Kids reading mean tweets shows the destructive power of bullying.

We’ve laughed about celebrities reading mean tweets. But when kids read the messages they are sent, no one is laughing any more.

We’re all familiar with Jimmy Kimmel’s ‘Mean Tweets’ segment. Plenty of celebrities have taken part and read out the ridiculous messages they are sent over the internet. Katy Perry, Julia Roberts, even President Barack Obama have all been involved.

But a charity has filmed it’s own version with a very moving twist.

The Canadian Safe School Network has asked children to read out the tweets that they’ve been sent by other kids and it is both gripping and heartbreaking:

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Just like its predecessors, the video starts off with I-should-not-be-laughing giggles. By the end, the viewer and the kids are completely devastated..

READ MORE: Sexting, bullying and privacy – how to keep your kids safe online.

While we may laugh when celebrities read mean tweets, the truth of the matter is there are kids who cop the same vitriolic bile everyday. They are bullied online over and over again and the pain of it shows in the eyes of these kids.

President of the Canadian Safe School Network Stu Auty says, “We wanted to use the ‘Mean Tweets’ model because in a way, those videos give the message that cyberbullying is OK — even funny.” For regular kids, the reality is different and the “words can cut like a knife.”

The video ends with a simple message: End cyber bullying.

The reason why has never been so powerful and important.

Mamamia has filmed prominent women reading the mean tweets that are sent to them. This is the second video in the series, with readings from Annabel Crabb, Shelly Horton, Imogen Bailey, Sylvia Jeffreys, Jamila Rizvi and Mel Grieg.

Does the distressing nature of the messages sent online shock you?