Cell phones are as harmful to teens as guns in striking campaign from Claro Peru

A striking campaign from telecommunications company Claro Peru depicts teenagers under threat with a weapon, which turns out to be their cellphones, to illustrate the dangers of cyberbullying. The visually arresting campaign from Mexican creative agency Anónimo, led by Raúl Cardos and Juan José Posada, urges parents to talk to their teens about responsible social media to help stop cyberbullying. In three photos, a teen is threatened by a phone, held to their head or throat like a gun, with the message “Posts can kill.” The photos were captured by photographer Ale Burset. A short film will follow from Whisky Films, directed by Romarico Cibrián. The message is simple: a single comment or social media post can be as harmful as a weapon, and sometimes lead to tragedy. “This is a wake-up call for parents to stay alert to the peer pressures shaping their children’s developing identities,” said Juan José Posada, partner and chief creative officer at Anónimo. “It’s not about surveillance—it’s about support." As part of the campaign titled “Harmful Words,” Claro, which currently operates in Latin America, is offering a dedicated guide for parents to talk to their teens about responsible social media use. The campaign comes as cyberbullying has become a widespread issue among children and teens in Peru. Sixty-one percent of children aged 10 to 17 reported having been victims of online bullying, according to a 2023 national survey by Aldeas Infantiles SOS Perú. Multiple studies and public authorities in the country have linked cyberbullying to depression and death by suicide. Most reported school bullying cases occur in secondary school (57%), followed by primary school (35%), and 7% in preschool, according to the Ministry of Education. “It’s crucial to raise awareness about the harm that can be caused when teens attack others online,” said Gustavo Leal, marketing director at Claro Peru. “At Claro, social responsibility is a core value, and this campaign powerfully underlines the importance of parent-child conversations about social media use. We must urgently promote initiatives that help protect our children.”

Cell phones are as harmful to teens as guns in striking campaign from Claro Peru

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