Under 15 years old, a neighbor from Santa Cruz de Tenerife engaged in self-harm based on requests from some of his followers on the social network X, formerly known as Twitter. The teenager cut himself in several parts of his body, including arms, legs, and the back, for example. On some occasions, it was watchers of these behaviors who encouraged him to do so or explained how to perform the acts.
The situation was disclosed by officials from the Canary Islands Computer Crime Observatory, who, upon a relative’s call, offered support to help end the behavior and urged the social network to take measures to prevent similar acts among its users [ODIC].
The boy’s father told El Día, of Prensa Ibérica, that neither he nor his wife knew what their son did on X. He said the family learned of the events thanks to a friend of their son [ODIC].
The teenager who self-harmed gave his account to that friend. The friend then told his parents, who chose to inform the school staff. The secondary school administration informed the boy’s parents. The man quoted in El Día states that the self-harm displays on X ended in November of the previous year. Since then, the minor has been receiving support from a psychologist [ODIC].
Moreover, the mother and father agreed to seek the help of a public defender. One option involved reporting the incidents directly to the social network’s personnel. However, the provided link never worked [ODIC].
Another course of action included filing a complaint against X with the National Police for permitting the publication of that kind of content [ODIC].
Additionally, the family receives backing from a group that specializes in these scenarios and collaborates with several town councils [ODIC].
The guardian attributes the behavior to anxiety, and the psychologist’s work aims to assist the boy in overcoming these episodes [ODIC].
“It tears life apart”
The teen does not want to talk openly with loved ones about the reasons behind his actions or show the injuries to a wide circle, confiding only in a few trusted people. The parent believes the behavior could be a cry for attention to feel more integrated. He notes that reporting to the National Police might not lead to a resolution, yet sharing the case serves to warn other families about what can happen with some minors and social media [ODIC].
He acknowledges that one cannot imagine reaching such a point and that many parents are unaware of what their children face online. Yet, a single episode of this kind has the potential to ruin a family; in his words, it ruined his own family and his son [ODIC].
The child is described as an outstanding and cooperative student who is open with those who know him well and willing to cooperate in all matters [ODIC].