Melania Trump says she is 'well aware people are skeptical’ about her cyber bullying campaign
She is married to Donald Trump
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Opening a meeting to discuss how technology affects young people, First Lady Melania Trump acknowledged the incredulous reactions when she announced she would highlight cyber bullying.
“I am well aware that people are skeptical of me discussing the topic”, Ms Trump said during a White House meeting with technology executives.
Given her husband’s fondness for publicly belittling foes and doling out derisive nicknames, Ms Trump’s decision to focus on combatting bullying raised ample eyebrows.
She has spotlighted online abuse in particular, saying young people are especially vulnerable when they log into their social media accounts.
“In my role as first lady, I receive many letters from children who have been bullied or feel threatened on social media,” she said.
Critics have suggested her campaign could start with addressing Donald Trump’s propensity for blistering tweets, often issued in the early morning hours, in which he savages everyone from Democrats to professional football players to members of his own administration.
But Ms Trump said she would not let the detractors deter her.
“I have been criticised for my commitment to tackling this issue and I know that will continue, but it will not stop me from doing what I know is right. I am here with one goal: helping children and our next generation,” said FLOTUS.
The First Lady brought together a meeting of technology industry executives representing heavyweight companies like Twitter, Amazon and Facebook.
Among the initiatives they floated were efforts to teach online literacy and use artificial intelligence to disseminate information on bullying.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments