The Cybersmile Foundation and Rimmel Announce the Launch of Groundbreaking New AI Support Assistant

Cybersmile Assistant has been developed in partnership with cosmetics brand Rimmel to deliver targeted advice, details for localised support organisations and contact information for support helplines to Internet users who are being affected by a wide range of issues related to online abuse – including topics such as cyberbullying, anxiety, body image, eating disorders, shaming, mental health and revenge porn.

LONDON, March 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- International anti-cyberbullying charity The Cybersmile Foundation has announced the launch of Cybersmile Assistant - a smart AI assistant designed to provide support and direction to Internet users around the world who are experiencing problems associated with cyberbullying, online harassment and digital abuse. Cybersmile Assistant has been created to enable people to access practical advice, useful information and targeted support services.

Scott Freeman, CEO of The Cybersmile Foundation commented:

"Cybersmile Assistant is going to revolutionise the way we deliver support for Internet users around the world. Not only will it completely eradicate support wait times and the need to undertake lengthy online searches for reputable support organisations, Cybersmile Assistant will also enable us to have the infrastructure in place to potentially help over 1 million people each day."

Delivering information from a database of support organisations and helplines curated by Cybersmile, the smart assistant eliminates the need to undertake lengthy online searches that can involve navigating inappropriate results which often hinder users' efforts to identify and access the most appropriate solutions for their specific problem. With AI machine learning capabilities, Cybersmile Assistant will become increasingly smarter and more intuitive the more it used. The assistant will also identify and form regular reports of emerging trends and concerns for Internet users.

Dr. Deborah Gilboa of The Cybersmile Foundation said:

"Cybersmile Assistant not only delivers instant advice and support to Internet users in need for existing and emerging problems which include bullying, cyberbullying, mental health struggles, reputation damage and many more - but it also delivers results and resources tailored to the needs of that user at that moment. The fact that Cybersmile Assistant completely eliminates wait times and scaling problems means that more people than ever can get exactly the help they need, when they need it, turning struggle into hope."

Cybersmile Assistant has been developed as part of Cybersmile's long-term partnership with cosmetics brand Rimmel that was formed to address the growing global issue of Beauty Cyberbullying and its associated problems. The partnership has already reached millions of Internet users with the #IWILLNOTBEDELETED social media campaign which involved celebrities and influencers such as Rita Ora and Cara Delevingne. In addition to this powerful social campaign, so far over 9,000 Internet users have been educated through the co-developed Digital Civility Challenge, the first product launched as part of the partnership.

Sara Wolverson, Vice President of Rimmel Global Marketing, Coty, commented:

"The launch of Cybersmile Assistant is a hugely exciting moment in our partnership with The Cybersmile Foundation.

"At Rimmel, we have a clear purpose as a brand to inspire people to experiment and express themselves through make-up. Beauty Cyberbullying is on the rise, we conducted Global research and published a white paper, and found that 1 in 4 women today have experienced Beauty Cyberbullying and that 57% of those bullied didn't tell anyone about their experience.

"With the launch of Cybersmile Assistant we will be able to help Cybersmile reach and support more people who are being affected by Beauty Cyberbullying and its related issues."

The need for Cybersmile Assistant was identified through feedback from Cybersmile service users who were reporting difficulties in finding suitable organisations and helplines among increasingly crowded and confusing search engine results. As the problem of cyberbullying and online abuse continues to grow with more and more people using the Internet, the need for a support system that can provide targeted help at scale has become a high priority.

Dan Raisbeck, Co-Founder of The Cybersmile Foundation added:

"At Cybersmile, we work to understand the reasons, causes and effects of cyberbullying and online abuse but we also recognise our own limitations in being able to provide comprehensive support for the myriad of issues that can manifest following the trauma of cyberbullying and online hate campaigns.

"With Cybersmile Assistant, we are now able to provide people with easier and faster access to a wide range of dedicated professional organisations and support services tailored to their specific needs, and even their location.

"This means that we can quickly identify and deliver help to people dealing with the associated issues that arise from cyberbullying, such as anxiety, depression, self-harm, eating disorders and mental health problems – in addition to providing access to Cybersmile's comprehensive library of advisory content."

Access to Cybersmile Assistant can be found via a small blue icon at the bottom right of the Cybersmile website and is accessible from anywhere in the world. Once engaged with the assistant, users can type in questions or use their microphone to communicate with the assistant.

State-of-the-art AI technology enables Cybersmile Assistant to recognise conversational flow and intent which it uses to deliver targeted resources most appropriate to the user's situation from the Cybersmile curated database. The assistant also uses geo-targeting technology to identify the most suitable organisations and helplines for the location of each user. Cybersmile Assistant will initially provide location specific services in the United Kingdom, America, Australia, Canada and New Zealand - with plans to expand the serviced territories and languages as part of the product's ongoing development.

About The Cybersmile Foundation

The Cybersmile Foundation is a multi-award winning nonprofit organisation committed to tackling all forms of digital abuse and bullying online. They work to promote diversity and inclusion by building a safer, more positive digital community and encouraging people to realise their full potential without fear of ridicule and abuse.

Through education and the promotion of positive digital citizenship, The Cybersmile Foundation reduces incidents of cyberbullying and provides professional help and support services to children and adults around the world.

Official Website: www.cybersmile.org
Partnership: Cybersmile & Rimmel Partnership
Twitter: @CybersmileHQ
Press contact: [email protected]

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