Premiering on World Mental Health Day, TELUS documentary Dark Cloud explores the tragic impact cyberbullying has on victims and their families

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, TELUS announced the premiere of its latest TELUS Originals documentary, Dark Cloud, which spotlights the stories and life-altering impacts of cyberbullying in Canada. As Canadians are spending more time than ever online during the COVID-19 pandemic, from socializing to schooling, this film is relevant for parents, youth and all Canadians, as it shares insights into what causes cyberbullying and how we can stop it. The documentary premieres on October 10, in support of World Mental Health Day, and will be available for free on TELUS.com, TELUS Optik TV, and the TELUS Youtube channel.

“Cyberbullying poses one of the most pervasive threats to Canadians’ mental health. TELUS produced Dark Cloud to raise awareness of this issue, telling important stories that will help to raise awareness, start a dialogue, and ultimately, create lasting change,” said Jill Schnarr, Chief Communications Officer at TELUS. “Through our TELUS Wise program, TELUS has long been dedicated to helping Canadians rise above cyberbullying, investing over $205M to date in educational programs, tools, and resources on how to deal with online bullying either as a victim, witness, parent or even perpetrator. Dark Cloud is an extension of our ongoing efforts to #EndBullying and ensure Canadians stay safe online.”

The film features tireless anti-bullying advocate Carol Todd as she connects with parents, victims, and academics from across Canada to educate viewers on the devastating effects of cyberbullying. Statistics show that cyberbullying and digital antagonism remain a widespread issue, have tragic long-term effects, and more frequently harm members of the LGBTQ+ community:  

• 60 per cent of Canadian youth report seeing cyberbullying or online abusive behaviour within a four week period1
• 41 per cent of young internet users who experienced cyberbullying reported an emotional, psychological or mental health condition2
• 49 per cent of LGBTQ+ students have experienced cyberbullying3

Dark Cloud is a TELUS Originals documentary produced in partnership with Spotlight Productions. More information can be found at telus.com/darkcloud. In addition, TELUS is helping to raise awareness about cyberbullying and end the stigma associated with mental health challenges throughout Mental Health Awareness Month in October in many ways, including:

• Carol Todd will share her harrowing story and her efforts to prevent cyberbullying from harming others on the TELUS Talks with Tamara Taggart podcast and in a guest blog on the TELUS Wise website.
• TELUS Garden in Vancouver will light up purple from October 8-10 in support of #LightUpPurple, an international campaign to raise awareness about World Mental Health Day.
• TELUS has made a $15,000 donation to the Amanda Todd Legacy Society to support the organization’s work around cyberbullying education and prevention.

(1) MediaSmarts, Young Canadians’ Experience with Electronic Bullying. Link.(2) Statistics Canada, Study: Cyberbullying and cyberstalking among Internet users aged 15 to 29 in Canada. Link.(3) GLAAD. Link.

About TELUSTELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications and information technology company with $15 billion in annual revenue and 15.4 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video and security. We leverage our global-leading technology to enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. TELUS Health is Canada's largest healthcare IT provider, and TELUS International delivers the most innovative business process solutions to some of the world’s most established brands.

Driven by our passionate social purpose to connect all Canadians for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired our team members and retirees to contribute more than $736 million and 1.4 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us @TELUSNews on Twitter and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Doug SelfTELUS Public Relations[email protected]403-616-8741 

Source: TELUS Communications Inc

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