learned the meaning of repentance through this process."

At the forum, research results on the social and economic impacts of the Blue Elephant program were also presented. Professor Lee Yonggi of Sejong University presented a paper titled "The Social and Economic Value of the Cyberbullying Prevention Program Blue Elephant," in which he stated, "The Blue Elephant program can reduce the social and economic costs caused by cyberbullying, such as therapy and legal costs. It is estimated that the economic value created by the program will be six times the amount invested in prevention education." He also emphasized, "We need to fully expand the implementation of Blue Elephant program."

Blue Elephant includes five major initiatives: ▲online and in-person prevention education for elementary, middle, and high school students ▲ psychological counseling for victims to help stabilize and recover their emotions ▲ campaigns to eradicate cyberbullying ▲ academic research on the causes of cyberbullying and response policies and ▲platform development.

Since 2021, the program has expanded its outreach through the internet and mobile apps, increasing access to education, counseling, and campaigns nationwide. As of 2024, about 1.16 million students, teachers, and parents have participated in the program, with a goal of reaching 3 million participants by 2029.

Under the CSR vision of "Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People," Samsung is carrying out various social contribution activities for youth education and Win-Win cooperation.

Youth education programs include ▲Samsung SW Academy For Youth ▲Samsung Stepping Stone of Hope ▲Samsung Dream Class ▲Samsung Blue Elephant and ▲Samsung Skills that help our youth reach their full potential.

In addition, SEM is participating in various Win-Win programs such as ▲Small and medium-sized company smart factory transition support ▲C-Lab (Inside/Outside) ▲ Win-Win Fund·Payment Support Fund ▲Incentive payment for partner company ▲Samsung Research Funding & Incubation Center for Future Technology ▲Samsung Guide Dog Program ▲Sharing Kiosk ▲Samsung Multicultural Youth Support Program and ▲Samsung Senior Support Program.

"Samsung CSR Mobile Magazine" (news.samsung.com/kr/csr-magazine) provides descriptions and related contents for Samsung's key CSR activities.

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