iWorld
Cyberbullying may lead to depression in Asian kids
MUMBAI: Telenor Group, on this Safer Internet Day 2017, released results from a survey of parents and adults across Asia in order to give greater visibility of the types of digital bullying affecting youth and how they deal with it. The survey was conducted over Facebook with 320 respondents primarily from Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand and other Asian countries. While cyberbullying exists across all countries, the respondents said that they are discussing cyberbullying with youth and feel that resilience is being built, which may help them tackle digital abuse or better empathize with victims. The survey targeted Facebook users from 18-64 with stated interests in parenting, family issues, child welfare and online security.
“In the lead up to Safer Internet Day, we conducted this digital survey to keep on the pulse of the ever-evolving arena of digital bullying, to see how it affects children in Asia, and what both adults and children can do about it,” says Telenor Group director – Social Responsibility Zainab Hussain Siddiqui. “Encouragingly, across Asia,we see examples of awareness-building efforts – on the part of our company and many others – reaching scores of children, parents and school teachers. And we hope this is leading to more resilience against online mistreatment.”
Telenor India’s WebWise, a flagship programme on children’s cyber safety & security, also reveals that in India 99 per cent school-going children in urban areas are using internet out of which every second child feels unsafe online. Over 35 per cent children have experienced hacking of their account while 15.74 per cent shared that they have received inappropriate messages.
First things first: Parents say they do talk to their children about cyberbullying Dialogue is the first step in helping children understand how, why and on what channels online mistreatment can happen – and how to manage and report it. One of the first findings of this survey sheds a positive light on the situation. A majority of the respondents (46 per cent) say that they speak to their children ‘all the time’ about internet and online behavior, followed by 39 per cent who discussed this ‘sometimes’. Only 12 per cent said they had never spoken about this topic. A large segment of Asian adults feel empowered and aware enough to address online safety with youth.
Common experiences in cyberbullying
‘Being the target of hostile and rude comments and profanity online’ was the most common form of cyberbullying incidents that respondents’ children had experienced (22.5 per cent of respondents). The next largest group said they ‘did not know’ if any of the listed cyberbullying incidents had occurred to their child. The third largest group said their children had not experienced cyberbullying as they have been ‘trained how to respond and defend themselves’ against this type of activity.
Effects of cyberbullying vary
When asked how cyberbullying experiences affected the child, the answer was multi-layered with some surprises. They implied that Asia’s children are increasingly learning how to deal with bullying online, or actively were able to ignore the attacks with no effect on them. While 29 per cent of respondents said that being cyberbullied affected the child negatively and they were ‘depressed’ for a time period, 24 per cent said that the situation made the child more alert and able to defend themselves online. A further 24 per cent said the child did not seem to be affected, with seven per cent even saying the online bullying ‘inspired the child to then help other victims.’
Cyberbullying and online gaming
Those whose children play online games reported a higher rate of cyberbullying attacks than standard browsing activities. Of those surveyed, 79 per cent said their child or a child that they know has been threatened with physical harm while playing online games specifically on websites or on social media. This was followed by 41 per cent who said the child was the target of offensive comments including name calling, racist or sexist remarks.
Important: Education on appropriate websites
The reportedly most important online safety topic for children was to make sure that they know which websites or social networks are safe – or which should be kept out of bounds (27 per cent of respondents). This was followed closely by education about sharing personal information online (26 per cent), and knowing that people post anonymously online without repercussions (25 per cent).
Other risks: Sharing personal information and visiting forbidden websites
Cyberbullying formed part of the online concerns that adults hold for youth, but the responses of the survey point out that risky online actions in general need to be addressed through education. Of the respondents, 55 per cent said their child had given personal information to strangers online, followed by 51 per cent who said the child had visited websites they were not supposed to.
However, while online scams and social media platforms in an increasingly digital worldappear to be more prolific than ever, it was interesting to note that respondents said their child, or a child they knew, was least likely to experience email and social media account hacking, as well as sharing NSFW (Not Safe for Work) photos or videos.
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iWorld
Why Peaky Blinders is one of television’s biggest hits that still deserves more attention
Six seasons, multiple awards and the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man bring the Shelby saga back into the spotlight
In the crowded universe of streaming content, only a handful of shows manage to leave a lasting cultural footprint. Peaky Blinders is overwhelmingly considered one of the biggest global hits of the past decade. Yet many viewers still haven’t fully explored the dark, gripping world of the Shelby family.
Originally produced for the UK’s BBC and later finding a massive global audience through Netflix, the series quietly grew from a British period drama into a worldwide streaming phenomenon.
Created by Steven Knight, the show follows the rise of the Shelby crime family in post-First World War Birmingham. What begins as a gritty street-gang story gradually expands into a sweeping narrative about ambition, politics, power and survival.
At the centre of the saga is Thomas Shelby, portrayed with extraordinary depth by Cillian Murphy. The casting of Murphy is widely regarded as perfect for the role. With piercing eyes, restrained dialogue and an almost hypnotic screen presence, he transforms Shelby into one of the most unforgettable characters in modern screen storytelling.
Murphy’s brilliance lies in his restraint. He rarely shouts or performs theatrically. Instead, a quiet stare, a calculated pause or a subtle shift in expression conveys the emotional storms within the character. Beneath the ruthless gang leader is a war veteran carrying trauma, guilt and loneliness. Murphy captures this complexity with remarkable precision, making Thomas Shelby both terrifying and deeply human.
Beyond its central performance, Peaky Blinders stands out for its unfiltered portrayal of reality. The show does not romanticise crime. Instead, it exposes the harsh social conditions of early 20th-century Britain, from poverty and class struggle to political extremism and the psychological scars left by war.
The series also presents powerful female characters who hold their own within the Shelby empire. Polly Gray, played by Helen McCrory, is the strategic backbone of the family and one of the most formidable figures in the story. Women in the series shape decisions, influence power structures and challenge the rigid social norms of the time.
Across six seasons, the narrative grows dramatically in scale. What begins in the smoky streets of Birmingham evolves into a story involving political conspiracies, fascism and international criminal networks.
The series has also earned significant critical acclaim. It won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2018 and multiple National Television Awards for Best Drama, cementing its reputation as one of Britain’s most celebrated modern shows.
Another defining feature of the series is its iconic music. The show’s opening theme, Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, became instantly recognisable and widely associated with the Shelby universe. Combined with a powerful soundtrack featuring artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead, the music helped shape the show’s dark, stylish identity and became hugely popular among fans.
And the Shelby story is not over yet.
In fact, its legacy is unfolding right now. The long-awaited feature-length continuation, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, was released on March 6, 2026, bringing the Shelby universe from streaming screens to cinemas and giving fans a new chapter in the saga.
For viewers who have not yet stepped into this world, the timing could not be better.
Six gripping seasons are ready to binge on Netflix. A new film has just arrived in theatres. And at the heart of it all stands one of the most magnetic performances in modern drama by Cillian Murphy.
So if Peaky Blinders has been sitting on your watchlist for years, this weekend is your moment.
So, by order of the Peaky fookin’ Blinders, consider this your cue to finally step into the ruthless world of Thomas Shelby. Pour yourself a drink, clear your schedule and press the play button. Because when the Peaky Blinders give an order, you listen.
