At Yubo, we stand in solidarity with Ukraine and all of the Ukrainian people in the wake of the current military invasion. Our hearts go out to those who are suffering as a result of the ongoing violence and who have been displaced from their homes. As a European company, we feel deeply affected by this war on our home continent. We are committed to supporting our employees whose families have been impacted by this devastating crisis, and have pledged to donate to essential on-the-ground relief efforts by organizations such as UNICEF, World Food Program, Direct Relief, International Rescue Committee among others to help deliver urgent supplies and services. We are donating to make a difference and will continue to follow the news closely to determine other ways in which we can show our support.  

On February 24, Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, ordered an invasion of its neighboring country Ukraine in protest of Ukraine’s moves towards joining the European Union and NATO (an international military alliance). Within the first day of the attack, hundreds of thousands of Ukranains fled their homes and tried to seek refuge across borders in countries such as Poland, Hungary and Romania. That number has now reached nearly over 1 million, and the EU believes that figure could quickly climb to 7 million. The Ukrainian people are living through terrifying times as bombs and air missiles rain down on them and they seek cover in bomb shelters left over from the Cold War. With millions displaced from their homes and left in freezing temperatures without food, water, shelter, medical supplies and other essential services, Ukraine is facing one of Europe’s worst humanitarian crises in decades. To learn more about the conflict and what’s happening, you can read about it here. 

Stay informed: Follow journalists, media sources and aid organizations who are on the ground to stay up to date on the current situation and how to help – and be cautious of misinformation by unreliable news sources.

Donate: With millions of Ukrainian people in need of relief, organizations across the world are rallying together to ensure essential resources reach them safely. You can easily support by making a donation to these organizations, or to general funds and personal fundraisers linked here.  

Speak up: Help spread awareness of what is happening in Ukraine and share useful resources with your network of friends and family. 

Go local: See if there are any local food or clothing drives in your area that are transporting supplies to Ukraine for humanitarian aid. 

Contact your government officials: Reach out to your local or national government representatives and urge them to provide safety and protection for Ukrainian refugees. 

At Yubo, we stand in solidarity with Ukraine and all of the Ukrainian people in the wake of the current military invasion. Our hearts go out to those who are suffering as a result of the ongoing violence and who have been displaced from their homes. As a European company, we feel deeply affected by this war on our home continent. We are committed to supporting our employees whose families have been impacted by this devastating crisis

In Support of Ukraine

Safer Internet Day is an international celebration to promote safety and well-being online. It is celebrated by millions of people each February. Each year, Safer Internet Day aims to raise awareness of emerging online issues and current concerns. While it especially promotes online safety for young people, everyone benefits from a safer online world. From cyberbullying to social networking to digital identity, Safer Internet Day inspires an international conversation about using technology responsibly, critically, and creatively. 

In 2021, the theme for Safer Internet Day was “Together for a Better Internet”. It emphasized that whether you are a young person, a parent, a teacher, a policymaker, or whether you represent an organisation or industry, everyone has a role to play in creating and maintaining a better online world. Thousands of local, national, and international organisations participated to promote the positive use of digital technology for children and young people. 

Safer internet day is run by Insafe, a European network of Safer Internet Centres. Centres implement awareness and educational campaigns, run helplines, and work closely with youth to create a better internet. However, Safer Internet Day is also celebrated outside Europe. In 2009, the concept of Safer Internet Day Committees was introduced, and now, more than 100 global Committees work closely with the Safer Internet Day Coordination Team. Many external organizations also support Safer Internet Day with awareness-raising events and activities. Everyone is encouraged to participate in Safer Internet Day, whether they are an organization, a parent, or a young person!

Safer Internet day was created as an initiative of the EU SafeBorders project in 2004 to raise awareness of emerging online issues and current concerns. Safer Internet Day is even more important since the coronavirus crisis forced most of our daily activities to move online. On Safer Internet Day 2021, a brand new research report, “An Internet Young People Can Trust” surveyed over 2,000 young people aged 8-17, and revealed that 77% of 8-17s felt being online had been a more important part of their life in 2020 than before. As young people spend more and more time browsing the internet, we want them to be protected.          

What is the theme of Safer Internet Day 2022? 

The theme of Safer Internet Day 2022 is “All fun and games? Exploring respect and relationships online”. Each year, Safer Internet Day explores a new issue or theme which is impacting the lives of young people online. For 2022, the Day celebrates young people’s role in creating a safer internet and the ways they use the interactive entertainment spaces they are a part of. Online communities and relationships are very important to young people and have only become more important over the last few years. From gaming and chat to streaming and video, young people are shaping interactive entertainment spaces they are a part of. Safer Internet Day 2022 celebrates young people's role in creating a safer internet, whether that is while gaming and creating content or interacting with their friends and peers.

Safer Internet Day 2022 will take place on 8th February 2022!

Celebrate on Yubo, of course! Whether you are taking part in our live streams, or talking to some new friends, make staying safe online a part of the conversation. Here are some other ideas of how to celebrate safer internet day: 

Start a Live on Yubo to raise awareness about online safety! Share your screen and show videos, share tips, and engage with viewers by encouraging them to share how they stay safe online. 

DM a friend to let them know about the activities taking place on Yubo or in your life to celebrate Online Safety Day. Encourage them to become more engaged in the importance of online safety. 

Watch an online safety video. There are so many videos on important safety issues like respectful communication, cyberbullying, online advertising, false information, image sharing, and self-esteem. Watch one to become more informed about online safety and share it with your friends and family so that they can be too!

Develop an online Code of Conduct. Think about how you want to be treated and treat others online. Write down some rules and best practices for yourself. Brainstorms actions you can take to make the online world a better place!

How many countries celebrate safer internet day?

Approximately 200 countries and territories celebrate Safer Internet Day. From its launch in 2004 in the EU, it has grown beyond its traditional geographic zone and is now celebrated worldwide. Its size makes Safer Internet Day a landmark event in the online safety calendar. 

The internet is not inherently unsafe, but there are some emerging safety issues in these spaces as well as issues young people have been navigating for some time; particularly the lack of respect individuals display towards each other, groups ‘ganging up’ against other groups, and the sense that it is easy to ‘get away’ with negative behaviour such as meanness, bullying and swearing. They speak about hate directed at particular groups, particularly LGBT+ users, and misogyny on gaming platforms. They tell us the apparent lack of consequences for negative behaviour has an impact on their safety and well-being. 

The internet is also unsafe because research consistently shows that many children do not tell an adult if something goes wrong online. Safer Internet Day inspires parents to have conversations with their children about online safety. There is currently a lack of policy enforcing that everything that is illegal offline is equally prohibited on the internet. That’s why talking to your child is one of the most effective ways of ensuring they feel safe on the internet and will come to an adult if they encounter an issue. 

What does Yubo do to make the internet safer? 

Not just on Safer Internet Day, but every day, Yubo fosters supportive relationships and respectful communities. We equip our users with the tools they need to keep themselves and others on Yubo safe. We have a zero-tolerance policy for hate, bullying, and harassment. Our platform is a place for connection, community and collaboration because we empower our users to treat each other respectfully and arm them with resources if they encounter hate or bullying directed at them or someone else. 

Safer Internet Day is an international celebration to promote safety and wellbeing online. Yubo takes this opportunity to reiterate its daily commitment to making its platform a safe environment for its entire community. Yubo is a place for connection, community and collaboration because we empower our users to treat each other respectfully and arm them with resources if they encounter hate or bullying directed at them or someone else.

Everything you need to know about Safer Internet Day

Everything You Need to Know About Safer Internet Day

At Yubo, we’ve been focusing on building a place for Gen Z to make meaningful connections and have fulfilling conversations. That’s why we’ve been busy building features that help new users easily make groups of friends with common interests. More specifically, we want to encourage new users to express their hobbies and interests in their profiles and also explain that joining a live for the first time isn’t as high-stakes or intimidating as it may seem. 

Adding Tags at Sign-up = A More Personalized User Experience 

Users add tags to their profiles to show their new friends the latest topics that they’re keen to chat about. To make sure new users start off with plenty to discuss, we’ve included the tags feature in the account creation flow. In order for them to find the right tags to add to their profile, new categories have been launched– making it easier than ever to find everything from your favorite show or your favorite hobby. Already, this feature has been adopted by 65 percent of new users! 

We want our users to make friends with common interests, so it will now be possible to add friends by tags too! This new feature is super easy to access. Now, user’s top tags will appear directly in their “friends” tab so that all they need to do is click on them to find their future friends. 

This feature will also be available directly from users’ profiles. If a user comes across a profile with a  tag that interests them, they can click on it to find other users who share that interest. This feature is going to help users make valuable new connections and meaningful friendships. Not to mention that sharing the same interests is the perfect ice-breaking to start a new friendship! 

We Know Going Live can be Scary: So Let’s do a Test Run First 

Yubo is for all personality types,  from type A extroverts to the painfully shy. And no matter where someone falls on that spectrum, joining a live for the first time can seem intimidating. That’s why we added a new onboarding step that will differentiate between a watcher and a  streamer, and show users that they can join a livestream with their microphones and camera turned off. We hope that this improvement will show every user that they can socialize on Live without barriers, no matter what their comfort level is.

In Yubo's newest product update, we've added two new features: Adding friends by tag, and a Live test run when you create your account. We hope these new features will encourage new users to express their hobbies and interests in their profiles and also explain that joining a live for the first time isn’t as high-stakes or intimidating as it may seem. Adding friends by tag will enable users to make friends with common interests, and to show their new friends the latest topics they are looking to connect about.

Yubo Launches New Features: Add Friends by Tag

Worried about school or uni? Friends or family getting you down? Anxious about your health or finances? It’s been a tough 18 months for everyone so this year’s World Mental Health  Day (#WMHD), which takes place on Sunday 10 October, is more important than ever. 

In the US, for example, a study by not-for-profit organisation FAIR Health found that anxiety and depression among 13 to 22-year olds increased significantly in the spring of 2020. And in the UK, record numbers of children and young people (almost 200,000) sought access to NHS mental health services between April and June 2021, according to a report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Furthermore, this year’s #WMHD theme of ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’ reminds us all that race,  ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, income and other factors can have an impact on our mental health and the kind of care we receive. As this article  by the World Federation for Mental Health puts it, “Many people with a  mental illness do not receive the treatment that they are entitled to  and deserve and together with their families and carers continue to  experience stigma and discrimination.” 

UNICEF recently set out three opportunities for improving young people’s mental health – one of which is to ‘continue engaging young people, their caregivers and their communities in judgement-free conversations about mental health’.  We support this wholeheartedly and, with more than 50 million users, we remain committed to encouraging open and honest dialogue about mental wellbeing on the Yubo platform. 

“At a time when young people should have had the freedom to explore who they are, doing whatever it is that they enjoy and gaining skills for the future, their lives were put on hold for many uncertain months. As everyone around them also seemed super-stressed, it was even harder to be open about how they were feeling. For some, this led to increased feelings of anxiety, stress and low mood,” explains Dr Richard Graham, Consultant Psychiatrist,  Clinical Director of Good Thinking and member of the Yubo safety board. “World Mental Health Day is an excellent opportunity to remind the Yubo community that it’s OK to express how you’re feeling and also feel it is your right to ask for support. Even taking part in Lives can be very helpful for sharing your  thoughts and realising you’re not alone.” 

To raise awareness of #WMHD and support members of the Yubo community on their journey to good mental wellbeing, we’re holding a series of events this month. These include  talks with:

AJ Clementine – an Aussie influencer and model who shares her transition on social media and promotes good mental health and body positivity 

Partnership for Young London – a UK association that aims to connect everyone who cares about young people in London

Emily Rios – a US influencer who advocates for good mental health and body positivity 

Dora Kamau and Akeem Pierre – US influencers who will discuss mental health in the black American community 

We’ll also be running a meditation session with a coach, a bedtime and relaxation story session with Shane Donohue and expanding our Ranting Lives. During these sessions, we invite young people to open up about any problems or concerns they have, vent their emotions and find others who will listen and provide much-needed support.

In addition, we’re teaming up with leading mental health charities and other organisations to run in-app  #WMHD awareness campaigns in our main territories. By working with Stem4 (Australia, New Zealand, US, Canada), Partnership for Young London (UK), Friends (Sweden) and Reach Out (Australia) we’ll give our users access to mental health support and resources. These campaigns will be visible in our Swipes function throughout October.

As the world gets back to some kind of stability after the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s vital that young people receive the support they deserve – so that they can thrive now and plan for the future. This might be through schools, healthcare services, charity helplines or wellbeing apps, such as Stem4. Social media companies like Yubo also play a crucial role by helping young people to connect with and support their peers. As a recent blog on the Parenting for a Digital Future website notes, the internet provides important communication and socialising opportunities for young people. It goes on to say, “In situations when children are struggling  with mental difficulties, online communities can offer unique support as they provide a strong connection, non-judgmental understanding, and a feeling of belonging.”

“The Yubo team has built a social media platform without influencers, followers or likes and works hard to promote kindness, positivity and resilience,” comments Annie Mullins  OBE, Safety Advisor to Yubo. “With young people turning to their digital spaces more and more, it’s vital that Yubo promotes national awareness days such as #WMHD but, more importantly, that self-care and supporting others is encouraged all year round. Thank you to everyone who is giving a  talk and supporting our in-app wellbeing campaigns – we really  appreciate it.”

Friends not followers, Mental health during COVID-19 and Safer Internet Day.

Yubo is celebrating this World Mental Health Day with special guests, events, and of course, Lives about the importance of mental health

Yubo x World Mental Health Day

The Gen Z social network app expands its sustainable freemium business model protecting user data

Yubo, the leading platform for young people to socialise online, today announces the launch of YuBucks, a virtual online currency. This new paid feature is part of the development of the social network's unique business model that monetises through sustainable social commerce rather than selling its users' data.

In mid-July, Yubo will also be launching another new paid-for feature: Pixels. Yubo has collaborated with the Pixel artist Banfan to create collectible digital art representing qualities, moods, and personalities. Yubo users will be able to purchase these in-app and can start their own collection, send it to their friends and send it to people they admire on the app, for example, their favorite streamers.

Yubo - Introducing Pixels

Founded in 2015, Yubo’s mission is to enable Gen Z to make genuine friendships online and is completely influencer free and like-free. By moving away from the traditional social network business model, Yubo’s users are able to more easily connect with each other without the pressure of likes. 

Sacha Lazimi, Co-founder and CEO of Yubo, said “The launch of YuBucks and upcoming launch of Pixels, is another step forward in strengthening our unique business model that montezises through social commerce as well as enhances the in-app experience for our users. 

Our freemium business models allow us to keep our users' data safe and protected, which is a top priority for us and our users. We are carving a new path in social media - at Yubo, we believe you shouldn't have to sell your personal data in order to enjoy and experience a platform.”

The addition of YuBucks creates a more seamless experience for users as they can purchase any paid-for feature in-app without having to repeat the payment process. As a result, users waste less time on microtransactions and can fully enjoy their experience on Yubo.

Yubucks will also facilitate the prize or reward system at events organised in the application. Users will be able to win prizes in YuBucks and be free to choose which paid feature they prefer and wish to obtain.

Yubo, the leading platform for young people to socialise online, announces the launch of YuBucks, a virtual online currency. Yubo also launched another new paid-for feature: Pixels, collectible digital art representing qualities, moods, and personalities.

Yubo Launches YuBucks and Pixels

~  Bye bye Valentine’s Day pressures and traditions, why not committing to yourself this year instead? Gen Z is changing the rules and building on self-love ~ 

Whilst this time of year tends to shine a spotlight on romantic relationships, at Yubo we believe that the most important relationship you have is the one you share with yourself. This month, we decided to invite some inspiring and strong young people to reflect on self-love by opening up about issues they’ve had to overcome to be their most authentic selves today. 

We surveyed over 35,000 of our 13-25 year-old users all over the world to better understand how they value their relationship with themselves, rather than with a partner. Turns out over a fifth (33% in the US and 21% in the UK) referenced the former as the “the most important” vs. 16.5% citing a romantic partner, coming last behind their relationship with their family (24% in the US) or friends (29% in the UK). 

Despite this, half (51%) of Gen Zers still feel there is a societal pressure to be in a relationship on Valentine’s day. And, where is this pressure coming from? 

Doing it for the ‘gram: Overwhelmingly, half (50%) of teens and young adults said they felt the most pressure to be loved up on Valentine’s Day from traditional social media 

Me, Myself and I: A fifth (21%) said the pressure is actually coming from within themselves 

Television Romance: 17% of Gen Zers said TV shows, movies and music are fuelling the romantic pressure around Valentine's day

Although Gen Z prioritises the relationship with themselves over a romantic relationship, we revealed that over two-fifths (43%) of Gen Z say that loving themselves is ‘still a work in progress. However, young people are taking necessary steps to love themselves by spending more time on self-care at least a few times a week, with more than 20% actually carving out time for it even daily. 

A guide to Gen Z Self-care - Speak, Sleep, Work Out, Hydrate, Repeat

The most popular forms of self-care for Gen Z is working out (coming first in the UK with 36.5%), getting more sleep (with an overwhelming success in the US with 47,7%) and speaking to or spending time with friends and family (coming first in Australia with more than 38%). This is closely followed by drinking more water and shopping. 

In light of the findings, Yubo knows facilitating young people in learning to love themselves is more important than ever before, especially as lockdowns have negatively affected the mental health of those aged between 13-24 severely. A survey conducted on our users revealed more than 60% of British and American teens felt depressed because of the pandemic. 

In order to help them boost their self-compassion this Valentine's day, Dr Richard Graham, Consultant Psychiatrist, Clinical Director of Good Thinking and member of the Yubo safety board, has revealed his top tips to help us all learn how to treat ourselves with more kindness: 

Comfort your body. Try to eat something healthy. Lie down and get some rest. Perhaps massage your own neck, feet, or hands or even take a walk. Remember the things that improve how you feel physically and try them again.

Give yourself encouragement. Think of what you would say to a good friend if he or she was facing a difficult or stressful situation. Then say those same words to yourself to boost your confidence and motivation. 

Make time for some breathing space. Make time for some breathing space. When everything seems uncertain or overwhelming, take a break. Take note of your feelings, but then also focus on your body senses; feel the ground beneath your feet. This will refresh you and help you engage with what you need to.

Put it into print. When you are feeling more relaxed, write down or print off a list of your achievements, or your good qualities and keep it somewhere safe. If you start to doubt yourself, read those words again and respect the person who wrote them.

Address the Problem: Get to the root of what is bothering you first and foremost so you can figure out how to navigate the problem. From there, you can identify what you need to feel better about the situation and ultimately practice self-love. 

Embracing your true self online: giving a voice to our community

In addition to the poll, we also had the chance to speak with some of our amazing users that have learned to love and embrace who they are over time and with the support of friends on Yubo :

Zach (@queenzach2019 on Yubo) a 19-year-old from suburban Pennsylvania: “Yubo has served as a powerful vessel for me, a place I have been able to connect with friends that only a few months ago they had not even known yet. While self-love hasn’t always been easy for me, and still is something I work on daily, Yubo has been a safe space for me to be myself in the truest form of the word.” 

Mikaylah (@kaykaymid) from Long Island, NY: “As a student in my first year at college during a pandemic in NYC, it’s hard to meet new people. Even though I’m on the dance team, making friends during lockdowns hasn’t been easy on campus. Yubo has made my friend pool that much wider, where we can talk about body positivity, self-care and self-love, and anything else that’s on our minds.”

Whilst this time of year tends to shine a spotlight on romantic relationships, at Yubo we believe that the most important relationship you have is the one you share with yourself.

Thank you, Next

Thank You, Next

2020 has shone a spotlight on many inequalities in our society and we have seen a renewed interest in politics and social justice among young people. From climate change (#FridaysForFuture) to systemic racism (#BlackLivesMatter), from COVID-19 (#StayHome) to sexual violence (#MeToo), social media provides a vital platform for teens and others to focus on the issues that matter to them.

In the midst of a global pandemic, the US election captured many young people’s attention. Described by one media outlet as “the revenge of the millennials”, young voters were a decisive factor in the election result. Figures from NBC suggest that 65% of 18 to 24-year-olds voted for Joe Biden – significantly more than any other age group.

We certainly saw the US election gain traction on Yubo. Over the last six months, there were more than 150,000 live streams on the topic and, around election day (3-4 November), the Yubo community was discussing Trump vs Biden in more than 15,000 live streams.

During election week, we ran a poll of more than 14,000 Yubo members under the age of 18 in the US. More than half (59%) of the respondents said they were “very invested” in the election and 82% had watched at least one of the presidential debates. When we asked “What topic was most important for you in the 2020 election?”, ‘social justice’ was the most popular answer (57%) – streets ahead of ‘economics’ (8%), ‘environment’ (7%) and ‘education’ (3%).  

There are lots of examples in American history of young people driving social change, including the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. With so many economic and social issues currently affecting the younger generation, it’s perhaps no surprise that youth voter turnout in the 2020 US election was much higher than four years ago. Strikingly, 93% of the under-18 Yubo users we surveyed said they would have voted if they had been allowed to. 

Inspired by young activists, such as Greta Thunberg, Ja’Mal Green and Malala Yousafzai, children and teens are increasingly urging politicians and other decision-makers to help them change the world. As Deloitte’s Global Millennial Survey notes, young people are “... deeply affected by the pandemic but seem able to see opportunity in the darkness, viewing this crisis as an opportunity to reset and drive the change they want to see. Millennials and Gen Zs aren’t just hoping for a better world to emerge after the COVID-19 pandemic releases its grip on society — they want to lead the change.”

For younger members of the Yubo community, we offer a safe space where they can meet new people and hang out. As our usage stats show, many young people are choosing to debate the issues of the day in our live rooms. With more than half of the respondents in our recent poll citing ‘social justice’ as the most important topic when electing a new President of the United States, technology continues to play a vital role in connecting them to one another and helping them to have their voices heard. We are proud to support this go-getting, change-inspiring, put-others-first generation.

Find out how we’re supporting the Yubo community when it comes to equality, mental health and online safety.

2020 has shone a spotlight on many inequalities in our society and we have seen a renewed interest in politics and social justice among young people. We certainly saw the US election gain traction on Yubo. Over the last six months, there were more than 150,000 live streams on the topic and, around election day, the Yubo community was discussing Trump vs Biden in more than 15,000 live streams.

Social Justice and Social Media

Social justice and Social Media

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been hard on everyone. For young people, in particular, it could have a long-lasting impact on their mental health and well-being. Missing school and exams, not being able to see friends, losing jobs and apprenticeships... Many teenagers and young adults have had their lives turned upside down. 

By April 2020, more than 1.5 billion young people around the world were staying at home as part of lockdowns and the situation has been described by youth organisations as “an eerie world, full of uncertainty”. In a recent UK study, almost half (42%) of 16 to 29-year-olds said the COVID-19 lockdown was having a negative impact on their mental health and, in the US, young people reported being bored (52%), worried (49%) and scared (34%). All this at a time when they would normally be developing their social skills, connecting and socialising with others and building a sense of identity.

“There has been a huge disruption to daily routines,” comments Dr Richard Graham, Consultant Psychiatrist, Clinical Director of Good Thinking and member of the Yubo safety board. “Many of the anchors that support young people’s mental health, like school, friends and exercise, have been removed and this has created a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety.” 

As lockdowns are eased around the world, the concerns don’t go away. Young people continue to be worried about their health (Might I or someone I know get sick?), their education (When will I go back to school/college and how will the disruption to exams affect my grades?), their finances (What if I lose my job or can’t get a job?) and their future (Will I be able to travel, work, socialise and have the kind of life I want?). So, how have members of the Yubo community supported each other in recent months and how has the Yubo team helped?

As Maslow’s hierarchy of needs shows, human beings have social needs, such as acceptance and belonging. With physical distancing in place, many young people have found that online communities are helping them to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. Research shows that connecting with family and friends online and going on social media are popular coping strategies. 

As one Forbes journalist put it, “... in order to socialize, entertain themselves, or even plainly put, kill time, many [teenagers] have turned to their good old friend: their smartphone.” We have certainly seen this at Yubo. In 2020, we have doubled our daily active users and the time our users spend in live streams has increased by more than 350%. 

Digital spaces were already deeply embedded in young people’s lives and are often used to support their health and well-being. Health and technology advisor Susannah Fox notes that many young people go online for peer support on health issues, for example. She describes this as having a “just-in-time-someone-like-you”. COVID-19 has amplified the need for human connection and trusted relationships and, if you can’t get these face-to-face, online is a great alternative.

“Over the last few months, young people seem to have been looking for meaningful interactions on social media rather than just passive scrolling or superficial rewards such as ‘likes’,” says Dr Graham. “Live streams allow you to be yourself and share your thoughts with a small group of friends, rather than posting filtered images for thousands of people to see. They are a less pressured and more authentic way of communicating.”

With screen time increasing, however, so too might some of the risks. As well as being concerned that the online/offline balance might have become skewed, young people and their families might have to deal with fake news, misinformation, online bullying and sexual exploitation. That’s why we continue to support younger members of the Yubo community with safety advice and innovative tools, such as age checks, pop-up alerts and real-time interventions. 

Recognising the potential impact of COVID-19 on our users’ mental health, we recently partnered with NHS-approved digital mental well-being service Good Thinking to raise awareness of support resources available in the UK. To mark Mental Health Awareness Week and help the Yubo community fight anxiety and stress during lockdown, we created this in-App campaign, which has had more than 300 000 views.

“Our focus at Good Thinking is on encouraging good self-care. We offer tips, expert advice and NHS-approved apps to help reduce stress, anxiety and low mood and improve sleep,” explains Dr Graham. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have created an advice hub that includes tips to help young people and their families deal with any concerns they have and become more resilient.” 

COVID-19 has emphasised the many benefits of digital technology – for example, an article in The Lancet notes that social media might help to make up for some negative effects of social distancing among young people – but the pandemic has also highlighted there are limitations. Could fake news and unhealthy opinions go unchallenged in online chats? When a live stream comes to an end, might the participants feel lonely? 

As a responsible platform, we need to be aware of the mental health challenges our users might face and help them to deal with them. “The Yubo x Good Thinking video is a great example of how you can nudge your audience to take action,” comments Dr Graham. “It caught Yubo users’ attention while they interacted with the app, reminding them that they should focus on their wellbeing at this difficult time and reassuring them that support is available.” 

The video provided a template for other campaigns on issues that matter to our community, such as Pride Month. With so much uncertainty in young people’s lives right now, our strategy here at Yubo remains the same: protect, support, and educate.

Read Good Thinking’s advice about five ways to good mental well-being and listen to the Good Thinking podcasts about online communities, healthy screen/life balance and how to thrive in our digital present and future.

Useful websites to support your mental health:

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been hard on everyone. Yubo is committed to supporting its users through this difficult time by sharing several resources to maintain a good mental health.

Maintaining a Good Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Maintaining Good Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Who am I? Where do I fit in? Who do I want to be? We all ask ourselves these questions. During adolescence, young people start to explore, experiment and figure out who they are. Shaped by family, environment, culture, education and other factors, they face complex choices and challenges in their quest for identity and independence.

In recent weeks, the issue of identity has been high on the news agenda. After the tragic death of George Floyd, many people have been speaking out against racism and taking part in the #BlackLivesMatter protests. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has also shone a spotlight on inequalities – for example, UK studies have found significantly higher mortality rates among ethnic minorities.

When research firm Ypulse asked teenagers and young adults in the US ‘What is the biggest problem your generation faces right now?’ The answer was: racism and discrimination. Our own poll of Yubo users in the US (14 June 2020) revealed that 88% feel that Black Americans are treated differently to others. 86% of respondents think that peaceful protests/political demonstrations are necessary to create a significant change and 77% have posted on social media to support equality for Black Americans.

Pride Month, which celebrated LGBTQ+ communities all over the world in June, has also reminded everyone of the importance of equality and tolerance. Here at Yubo, we partnered with three organisations – Switchboard in the UK, The Trevor Project in the US and Le Refuge in France – to support Pride and promote diversity. You can find out more about these partnerships in this video.

“Together, we have worked on a campaign that aims to promote acceptance and affirmation of one’s identity,” explains Natasha Walker, Co-Chair at Switchboard. “Thought-provoking messages such as ‘Am I the only one who feels like this?’, ‘I feel trapped in my body’ and ‘If this is who I am, why do I feel ashamed?’ were sent to Yubo’s teenage users in the UK, in a bid to encourage those who are struggling with their gender identity and sexuality to telephone the helpline for support.”

Yubo partners with LGBT+ helplines for Pride Month

The digital world has become a fundamental part of young people’s identity over the last decade – a space in which they can discover who they are and grow as a person. Indeed, more than a third (38%) of respondents to a survey by the UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) said they find it easier to be themselves online.

As psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos notes in this video, young people increasingly “crowdsource” their identity online. “Social media, as well as being a way of communicating and connecting, is also a way of gauging what people think about you,” she says. “So, a lot of times, posts are about seeing how accepted you are, how valued you are, where you fit in. Your behaviour online begins to be shaped by the responses that you get.”

Of course, you might get a really positive response. As this article in Pink News shows, Yubo can offer a vital support system. 18-year-old Thee Amir live-streams make-up tutorials on the app and describes joining our community as “life-changing” because of the support he has received from other LGBTQ+ young people.

With almost 30 million users, we have a responsibility to help younger members of the Yubo community to develop a positive identity. The recent UKSIC survey found that a quarter (25%) of 13 to 17-year-olds had been bullied or attacked online because of their sexuality, race, religion, disability or gender identity. We have zero tolerance for bullying and discrimination – we provide industry-leading safety tools and take action against reports of racism, homophobia and other online hate on our platform.

As the BLM protests continue and Pride Month comes to a close, we’re more determined than ever to make Yubo a positive, diverse and compassionate community. That includes supporting young people as they develop their identity and increase their self-esteem. As the famous quote goes, “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken”.

Yubo’s tips for promoting positive identity online

Be proud of who you are – don’t pretend to be something you’re not or filter out any aspects of your life. 

Be kind to others – nasty comments can be extremely hurtful and might even be illegal so always think before you post. 

Be vigilant – if you or someone else experiences discrimination or harassment on Yubo, report it to us immediately so we can take action.

Who am I? Where do I fit in? Who do I want to be? We all ask ourselves these questions. During adolescence, young people start to explore, experiment and figure out who they are. Yubo gives them a voice and a safe environment to discover themselves and the world.

Let’s talk identity

Let’s Talk Identity

How we’re empowering young people to value and protect their personal information on Yubo

For many years, children and teenagers have been told to ‘think before you post. But, in a world where our online and offline lives are more blurred than ever and we’re all a lot more relaxed about sharing our personal information, is this still a realistic message?

“It’s more important than ever to be careful about what you share in your digital spaces,” says Annie Mullins OBE, who advises us on safety issues at Yubo. “It can be very easy to get caught up in a conversation with someone on social media and think it’s OK to tell them where you live, where you go to college, your phone number or your email address.” 

“Our advice for young people is to put the brakes on and take a moment before sharing this kind of personal information with someone you’ve only chatted to a few times online,” she adds. “It’s often best to err on the side of caution and keep certain personal details to yourself.”

Here at Yubo, we’re committed to helping our users have the best possible experience on the app. That’s why we’ve started asking young people if they are sure they want to share their personal details. We’ve recently introduced a feature in private chat that triggers a pop-up when someone types in a phrase such as ‘I live in London’ and then gives them the opportunity to change their mind about posting it.

Of course, many young people are aware that their data is valuable but, when they feel like they’re talking to someone they trust, they sometimes forget that it could be misused. Even broad information, such as the name of your city or town, could be used to find out your address, places you hang out and who your friends and family are. If you have public profiles on lots of social networks, your digital footprint could provide strangers with valuable information that could be used to coerce you into doing something you don’t want to do.

Still in the early stages, our new pop-up feature is already showing great results: we send around 20,000 pop-ups every day and 12% of our users who see these alerts decide not to send their personal information. The tool uses an algorithm to further enhance our portfolio of innovative safety tools. For example, we also use AI to conduct age checks and we intervene in real-time during live streams when we think someone could be putting themselves or others in danger.

“We try to strike the right balance between encouraging participation and providing protection for the many young people in our community,” says our COO Marc-Antoine Durand. “This new pop-up is a great example of how we help teens to make smart choices. This is about encouraging them to be more cautious and to take control of their digital footprint.”

As we enter the new decade, we’re seeing a greater focus across industry on putting safety at the heart of app and website development and empowering users to better manage their online experience. Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has recently introduced a ‘Safety by Design’ initiative, for example. With more than 25 million members all over the world, we will continue to focus on making Yubo a safe space for young people to make new friends – in 2020 and beyond.

Visit the Yubo Safety Center for more information and advice.

Here at Yubo, we’re committed to helping our users have the best possible experience on the app. That’s why we’ve started asking young people if they are sure they want to share their personal details. Yubo's recently introduced a feature in private chat that triggers a pop-up when someone types in a phrase such as ‘I live in London’ and then gives them the opportunity to change their mind about posting it.

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