Cybersmile Foundation Reveals Impact of Online Abuse on Young People with Eye-Catching Permanent Tattoos

The Cybersmile Foundation, the award-winning charity committed to digital wellbeing and online safety, has launched ‘Words Are Permanent’, a campaign designed to highlight the impact of online abuse among young people.

Created by adam&eveDDB London, the campaign uses real comments made to young people online and turns them into eye-catching permanent tattoos on the faces of children. The creative shines a spotlight on the fact that online comments only take a few seconds to write but can cause permanent damage to the person being targeted.

With 88% of gen z indicating that social media use negatively affects their mental health*, young people in the UK are being deeply affected by negative experiences online.

The visuals, created in collaboration with Untold Studios and designers Chris Chapman, Scott Silvey and Esteban Calvo Marin, are designed to raise awareness of the harmful long-term effect of online abuse and direct people to Cybersmile, who promote safety online.

The models themselves were created using AI, to ensure no real children were negatively impacted by the campaign and media placement was carefully considered.

The second phase of the campaign launches today (May 22nd) and will appear across out-of-home, print, including The Standard, and social platforms. Media partners include Talon Outdoor and Open Media.

Scott Freeman, CEO of The Cybersmile Foundation, said, “This campaign is a powerful and thought-provoking example of the long-term effects that online abuse can have on young people today. It amplifies the issue and supports our commitment to creating a safer and more inclusive internet for all.”

Ant Nelson and Mike Sutherland, chief creative officers, adam&eveDDB London, added, “It’s shocking to see how cruel people can be online - in particular, regarding comments targeted at children. This is why we needed a campaign with a big impact to make people feel something and draw attention to the issue, drive conversation and signpost support. This is a subject close to our hearts, and we hope the work plays a part in creating positive change.”

Founded in 2010, Cybersmile tackles all forms of online bullying and abuse to help create an internet where everyone is free to communicate, learn, play, and express themselves without fear.

The charity runs a range of programmes and initiatives, including research, education, and support services, as well as coordinated brand partner and awareness activities.

* The Cybersmile Foundation (2022). Digital Wellbeing Report (2022): A national UK study examining the impact of social media use on gen z wellbeing.