Judge says generation gap causing issues with cyber bullyng

And a top cop says parents must match their children's cyber skills to stay a step ahead of online predators.

A conference of law and education experts in Melbourne next week will be told judges and magistrates must be trained on technology to gain a better understanding of cyber bullying.

Judge Andrew Becroft, principal judge of the New Zealand Youth Court, said: "Cyber bullying is outside the experience of many in the justice system, some judges included.

"We have all been teenagers and have all witnessed bullying," he said.

"But growing up with different technology means many in the justice system have not been directly exposed to the pernicious nature of cyber bullying, and its potential to be spread worldwide.

"Technology is changing all the time and at a rate faster than our legislative capacity has kept up with."

Judge Becroft said he too had been ignorant of the problem.

"Most of us involved in youth justice are a generation removed from cyber bullying, and that's one of the challenges we face every day," he said.

"We must be trained to deal with the issues. We must do it. It is a non-negotiable part of our training."

The National Centre Against Bullying, Australian Federal Police and Victoria University's Sir Zelman Cowen Centre has organised the Bullying, Young People and the Law Symposium to help improve the safety of all Australians online.

Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner (operations) Michael Phelan, who will also speak at the two-day conference beginning on Thursday, urged parents to match their children's abilities online to ward off trolls and stalkers on social media.

"The digital divide between what children know and what their parents know can mean that we may be one step behind children and, subsequently, one step behind the offenders," he said.

It is estimated almost a third of young Australians have been bullied at least fortnightly.

wes.hosking@news.com.au