Cyberbullying (Essay Sample)

Cyberbullying Case Study Student’s Name Institution Cyberbullying Case Study Following the recent technological advancement and development of abundant social media platforms, cyberbullying and harassment is a vice that has rapidly grown in the past decade. This subject has generated serious discussions and arguments regarding the legality and ethicality of the matter. A suitable example of a cyberbullying and harassment case is captured in an article by Pendergrass and Wright (2014). Amanda Todd, a fifteen-year-old girl commits suicide on October 12, 2012, approximately a month after experiencing intense harassment on social media platforms. It is an encounter that forces the fifteen-year-old girl, before her sad death, to transfer from school to school, and eventually succumb to depression and self-isolation. Notably, some legal and ethical issues that are subject to discussion arise in this cyberbullying case. To begin with, unauthorized access to private and confidential data is depicted in this case. Amanda’s private data, including her family and friends’ names, is accessed by a stranger without her consent. Arguably, this is an issue in this online harassment case that requires legal attention. To an extent, it is a breach of the regulations regarding an individual’s privacy and confidentiality of personal data. Secondly, this cyberbullying case involves sharing an uncensored photograph of the late Amanda Todd through social media platforms with the public. This act is against the ethical norms of online conduct on social media platforms. Besides, the issuance of threats to share this picture with the sole purpose of acquiring free services is termed blackmail. Certainly, this is illegal extortion. Before her sudden death, the fifteen-year-old girl faces physical abuse in terms of beating from her alleged unfaithful partner. Also, she experiences humiliation from schoolmates, who take advantage of her weak emotional state. Arguably, this situation may be categorized as a legal and ethical issue. Breach of legal and ethical norms, in this case, is evident. These are, therefore, highlights of issues in Amanda’s cyberbullying and harassment case that require a legal and ethical approach in evaluation and analysis. From a personal point of view, the harasser in this cyberbullying case should be held accountable for the fifteen-year-old girl’s suicide. Notably, humiliation and public pressure especially from schoolmates, that the victim experiences, results from the harasser’s unethical actions. First, pressure from the authorities results from the circulation of the uncensored picture of the victim on social media platforms, which the harasser shares with the public without her consent. Moreover, humiliation from schoolmates is also linked to the mass sharing of the victim’s picture. Continuous harassment by an alleged unfaithful fiancé is also a result of the victim’s false impression created by the circulation of her uncensored photograph. Though this offense is committed online, it is right to infer that the case is about corruption and the wrongful death of a minor. Following a personal experience, cyberbullying is a widely spread vice around the world. For instance, a female colleague has also been a victim of cyberbullying and harassment. Her previous fiancé intentionally shared her nude picture on Facebook without her consent. Consequently, she received humiliating comments from followers and viewers of the picture. It is an occurrence that imposed a stigma on her. Markedly, ethical norms are available that guide users’ conduct online. First, it is important to protect the confidentiality of the personal information of individuals from professional or personal interaction. Secondly, evading the list...