Cyber Bullying Should be made a Criminal Offense (Essay Sample)

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Cyber Bullying Should be made a Criminal Offense
The inevitable advancement in technology is not devoid of any detriments. Accordingly, individuals use technology to harm and may prompt depression, behavior problems and in some cases even suicide! These implications are not just inflicted by too much time on the screen but the nature of interactions taking place through the screen. Notably, individuals with malicious intents always push people to devise new ways of perpetrating their iniquities by taking advantage of the veil of anonymity that is often provided by the new communication technology. One example of such iniquities is cyber bullying that means the act of intentionally harassing, intimidating, embarrassing, or defaming a person via the internet.
With this regard, cyber-victimization is a problem that is becoming rampant and receiving a substantial amount of attention. Therefore, this kind of crime can harm a person’s emotional well-being as well as self-esteem in negative way. Besides, victims of cyberbullying often experience adverse mental health problems. Thus, strict legal measures ought to be put in place to curb it. In a bid to curtail this menace, cybercrime is now a criminal offense in many countries with new laws and anti-bullying policies being initiated to regulate the misdemeanor.
Nevertheless, some legal experts and academics have argued that cyber-bullying does not need new laws as the current ones cater for this behavior adequately. However, I strongly refute this argument since the leniency in punishing the perpetrators existing under the current laws is only perpetuating these heinous acts instead of terminating them. Hence, new and more stringent laws should be put in place.
Despite the blatant evidence illustrating the detrimental effects of cyber bullying, it has taken numerous cases, with some having devastating outcomes to force lawmakers to come to terms with the reality. They are faced with the dilemma of making laws to serve as a deterrent to the behavior without limiting the citizen's constitutional rights. States continue to wrestle with cyber bullying and to determine what legal actions should be taken against the perpetrators. It is very unfortunate that a lot of state’s courts have reacted lightly to the issue despite numerous high-profile cases being reported; some of these issues include suicides.
David Fraser, a lawyer, concurs that cyber bullying is indeed a wake of a tragedy that should be taken seriously. Puzic expresses his disappointment with the police's incompetence in pursuing criminals in this field after the death of a teenager, Ms. Parsons in 2013 and other such cases. Wayne MacKay, a Dalhousie law professor, condemns cyber bullying. According to her, it should be taken with the seriousness it deserves (4).
Cyber-safety Act 2013 was enacted with the intention of addressing and preventing the crime in Nova Scotia whose aim was to address and control this type of crime. As such, this Act likens cyberbullying to committing a tort. Therefore, that person is liable for damages, which is compensation to the plaintiff. Notably, the enactment of Anti-cyber bullying law, Bill C-13 also illustrates some of the measures that the Conservative government is making to combat cyber bullying. According to Puzic, "the law made it illegal for an individual to post intimate images of other people without their consent" (3). It was seen as a step in protection of personal integrity as well as reducing instances of suicide as some people have been known to commit it after such photos go viral online. It is proof that the government cares about adherence to law and also the security of citizens.
However, some critics claim that such a law is a violation of the people' privacy as they are monitored on what they are doing online. Others, including law experts, assert that laws which address cyberbullying already exist, and there is no need for others to be enacted. With regards to Fine’s works, "Justice Glen McDougall of the Supreme Court ruled that the laws infringed on the freedom of speech as stipulated in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms" (1). According to the judge, it was unfair for the government to obtain a court order and limit a suspect's freedom of expression in their absence. Justice McDougall, therefore, declined to suspend his ruling in a case that involved online harassment by the two adults as he termed the trial as unfair.
These arguments, however, fade in comparison with the benefits that come with the enactment of this bill in the long run. When not combated, cyber bullying has social and economic implications too. A fascinating fact about this kind of bullying shows that not only teenagers but also adults are implicated in the process. According to Fine "the government, statistics regarding this crime, 378 investigations among 820 that were conducted, involved adults" (2). The following implications justify the gravity of cyberbullying not only to those who fall victims but also to social, political, and economic aspects of a country.
Suicide Cases
There have been instances of a lot of demises that result from cyber-bullying. Different states are devising new ways which focus towards eliminating it. For example, the Canadian government has been very concerned about cyberbullying and has consequently made laws aimed at curtailing the crime. Case in point, the death of Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old- teenager from Nova Scotia, who was raped and subjected to online harassment with publishing a photo on the internet. According to Fine, "she committed suicide, a scenario which prompted the country's toughest law on cyberbullying to be passed as a way of countering the behavior" (6).
Perpetuates Racism
Race-related online victimization is becoming pervasive. It involves spreading racist, derogatory remarks, and images online. Such incidences result in the perpetuation of hatred along racial grounds. Consequently victims of racial prejudice experience social and psychological and academic difficulties.
Social Implications
Some of the perpetrators of cyberbullying are minors. Today's children have more access to computers and the Internet, which can either build or spoil them depending on what they do with it. When the law breakers are under-age, there is an increment in juvenile delinquency. It is one of the major social implications of cyberbullying. It happens when teenagers post derogatory remarks or circulate obscene photos other persons on social media sites. These juvenile misconducts may result in the minors being adjudicated.
According to Hinduja & Patchin, "cyberbullying also causes emotional and psychological distress to the victims" (1). In a situation where confidential information or disparaging remarks or intimate photos are circulated, the victims' self-esteem lowers and their reputation is tarnished. Besides, the Internet harassments make the victims psychologically agitated expressing a broad range of emotions such as anger, sadness, embarrassment, and feeling of anxiety. Due to these negative emotions, the suffering people tend to resolve the issue through antisocial behavior which often results in tragic incidences such as suicide. Victim’s social life is also jeopardized. Such people become reluctant to interact with the members of their family members, friends, and society as a whole. Likewise, they rarely attend social events as a result of low self-esteem.
Political Implications
With regards to political implications, cyberbullying infringes on fundamental human rights such as the freedom of expressing and holding opinions without interference. A victim may no longer feel safe doing so as a result of cyberbullying. As such, human rights activists are becoming persistent in their fight against this kind of crime. Social networking sites are also being used to make a political point or intimidate a politician in a negative way. It is also uncommon to find any politicians embarking on social media to threaten or disparage their political rivals. According to Donegan, "it often triggers conflict between such politicians and their followers. Likewise, rivalry among states can be expressed via the social media" (1).
In conclusion, Cyberbullying is not just a minor misdemeanor or a delinquent act as it was perceived before. Given the magnitude of its negative impacts, it would be justified to that it is a felony. In view of this, States should formulate drastic measures to curb the menace. One of those strategies would be to make cyber victimization a criminal offense. While some States have started doing it, the same is yet to be implemented in many countries around the world. As such, it is justified to assert that cyberbullying is a serious concern which warrants the response of law enforcement and molding of anti-bullying laws. Along with the legal attempts being initiated to wrestle with the situation, it is vital for the crime to be addressed in an efficient and consistent manner in line with the existing codes of conduct. Likewise, eliminating cyberbullying requires a concerted and coordinated effort by members of the community, education institutions, and the government. For instance, educating children on the impact of cyberbullying consistently from a tender age will resonate effectively as they will grow up knowing that bullying is unacceptable since it is degrading and humiliating to the victims. Besides making it a criminal offense, it will make potential perpetrators aware of the dire consequences since it can attract severe jail terms.
Works Cited
Donegan, Richard. "History, Statistics, Law, Prevention and Analysis." 2012. Web. 9 Mar 2016 < /docs/e-web/academics/communications/research/vol3no1/04doneganejspring12.pdf>
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