Cyberbullying: Reasons for Legislation and Its Impact on Society

This report provides a comprehensive overview of cyberbullying, a form of harassment occurring through electronic media, particularly among young people. It defines cyberbullying, detailing its various types like flaming, harassment, and cyberstalking, and highlights its impact on victims, including low self-esteem and emotional distress. The report argues that cyberbullying is a criminal offense, discussing existing legislation like the Protection from Harassment Act and the Malicious Communications Act in the UK. It explores the reasons behind cyberbullying, such as entertainment, social status, and revenge, and suggests preventive measures like monitoring online activity and building a positive school climate. Furthermore, the report summarizes the importance of new legislation to deal with cyberbullying, its negative impacts like depression and isolation, and the role of parents and adults in evaluating children's online activities. The report emphasizes the need for specific laws to regulate cyberbullying, particularly among teenagers, and discusses the negative impacts of cyberbullying on individuals and companies.

Critical Writing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Reasons for the introduction of new legislation to deal with the problem of cyberbullying.......4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Cyberbully is a type of harassment that takes place through electronic medium. It is also
known as online bullying. It is common nowadays among the young generation. In this person
harass another person through using the way of social media. It include posting wrong
information of person, threats and rumors etc. It is done for the purpose of harming the behavior
of person. In this victim who is doing Cyberbully is not known about the identity of its bully to
whom it is targeting. It is similar to traditional bullying. There are different types of Cyberbully
such as Flaming, Harassment, Cyber stalking,Exclusion etc.(Whittaker and Kowalski, 2015).
Victims of Cyberbully have low self-esteem, emotional responses etc.
MAIN BODY
Cyberbullying is a criminal offence that means online harassment and it is done through
electronic way. It is also known as online bullying. This online harassment is increasing day by
day amongst teenagers. This happens when a person continuously harasses other person on the
electronic media. Online harassment can be in the form of posting rumours, threats, publication
of personal information of a person etc. Such bullying affects teenager in a severe way in the
form of high suicidal ideation, low esteem, frustration, depression etc.
I am of the opinion that cyberbullying is a crime and offence because people do
harassment with other people and it is mostly done by the teenagers. Cyberbullying is the
criminal offense as it is illegal and can be reported to cyber crime police or unit through which
the person who got bullied can take help and prevent themselves (Brewer and Kerslake, 2015).
In United Kingdom there is no special law for cyberbullying but there are some enacted
laws and legislation that can applied in such cases such as:
 Protection from Harassment Act, 1997,
 Malicious Communications Act 1988
 Communication Act 2003
 Breach of Peace
 Defamation Act 2013
 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
Reasons of cyberbullying :-

Entertainment :- it is a major reason of cyberbullying because nowadays technology in
crease like mobile, laptop. So when children and peoples feel bored so electronic devices helps
to entertain and they use for these devices for harass for other and its creates cyber crime.
Social status :- it is not necessary that only girls suffer this crime. Boys also face this
crime because teenagers post gossip and people post hateful rumours about girls so it also creates
crime.
Revenge :- Teenagers also take revenge through social media. It means that if any
conflict and fight with each others so it takes revenge through post senseless things and rumours
against their for torment and take revenge.
Prevention of cyberbullying :- Monitor online activity :- cyberbullying is a crime so guardian
should monitor online activity of their children like call log, Facebook and other social media
and any doubt create through this so block their account.
Build positive climate :- school staff can prevent this crime through build and make
positive environment. Because in schoo1554902622_1557750870l maximum conflicts create so
it should make website for discuss any problem with parents and prevent this crime (Martínez,
2019).
Conclusion
From above study it has been summarized that it is a crime and it creates major problem
because teenagers and people demotivate and its self confidence also reduce. So parents and
adult responsible that evaluate activities of children's and interact with them.
Reasons for the introduction of new legislation to deal with the problem of cyberbullying
Cyberbullying refers to the activity that is done by victims for harming people through
internet or technology. As bullying is the another problem that influence people through social
networking sites such as emails, Facebook, and text messages. As Cyberbullying is similar to
traditional bullying, there are different forms of Cyberbullying such as harassment,
Cyberstalking, Exclusion etc. As it is a repeated behaviour that takes place against a victim it is
not easily defend able and victim feels harassed at the time of cyberbullying attack. It is the most
dangerous form of harassment that is caused to victim. This practice is increasing day by day
with use of more electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones and different ways of
communication. This is common among younger generation nowadays as they are more addicted

towards online mediums. According to cyberbullying statistics, approximately half of the
teenagers are involved in this types of illegal activities (Whittaker and Kowalski, 2015).
Under cyberbullying civil law and federal law that comes under civil laws, it deals with
the property rights, personal dignity and freedom from injury. This law consist of three
approaches of cyberbullying. In this case, cyberbully may go through situation where one person
is harming the reputation of another person by spreading false information regarding that person
in public. This situation is known as defamation violence that is being occurred in schools so
school students also have to bear that violence.
Then criminal law determines crimes against state. In this cyberbullying is having three
approaches such as harassment, defamatory libel and publishing bad images without consent of
that person. As under the criminal law, harassment is crime as harming someone in public. As
under criminal harassment person is punishable for 10 years in prison. Another is the defamatory
libel is also a crime under this law (Waasdorp and Bradshaw, 2015). defamatory will affect the
reputation of person and punishable for 5 years. As publishing images without the consent of that
person is an offence under 2015 act of criminal law. As there are different cyberbullying problem
that is faced by people in present scenario. After applying these laws also cyberbullying problem
is not resolved although there are many criminal activities that is being practised by the people.
Criminal harassment will also lead to suicidal cases. As reputation of the person will go down
through harassment. As cyberbullying is also acted through electronic harassment. As
cyberbullying is a crime that affect the functioning of company as data is being stolen from its
computers (Brewer and Kerslake, 2015).
As cyberbullying is still not having specific law that can regulate this problem especially
among teenagers. As cyberbullying is the main crime at present that will create destroy the life of
people. According to information technology act that emphasize on sending annoying messages,
offensive and insulting communication through digital technology. Nowadays for reducing
bullying in schools workshop is being organized to make aware people about this type of
bullying. As there are many social violence that is being occurred in schools so school students
also have to bear that violence. Cyberbullying is having negative impact on people such as
depression, isolation, anger, humiliation etc (Olweus and Limber, 2018)Cyberbullies create bad
impact on the people's life. In this humiliation take place and people insecure at public places.
These cybercrimes takes place through doing business online that will increase these activities at

larger scale. As it creates feeling of insecurity. Through this cyber-attacks is also increases that
will destroy data in the company. As most of the companies is doing business online from other
countries that will lead to stolen data of that country. As there are so many hackers who stoles
data of the company make its misuse that will affect the company's operation. This may lead to
dissatisfaction of people towards victims that is not vulnerable to the people. As because of
cyberbullying some victims feels that they are dissatisfied with the outside world and lose
interest in interacting with others. For avoiding cyberbullying most of the companies not allow
electronic devices in the premises so that there is no data gone out of the company and it remain
secure. It also increases the risk of doing something wrong that may create health issues. It
influence the change in personality as crying, anger, depression etc (Barlett, Gentile and Chew,
2016).
As 20% of the children are doing cyber bullying in the schools.3% were attempt to
suicide. 28% young people have reported cyberbullying activities through twitter and 26%
through websites like ask.com (What is Cyberbullying, 2019).
CONCLUSION
From the above study it can be concluded that Cyberbully is the main crime in present
scenario. It affects people of any age group especially younger age group is more involved in this
type of activity. As it is a serious problem that will have an impact on the ability of student that
will increase mental pressure. It also involves cyber or online attack that will affect the people's
life. It enhances cyber crime among the people. It exists between social groups, social classes
and also between countries. It creates cause and effect in ones life. This practice will lead to
influence the performance, self confidence , health and professional reputation of person. This
will lead to many problems in the companies that will affect people. Through Cyberbully it also
include involvement of teenagers at rapid pace. It is more severely spread through hackers that
are always present to stole data from computers. From the above study, it can be concluded that
Cyberbully nowadays become most popular for stolen data through online medium.

REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Barlett, C.P., Gentile, D.A. and Chew, C., 2016. Predicting cyberbullying from
anonymity. Psychology of Popular Media Culture.5(2).p.171.
Brewer, G. and Kerslake, J., 2015. Cyberbullying, self-esteem, empathy and
loneliness. Computers in human behavior.48.pp.255-260.
Olweus, D. and Limber, S.P., 2018. Some problems with cyberbullying research. Current
opinion in psychology.19. pp.139-143.
Waasdorp, T.E. and Bradshaw, C.P., 2015. The overlap between cyberbullying and traditional
bullying. Journal of Adolescent Health.56(5).pp.483-488.
Whittaker, E. and Kowalski, R.M., 2015. Cyberbullying via social media. Journal of School
Violence.14(1).pp.11-29.
Brewer, G. and Kerslake, J. 2015. Cyberbullying, self-esteem, empathy and
loneliness. Computers in human behavior. 48. pp.255-260.
Online
What is Cyberbullying.2019.[Online].Available through<https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-
kids-safety-what-is-cyberbullying.html>