Monica Lewinsky Launches Anti-Cyberbullying Emoji Initiative

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Just in time for Safer Internet Day on Feb. 9, Monica Lewinsky has unveiled the #BeStrong Emoji Keyboard App, a new set of emojis intended to help fight cyberbullying. Lewinsky, a known anti-bullying advocate, developed the tool in collaboration with British carrier Vodafone, and explained that the emojis are intended to enable people to show support for victims of cyberbullying when they’re unsure of the right words to say.

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“Thousands of people are bullied online—daily,” she wrote in an article for Vanity Fair. “For World Safer Internet Day on February 9, it’s worth considering not only the many ways people can feel unsafe online but also new methods to help limit abusive behavior—or, at least, to blunt the emotional fallout. Support—whether it’s from friends or strangers—matters. Trust me on this. In today’s world, particularly online and especially for younger people, support—knowing you are not alone—is vital and can even save lives.”

The emojis were first released in European markets in September and are now set to launch globally among all major mobile carriers.

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Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com