INTRODUCTION

Cyberbullying is a kind of bullying which is done with the mode of electronic technology. Electronic technology comprises devices like mobile phones, laptops, or any other kind of smartphone by which it makes a successful link between different online platforms like social media sites, chat rooms, text messages, chat, and websites.

The main objective of “cyberbullying” is to show an aggressive or bad behaviour towards another person by the use of modern technology of net by which they can harass, demean, intimidate, or taunt another person with the intent to hurt or embarrass them.

Difference between Cyberbullying and Traditional Bullying

Part	Cyberbullying	Normal Bullying
Spreading speed	In few seconds to large public	Depends on the nature of the person.
Existence	Can’t be removed truly from internet.	Diminishes over a period of -time.
Identity	Person Identity is not identified.	Person Identity is identified
Time of happening	Can be done all the time as 24*7	Face to Face

 

Different types of cyberbullying

1. Harassing Someone

It means that the person who is bulling is continuously sending offensive and malicious messages to an individual with a malafide intent.

2. Flaming

Flaming is similar to harassment it comprises of sending direct insulting messages and profanity to the person who is the target of the bully. Flaming is also similar to trolling, but in this direct attack is done on the other party to encourage him to enter in the quarrel of online fights.

3. Exclusion

Exclusion is the action of deliberately leaving a person alone in the online groups between other persons due to which the other members of the group doesn’t know the new member and will start harassing and making false comments.

For example, I called my friend in a party where my other office colleagues were present and left my friend out there, due to which he will be left out from the conversations that is happening between mutual colleagues.

4. Outing/Doxing

Outing is also commonly known as doxing when a bully reveals some private information of the person such as messages, picture or any kind of video without his consent on the online platform for the purpose of embrace or humiliate him/her.

5.  Masquerading

Masquerading is a situation where a bully creates a fake profile or any kind of a virtual identity of the person for the purpose of bullying someone. In addition to creating a fake identity, the bully can impersonate someone else to send malicious messages to the victim. Generally in these type of cases it is found that all of these offenders are generally near one of the victim.

 

Steps which should be taken to stop bullying: 

• Do not respond or retaliate – A person should never respond or retaliate a bully as sometimes this is the only thing they are waiting for, as by your reaction they can simply overpower you or by not responding or retaliating it can decrease their power.
• Keep the evidence save – There is only one positive key in the cases of cyberbullying that the victim is able to save the evidence by which he can show the authorities to prove that he was getting cyberbullied and by that evidence authorities can trace the bully.
• Reach out for help – When the bully is continuously harassing you by which you are getting in depressed state of mind and fear you should contact your parents or others who you trust the most as they are capable of helping you and getting you out from that problem.
• Report them – All social sites has a very strict policy against bullies first you should report on that site about that bullier or even after that if bullier is not stopping you should approach the Cyber crime police station .
• Protect your account safe – One should never share any of the vital information regarding his account to anybody like passwords as you never know your close friend can use it against you as they know some of your secrets.
• Keep your social profile and interaction safe – One should not open emails from unknown sources or not download their attachment’s as it can also include viruses or any kind of tracker app by which it can steal all of your vital information from the device.

 

Anti-Cyberbullying Laws in India

As cyberbullying is increasing day by day in every part of world by which India has also developed cyber laws as in India large innocent peoples were getting trapped due to advancement in Cyber crimes.

 

THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACT, 2000 was established to punish the cyber offenders.

Some sections which deal with these type of issues-

 

• Sec 66A

Punishment for sending offensive messages through communication service, etc.

 

• Sec 66C

Give Punishment for identity theft.

 

• Sec 66D

Give punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource.

 

• Sec 67A

Give punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act in the electronic form.

 

• Sec 67B

Gives punishment for publishing or transmitting of material depicting children in sexually explicit things in electronic form.

 

Conclusion

In this digital period, where children’s are habitual in using of electronic gadgets it increases the chances of being getting cyberbullied at various digital platform. Parents should always monitor that which app is being used by their children’s simultaneously.

Parents always have a check on the devices or track the internet activity as by their activity parents gets to know that by which site there is large chances of being getting bullied, and parents has to always notice the aggression, depression or any kind of sudden change of emotional behavior which could be due to the direction relation of being getting cyber bullied, as the child would start using his mobile less or will try to hide his phone from the family member’s.

Author: Pushkar Khanna,
Delhi Metropolitan Education affiliated to GGSIPU/ 2nd Year/ Law Student