One in three students in grades six to ten say they've been involved in bullying, either as victims, or as bulliers.  On Tuesday, Facebook and Time Warner, Inc  announced a plan to expand their bullying prevention campaign.   Facebook will develope a Social Pledge app in time for back to school season, and Time Warner is promising another town meeting with Anderson Cooper on CNN in  as well as multi-media treatment of the concerns, including on its cartoon network and in People, Sports Illustrated and Time magazines.  Many events are scheduled for October, which is bullying prevention month.

Word of the national campaign came as good news to Nick Longo, part of 'Stop the Hate, Spread the Hope' which fights bullying with teen-to-teen efforts, primarily on Facebook and other social media.  Longo says the group started out of a film project on bullying at West Genesee High School.  Stop  the Hate, Spread the Hope has pages on Facebook, and the website, still under construction, should be ready soon. 'We decided to do this right,' says Longo.  They got a business certificate, and are working on not-for profit status, and now even has help from the US Department of Education, networking with other anti bullying groups around the country. 

Longo says he never in his life thought the outreach effort would get so big, but he says 'we have to address the bystanders.'
Most, he says, are afraid that if they get involved they'll get bullied, or hurt.  'Once the bystanders stand up and say no,' Longo says, 'that's when we'll make a difference.'

Most of the group's work is done through the internet, but a back to school rally is in the works, in Camillus, in August.
And, before then, Longo, who's just come from the American Legion Boys State in Morrisville, will be a delegate to Boys Nation later this month.  He plans to take along some of the Stop the Hate, Spread the Hope t-shirts to get the message across, and hopes to give some to President Obama, when he hosts the group at the White House.