With easy access to mobile phones and the internet, social media has become an essential part of everyone’s life. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter allow people to share photo videos and personal events with the world with one click. Unfortunately, the growth of technology has also seen the growth in social media bullying.
Bullying or harassment that takes place online, typically through social media sites, messaging services, or other electronic means is referred to as cyberbullying. It entails using technology with the goal of harming, degrading, or frightening another person.
Types of cyberbullying are as follows:
1. cyber staking
Cyberstalking is a crime that is done by using electronic media to stalk someone. Such as email, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. It includes the activities such as monitoring the victims’ activities on social media, tracking the victim’s location, and blackmailing the victim. Cyberstalking can be avoided by using a nickname and avoiding posting personal details on social media like photos and phone numbers.
2. Cyber harassment
Cyber harassment is different from cyberstalking. In cyber harassment, the victim is hovered or wearied by emails or instant communications.
3. Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying includes activities like sending sharing or posting harmful, false, or negative content about others. Cell phones and computers are the devices used to bully a person on social media.
4. identity theft
Identity theft includes activities such as using someone’s name, email id, and phone number without consent to commit fraud. Phishing, skimming, and data breaches are forms of identity theft.
5. Revenge porn
Revenge porn is the distribution of intimate pictures on social media without their consent. Most of the time porn material is created by the intimate partner in a relationship with or without the consent of the victim. The victim may have faced sexual violence while recording the material by an intimate partner. The term revenge porn refers to the uploading of sexually explicit material on digital platforms to humiliate a person.
6. Blackmailing
Blackmailing is a method of bullying a person or a group of people by threatening to disclose or share substantively true or false information unless their requirements or specific demands are met. The information is generally dangerous and can only be participated with relatives or associates rather than with the general public.
EFFECTS OF CYBERBULLYING
1. mentally: Bullying can make the person feel upset, embarrassed, or sometimes afraid and angry. Victims of cyberbullying can suffer from anxiety, depression, and other mental health-related issues. Cyberbullying can steal their happiness.
2. Physical: cyberbullying can make the victim physically weak which includes loss of sleep or headaches. Kids may suffer from diarrhea or vomiting. Victims can suffer from eating disordered such as changes in eating habits, and skipping meals. Sometimes victims’ sleep patterns also change which can be insomnia or nightmares.
3. Emotionally: Being emotionally weak includes symptoms such as losing interest in the thing you like, avoiding social gatherings, staying alone, not speaking with anyone, or feeling ashamed.
4. Behavioral: victims may be seen with behavioral changes such as they may lose interest in activities they used to like and they may engage in some secretive behavior. Sometimes they start using drugs or alcohol. They may skip school or they are more likely to bring weapons to school.
Laws in India Related to Cyberbullying
1. The Information Technology Act, 2000 (amended in 2008) is one of the laws that address internet crimes and their penalties in India. Cyberbullying is a severe offence with long-lasting consequences, and although there is no specific law against it, several clauses in the legislation may provide relief. Section 66(A) deals with the consequences of transmitting derogatory, abusive, or damaging content via social media platforms or other mediums.
2. Sections 66(D), 66(E), and 67 also provide penalties for cyberbullying actions, such as misusing someone’s personal details, publishing inappropriate content, or posting vulgar or insulting information on social media.
3. several sections of the IPC may be used for bullying offenses, such as Section 507 for threats or coercion, Section 354(C) for taking photos of women without their consent, and Section 354(D) for spying or monitoring someone’s activities without their consent. Section 499 also penalizes those who send derogatory communications, which can be deemed as cyberbullying if done on social media platforms.
4. The Ministry of Women and Child Development, in its press release on ‘Digital Exploitation of Children,’ states that sections 354A and 354D of the IPC provide punishment for cyberbullying and cyberstalking against women.
Other IPC Provisions/laws that can be utilized to combat cyberbullying are listed below:
*Publishing or sending pornographic content—Section 67 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)
*Electronic publication or transmission of sexually explicit material: Section 67A, IPC
*Word, gesture, or action intended to offend a woman’s modesty – Section 509
*Sending slanderous e-mails in violation of Section 499 IPC
*Section 292A- Printing, selling, or advertising obscene, defamatory, or slanderous material or anything meant to be used as leverage.
*Making sexually suggestive comments constitutes sexual harassment under Section 354 of the Criminal Code. Privacy Invasion – Section 66E
*Sec. 507: Criminal intimidation through anonymous communication.
How to block and report on social media platforms-
Snapchat
•I need help
•Select Report a safety concern
•saved a snap or conversation on media – click on it contains it bullied me
•there is a box that says – still need help – Select this option and you will be directed to a form where you can explain more in detail about the incident.
•click on the menu.
•Click Settings
•On the left side of Facebook, click Blocking
•Click Blocking on the left side menu
•find the name of the person to block and click on Block.
•Click on the stoner’s name and go to their profile.
•Click on the menu icon Tap – generally top right
And Click Block.