Cyber-bullying is not a criminal offence

This article discusses why cyber-bullying should not be considered a criminal offence, focusing on the use of technology to cause harm to individuals. It explores different forms of cyber-bullying and argues for the preservation of cyber freedom.

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BUILDING ARGUMENT: Cyber-bullying is criminal offence
Name of the Student
Name of the Organization
Author Note

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Introduction
Cyber bullying focuses of the usage of technology in order to cause harm to an individual in an
unethical manner. Electronic devices like cell phones, laptops, etc. can be used as the medium of
cyber bullying. The technology uses the internet connection and spreads email, social media in
the form of images, threat messages, offensive posts, etc. The tendency or the vulnerability to
cyber bullying is more among the youngsters (Corcoran, Guckin and Prentice, 2015). But there
are also many adults who are indulging in cyber bullying. Thus there are measures which are
trying to bring cyber bullying under a criminal offence. However, I feel cyber bullying is not a
criminal offence.
Cyber bullying
Cyber bullying can be in many forms like sending vulgar images, making negative statements or
comments, blackmailing people, stalking a person, etc. (Olweus, 2016). These are all different
forms of harassment. However, cyber bullying should not be considered as a criminal offence. If
cyber bullying is brought under criminal laws, people will lose their anonymity which they enjoy
through internet. People also have the freedom to make independent statements and comments
on social media platforms. Facebook is a platform where people write their posts, comment on
other’s views and share their opinions. These might be disliked and reported as cyber bullying by
someone but these are not actual crimes.
Figure 1: Anti-Cyberbullying Laws and Policies in United States

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(Source: Stop Bullying, 2019)
In figure 1, it can be seen that in various states of the United States, cyber bullying is consider
dot only as an unethical practices, but also it is against the law. People might get into trouble
while indulging themselves in such activities. Social media is a medium to express one’s anti-
governmental views. These are needed to raise the voice of the mass against what is wrong.
Figure 2: Influence of social media

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(Source: Stop Bullying, 2019)
Some memes and posts are people’s opinion about the current scenario, be it political or social.
Once these become reported crimes people will be scared to share their views on a matter openly
on social media. In figure 2, it has been seen that majority of the individuals get affected by
social media. The decisions of the people are relied on the social networking sites and are
influenced by the posts made on the social column.
The prosecutors too cannot find proper legal charges against the cases which have been reported
as cyber bullying. Thus they stand no legal sentence. Cyber bullying is mostly done to insult
people rather than to threaten their life. Therefore, it is not a crime.

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Conclusion
Cyber bullying can be termed as a social ill and might need cyber education. But it cannot be
termed as a crime in most circumstances. When a person is bullied or humiliated through internet
on social sites, it can be a nasty act but definitely not a crime. Cyber freedom should not be
curtailed by making these petty issues criminal offences.

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References
Corcoran, L., Guckin, C. and Prentice, G., 2015. Cyberbullying or cyber aggression?: A review
of existing definitions of cyber-based peer-to-peer aggression. Societies, 5(2), pp.245-255.
Olweus, D., 2016. Cyber Bullying. Aggression and violence: A social psychological perspective,
p.225.
Stop Bullying, 2019. Laws, Policies and Regulations. [online ]Available at:
https://www.stopbullying.gov/laws/index.html [Accessed 11 April 2019]