D
efine the Line is a research program based at McGill University and directed by Dr. Shaheen Shariff, an international expert who has pioneered research on cyberbullying over the last decade. Through our website, our research projects (Facebook and SSHRC), and our outreach initiatives, we aim to help clarify the blurred lines between cyberbullying and digital citizenship, with a focus on policymaking, education and law.
Our aim is to share our research findings and expertise with policymakers, educators, jurists, parents and youth to help all parties understand the complex nature of cyberbullying and address the existing policy vacuum on the legal and ethical limits of online expression. Effective policymaking, which is grounded in an understanding of children and youth, and prioritizes education over legislation, will help to reduce occurrences of cyberbullying and foster digital citizenship in youth from a young age.