Cyberbullying is a form of harassment with the means of technology. It is like bullying only by the usage of technology and electronic gadgets. Since the usage of technology has increased and Is continually increasing. It has now become common among children and teenagers. Apart from all the advantages and benefits of technology and how it has eased our life in all the ways possible. It also is harmful and affecting many lives.
There are numerous cyberbullying legal consequences, which is necessary to be understood by the teenagers and adolescents who are mainly the target of cyberbullying and are involved in this crime intentionally or not.
How People Become a Victim of Cyberbullying?
If a person share is an intimate photo with a particular person willingly, many states consider this act against the law and a part of cyberbullying. As later it can be shared or distributed by everyone as a part of revenge. It is necessary to understand the cyberbullying legal consequences of everyone.
one root cause of mental health issues among teenagers is also technology, which is the reason for rising insecurities, feeling of hate, and unlike towards themselves. Cyberbullying involves causing emotional pain to someone, make them feel threatened and constantly in fear.
Cyberbullying is now common with the usage of technology. People are now free to bash and spread hate about the other person so easily. This is greatly affecting their self-esteem, mental health, confidence, and their overall wellbeing. that is related to the rate of suicide, which unfortunately is rising rapidly.
Online harassment is different from face-to-face in many ways. Cyberbullying affects the person and haunts them everywhere they go, they feel humiliated in their own house too. Almost all people are now part of technology. The thought of getting embarrassed and losing reputation in front of everyone is a thought which often leads them to take their own lives.
Cyberbullying is taking different shapes, as the technology is developing and more sites and webpages are coming into action.
Some of the behaviors through cyberbullying is taking place are
- Sending mean messages and emails or commenting hate on social media platforms.
- Spreading personal information about someone without their consent.
- Spreading rumors and embarrassing secrets about another person on social sites.
- Capturing an embarrassing photo of someone with their permission and posting it online.
- Hacking someone’s account and invading their privacy.
- Threatening someone to harm them.
Important things to know about cyberbullying
- Messages, photos can be distributed quickly to a wide range of audiences with one click. Once it is posted online, it becomes extremely difficult to delete as the chances are, they could already be saved by someone on their gadgets.
- As cyberbullying is done digitally, by the means of the internet. Bullies usually have no clue about the intensity of pain they are inflicting. As they cannot experience anything, not even the intensity of the pain they are inflicting. This becomes easier for them to continue bullying and even increase the intensity of pain they are causing.
- The majority of teens have no idea that they are being a part of the crime. By pressing like or sharing it with friends, they are unknowingly becoming a part of cyberbullying. Which spreads humiliation far and wide.
Current laws
While cyberbullying inflicts emotional pain by harassing and bullying someone online. The majority of the acts in cyberbullying are ill-legal even if the kids and teenagers call it drama or a joke. People can legally get criminally charged if they insult someone, threat, and harass them.
Criminal laws are being charged on many cases, on serious cyberbullying which cause huge loss or threats. However, as technology is developing and changing rapidly, so does the behaviors and tactics to humiliate someone. Considering all the basic facts our laws need to change as well, to stop the doing which is now becoming a part of life.
Depending on the type of cyberbullying, the following are some codes of criminal that can be charged:
- Criminal harassment
- Unauthorized usage of a software
- Child pornography
- Fake identity
- Threats
- Fake messages and emails
- Harassing calls.
Any person of any age can be a part of cyberbullying. Law applies to everyone. Not just the people who are under 18, so everyone should be able to understand the cyberbullying legal consequences. As the laws and charges are applied to ensure the privacy and safety of everyone.
Final Notes
It doesn’t matter what the purpose is for harassing or bullying. Whether it is for revenge purposes or making a joke out of someone’s life all these things affect badly on the victim’s life. They lose their self-esteem and purpose to lead life. Fear and embarrassment take over all their happiness. They are haunted by the thought of being humiliated for the rest of their lives.
Legislative now have the legal right to remove inappropriate photos or posts. Those are posted without the consent of another person from different sites and to delete those web pages permanently.
Any person who distributes and shares inappropriate information or pictures of someone should face the cyberbullying legal consequences. For example:
- They should be held in prison for more than five years,
- Their all gadgets like computer, mobile phones, PC’s or any other device should be seized.
- They should be charged with a fine for hurting the other person.
If someone is being humiliated or feeling threatened due to cyberbullying, they should seek help from their local police. There is no need to be scared of the consequences the bullies can put you through, they are not as strong as they seem online. The reason behind that is you cannot see the expressions or their actions face to face. In many cases, they are scared to lose their identity.
Collect all the evidence and take then with you to your local police and file a complaint against them. cyberbullying legal consequences are not so easy to get through, depending on the circumstances of your case the charge is placed accordingly. It mostly includes the fine or the imprisonment of few years.