Although the digital age has certainly played a role in the regrettable emergence and subsequent growth of cyberbullying, technology is now playing a role in combating the epidemic it has helped to create.

According to published reports out of Boston, public schools in Beantown have rolled out a new two-way texting service aimed at curbing bullying by empowering students to communicate with school officials who will be responsible for quickly intervening.

“When a student or member of the district community sees or experiences bullying, they can text a message to the district’s local TipTxt number,” Jennie Breister, manager of product marketing for Blackboard, tells Mobile Marketer.

The SMS-based program called TipTxt directs student messages to a dedicated email inbox. Based on how the program was designed, “keyword-based filters” are in place to trigger an automatic response and, from there, administrators can get involved and take appropriate action.

“The keyword-based filters are what make TipTxt more sophisticated than traditional text,” Breister adds. “It cuts down on administrative workflow and students get that personalized response immediately so they know they’re being heard.”

“By using a technology that most people already own and a form of communication that is widely prevalent among school-aged children, usage increases and adoption barriers decrease,” she concludes. “By adopting TipTxt, BPS and the City of Boston are demonstrating how committed they are to using innovative strategies to prevent bullying and to meet students where they are comfortable.”