Combatting Cyberbullying: Legal Measures and Preventive Strategies for Youth

Introduction

The present study is a summative assignment on Cyberbullying and its detrimental impact on the mental and physical health of children and teenagers. The study also comprised of the effective lawful strategies to combat the issues and the significance of technological interventions and group discussions as preventive strategies for the global problem.

Cyberbullying and its Prevalence

Cyberbullying also referred as cyber harassment is a technique of bullying other people by means of electronic or digital services such as computers, mobile phones, tablets and social texting apps like Whatsapp, social media platforms and gaming zones. It is referred as any content that threatens, harasses or demeans other person via online and it can happen through any mean comments, rumours, by calling names, induces self harm or even suicide, racism and also even comments related to sexuality or homophobia (Smith, 2009; Smith, et al, 2008).

According to author and Emeritus Professor Helen Cowie of Health and Medical Science, University of Surrey, UK, cyberbullying can be of different forms such as flaming, cyber stalking, harassment, masquerading, denigration, exclusion and outing (Cowie, 2013). With the rapid progress of internet and technology these days offering better results in terms of connecting people all over the world and sharing of information, the “faceless evil” of internet is also rapidly becoming a threat to the teenagers in the form of online bullying. Children while playing games online or chatting in social media becomes connected to people all over the world and uses their headphones to converse with them which make them more prone to bullying. The issue had become a global problem with many cases being reported from several countries like United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom (Schenk, et al, 2012; Modecki, et al, 2014; Wang, 2011).

The percentage of parents reporting about cyber bullying had increased from 11% to 18% from 2011 to 2018 in Great Britain (Childline annual review, 2018). It was estimated that there was a hike of 87% in the counselling therapy sessions of children due to online bullying in the past three years; 40% of children within the age group of 7 -11 years knew about someone who became a target of cyber bullying; nearly 7 out 10 young people aged in between 13-22 were victims and overall estimation of 5.43million people of the United Kingdom had suffered with 1.26 million faced extreme cyber bullying on daily basis (Childline annual review, 2018). As because there are varied definition to describe cyber bullying the researchers must apply caution while gathering data there had been observed a significant overlap between cyber bullying and traditional bullying over various scientific evidences.

Internet Troll

A web troll is somebody who continually hassles an individual on the web through undesirable remarks, page posts, messages, reaction recordings and answers. These reactions are generally made to agitate, insult, outrage or menace, gain consideration, shakedown or control in different cases (Sanfilippo, et al, 2017).

Psychological therapists accept that individuals are less repressed by what they state online because of the way that there do not give off an impression on social sites about their identity and particulars. This is known as the “online dis-inhibition effect”. This leaves trolls to feel they can practically say anything they desire to state without certifiable results on account of the physical and psychological distance because of the presence of digital services. While not all trolls stay unknown, it is anything but difficult to take the course of namelessness on the web, which gives a much more prominent separation between the troll and the individual they are manhandling on the web. This at that point gives them the opportunity to act in however they need so as to get a response on the web.

Social media versus reality

There are compels put on youngsters to look a specific way and this is sustained through web-based social networking. The utilization of altered and modified photographs with the help of software tools appears to be ridiculous and it regularly hinders the ways of leading real life. These variables can contribute towards low-confidence issue among youngsters which makes them powerless (Perloff, 2014).

Online grooming

The web is a stage for paedophiles to manhandle children and also youngsters. A predator in the mask of unknown personalities manipulates or controls their innocent targets regularly over significant stretches through visiting with them on the web. Individuals with adapting needs, low-confidence and mental health issues are especially defenceless against online grooming. The procedure of web based prepping encourages misuse of youngster and is a danger to them throughout the globe. There are an assortment of procedures utilized by web custodians to control youngsters like honeyed words, pay-offs or intimidations. There are additionally various ways that youngsters participate in hazard taking conduct on the web i.e sharing unequivocal photographs, sexting and utilizing cameras which guilty parties may then use to blackmail their targets (Whittle et al, 2013).The degree of weakness or innocence of the youth and children preceding the beginning of online grooming are a noteworthy factor. Moreover, there associations with their guardians if found to be unsupportive and antagonistic which represent a more serious hazard for preparing. Regularly the individuals who are separated are focused by custodians who go after receptive youngsters who they can control (Black et el 2015).

The impact of cyber bullying upon children and youths

When teenagers or children are bullied online they go through the phase of distress, embarrassment and seclusion as they do not have any idea what are the supports available to help them to get rid of the situation. This form of bullying can affect people from all age and walks of life but especially children finds it difficult to deal with it because they are unable to confide to an adult because of embarrassment and in the fear of getting judged. Sometimes the children are told to ignore the incidents which they failed to do and in extreme cases adults even force them to close their accounts which they were not willing to perform. Eventually cyber bully becomes a chronic source of anxiety and distress for them on a daily basis and the cycle even continues to schools and colleges (Nixon, 2014). The uniqueness of cyber bullying is that it targets an unlimited number of audiences over a short period of time with preserved words or images in a permanent state due to absence of supervision. Moreover the perpetrators of cyberbullying are not aware of their targets therefore they do not have any notion of the entire consequences of their action which eventually reduces the feelings of personal answerability. This phenomenon has been often referred as “disinhibition effect” (Wang, 2011). The adolescents who became the targets of cyberbullying are diagnosed with symptoms of depressions, suicidal tendencies, anxiety, phobic anxiety, loneliness, paranoia and other somatic symptoms. The perpetrators of cyberbullying are often associated with increased substance abuse, criminal mindset and with heightened aggression. 93% of cyber victims have reported the signs of depressions, 32% have reported it to be a constant stressor and enhanced the rate of trauma symptoms, 38% of the teenagers reported that they were psychologically disturbed all the time due to the harassment they had faced on internet. Moreover, more than half of the victims had reported that they knew nothing about the perpetrators which enhanced their level of fear and anxiety. The youth goes through the phase of embarrassment, anguish, self harm, self blame, suicidal thoughts along with fear and anxiety (Cowie, 2013). The cumulative effects of all these events cause extreme damage to the self esteem, achievement in the academic field and emotional health of the teenagers. They had reported to feel unsafe at academic institutions, non cooperation from the staff members of schools and colleges, high frequency of headaches, insomnia, abdominal pain and behavioural abnormalities like consumption of high amount of alcohol. They eventually get engaged into much antisocial behaviour because of drug and alcohol related abuse (Nixon, 2014).

Student’s perceptions about cyberbullying:

When an investigation was carried out among school children concerning about the intention of cyberbullying via a survey by a group of researchers around one of every five students reported that cyberbullies considered such conduct as “cool” whereas 45% of the understudies thought the cyberbullies either felt unreliable or were furious or desirous. On the contrary more than 63% of the understudies had accepted that cyberbullies did it for the sake of entertainment and again 45% of understudies believed that the cyberbullies were mean, exhausted, or must be having certain family issues. Also 30% of the students also accepted that cyberbullies utilized it as a resistance system (Li, 2010).

When the students were asked about the people who had faced cyberbullying their perspective were mentioned as: surprisingly 8% of them thought the casualties need to face it. It was equitably isolated that over 45% between the understudies who thought there was nothing that could possibly be done about it and the individuals who thought it must be hindered and thought cyberbullying was awful was evenly distributed among the two gatherings (Li, 2010).

When the same group of students were surveyed about the overall concept of cyberbullying over 35% had stated that what happened online should remain on the web only. However, it was about 18% of them thought that any individual reserves the privilege to state anything they need on the web, regardless of whether what they state harms somebody or damages their protection. On the contrary, about one-fifth of the understudies believed that their guardians or carers should stay out of this and over 46% demanded the formation of a kinder and a comparatively safe web world (Li, 2010).

Case studies

Gabriella Green, of age 12 years was a victim of cyberbullying. During her case investigation police interviewed two of her friends after getting information about them from social platforms and mobile contacts. The accused girl threatened the victim with rumours about her acquiring sexually transmitted disease and that her personal and sensitive details would be exposed to public (Lynch, 2018).

Another case study of a 17 year old boy named Felix Alexandra whose life was based on social media and online gaming. He eventually killed himself after getting bullied for several years through social platforms (BBC, 2016).

Current government Policies in relation to safeguarding children and youths

There are no specific laws concerning cyber bullying in the UK practice. Moreover, there are some laws that can be applied to cases of cyber bully and online harassment such as Protection from Harassment act, 1997, Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, 1994, Malicious Communications Act, 1988, Section 127 of the Communication Act, 2003, Obscene Publications Act, 1959, Computer Misuse Act, 1990, Health and Safety Act addressing cyber bully at the place of work and the Defamation Act, 2013 which was enforced in the year 2014 (Willard, 2012; Hinduja, 2011).

In Europe, the legislation of data protection is now being applied to cases of cyber bullying and to ensure the safety of the children the European Commission had formed an agreement with the 17 famous social networking sites that includes Facebook and Instagram.

Effective strategies to deal with cyberbullying or internet trolls:

In the event that any youth or children are facing trolls, this can be extreme and troublesome. Youngster’s online space ought to be a sheltered one and they should not need to feel terrified or embarrassed each time they sign in to one of their records. Here are a few different ways to manage trolls, that the parents or carers of the children and youth ever be focused on:

Try not to take care of the troll: By and large - individuals who display this sort of conduct online are demanding to check a response from the person in question. On the off chance that the target decides not to respond to the disdainful remarks, almost certainly, the cyberbully will get exhausted and precede onward (Lange, et al, 2017).

Erase remarks: On the off chance that the target finds that somebody has reacted to content that they have posted in a hostile or negative manner, make a point to erase the remark when you see it. In the event that it feels essential, take a screen capture of that too for future endeavours (Lange, et al, 2017).

Block the client who is sending the youth or children unsafe stuff: On the off chance that the children or youth ever feel assaulted in any capacity by somebody on the web, blocking them is considered to be the best procedure. Moreover, that a client is blocked, it becomes unimaginable for them to communicate with the target on their page with that specific record (Lange, et al, 2017).

Report the remarks or reactions to the application or site: On the off chance that the target individual reports the unpleasant substance via web-based networking media, all things considered, the remark, message or record announced will be suspended or even deactivated (Lange, et al, 2017).

Contact the police: 'Doxing' is a term which intends to look for and distribute private or distinguishing data about a specific individual on the internet, normally with malevolent aim. In that case the target individual should pursue for legal action immediately (Lange, et al, 2017).

Know about what are getting uploaded on the web: Individuals should make an effort not to uncover any close or confidential data about yourself, or things that others need not to know or must not use against the individual (Lange, et al, 2017).

Risk Assessment Tools

The most important aspect of dealing with cyberbullying is the act of prevention with the strict application of whole school e-safety policies and the wide variety of websites containing relevant information such as UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) https://www.education.gov.uk/ukccis/ and ChildLine www.childline.org.uk/). In the UK many schools now provides training to the children regarding the use of e-safety and “netiquette” so that they remain well equipped with the tools which will help them to understand the complexity and associated risk of the digital world and also their benefits (Kowalski, 2007; Livingstone, 2011; Price, 2010). These features include the blocking of the online harassment behaviour and use of panic buttons that can be used by the victims when they feel to be threatened. Few studies have reported that blocking was the most effective strategy apart from deleting the nasty messages and stopping the use of internet. Further research is needed in this field to design new technological interventions and their effectiveness in cyberbullying (Livingstone, 2011).

Importance and complexities of integrated working

It was viewed that young people find it helpful to share with their peers regarding the problem. This can be considered as a significant matter as the role of the audience can be extremely effective to take action against cyberbullying (Price, 2010; Hoff, 2009). It was observed that a group of young cyber mentors who were trained to monitor the websites and also offered emotional help to the victims and this was positively evaluated by the adolescent victims. Authors of other study also reported that peer leaders within the school had developed bullying awareness training by building teams within the community of students and trained them to perform passively as witness (DiBasilio, et al, 2008). These leadership skills have trained them to understand the psychology of cyberbullying and eventually the number of cases declined with this intervention (Hoff, et al, 2009).

Parents also play an important role in the prevention strategies as they set appropriate limits on websites, internet use and computer. Previous studies have reported that poor parental monitoring has direct correlation with cyberbullying. It is also important to note that parents have limited role to play after the occurrence of cyberbullying as children suffers in silence. Few adolescents have also reported that they could not reveal it to their parents as they would suggest not to use the gadgets like computer and mobiles or to simply ignore the situation and both the techniques did not work for them. Few victims also reported that they tried to overcome the situation by themselves only and did not want to involve their parents (Stacey, et al, 2009).

In a survey conducted by the group of researchers among high school understudies when asked about their opinion to disclose the incidents to their parents or carers that responded that under one of every six cases, the circumstance showed signs of improvement when the casualties enlightened others concerning the episode (Li, 2010). However, among a couple of cases, things had deteriorated. By and large, not all that much, some of the understudies thought, they should not bother the adults. According to their opinion, their friends were the most reliable to help them in those situations (Li, 2010). This clarified the fact that the casualties regularly inform about any issues just to their companions. As recommended by dynamic systems hypothesis, cyberbullying is an aftereffect of the cooperation of its framework's segments. Hence, it was understood that peers assume a solid job in continuing cyberbullying, and this was predictable with the author’s perceptions of other studies (Kokkinos, et al, 2013). As because the companions have a strong impact upon the understudies conduct, psychological reasoning and logical thinking , they provided a sense of protection to them to lower down their anxiety level (Powers, et al, 2009). Moreover, companions can likewise give assurance and adapting guidance to casualties in reality or in the internet (Modecki, et al, 2014). As showed by the examination carried over, one out of four spectators went up against the cyberbully legitimately, and over 35% attempted to help or get to know the person in question. One ramification that was drawn out of that study that the school authorities or government need to give specific consideration to understudies when structuring anticipation programs. They have to teach them about their obligations and how to help one with the right guidance another during the time of crisis.

Conclusion

Cyber bullying has a significant detrimental impact upon the mental and physical health of the children and youths due to which it has become a matter of global concern (Modecki, et al, 2014). Although there are recommended strategies for coping the problem but further research is required to combat this issue effectively (Hinduja, 2011; Livingstone, 2011) . This assignment had detailed about the various forms of cyberbullying, the effective lawful strategies and about the technological and discussion interventions for the management of the problem.

Take a deeper dive into Colonial Legacies and Independence with our additional resources.

References

Black, P.J., Wollis, M., Woodworth, M. and Hancock, J.T., 2015. A linguistic analysis of grooming strategies of online child sex offenders: Implications for our understanding of predatory sexual behavior in an increasingly computer-mediated world. Child Abuse & Neglect, 44, pp.140-149.

Childline, U.K., 2018. Childline annual review.

Cowie, H., 2013. Cyberbullying and its impact on young people's emotional health and well-being. The Psychiatrist, 37(5), pp.167-170.

DiBasilio, A., 2008. Reducing Bullying in Middle School Students through the Use of Student-Leaders. Online Submission.

Hinduja, S. and Patchin, J.W., 2011. Cyberbullying: A review of the legal issues facing educators. Preventing school failure: Alternative education for children and youth, 55(2), pp.71-78.

Hoff, D.L. and Mitchell, S.N., 2009. Cyberbullying: Causes, effects, and remedies. Journal of Educational Administration.

Kokkinos, C.M., 2013. Bullying and victimization in early adolescence: Associations with attachment style and perceived parenting. Journal of School Violence, 12(2), pp.174-192.

Kowalski, R.M. and Limber, S.P., 2007. Electronic bullying among middle school students. Journal of adolescent health, 41(6), pp.S22-S30.

Lange, P.G., 2017. Feeding the Trolls: Strategies for Raising the Bar in Online Interaction. Parameters of the Possible, 11, pp.81-91.

Li, Q., 2010. Cyberbullying in high schools: A study of students' behaviors and beliefs about this new phenomenon. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 19(4), pp.372-392.

Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Görzig, A. and Ólafsson, K., 2011. Risks and safety on the internet: the perspective of European children: full findings and policy implications from the EU Kids Online survey of 9-16 year olds and their parents in 25 countries.

Lynch, J., 2018. Police accuse two students, age 12, of cyberbullying in suicide. Cable Network News.

Modecki, K.L., Minchin, J., Harbaugh, A.G., Guerra, N.G. and Runions, K.C., 2014. Bullying prevalence across contexts: A meta-analysis measuring cyber and traditional bullying. Journal of Adolescent Health, 55(5), pp.602-611.

Nixon, C.L., 2014. Current perspectives: the impact of cyberbullying on adolescent health. Adolescent health, medicine and therapeutics, 5, p.143.

Perloff, R.M., 2014. Social media effects on young women’s body image concerns: Theoretical perspectives and an agenda for research. Sex Roles, 71(11-12), pp.363-377.

Powers, A., Ressler, K.J. and Bradley, R.G., 2009. The protective role of friendship on the effects of childhood abuse and depression. Depression and anxiety, 26(1), pp.46-53.

Price, M. and Dalgleish, J., 2010. Cyberbullying: Experiences, impacts and coping strategies as described by Australian young people. Youth Studies Australia, 29(2), p.51.

Sanfilippo, M.R., Yang, S. and Fichman, P., 2017, January. Managing online trolling: From deviant to social and political trolls. In Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii international conference on system sciences.

Schenk, A.M. and Fremouw, W.J., 2012. Prevalence, psychological impact, and coping of cyberbully victims among college students. Journal of school violence, 11(1), pp.21-37.

Smith, P.K., 2009. Cyberbullying: Abusive relationships in cyberspace. Zeitschrift für Psychologie/Journal of Psychology, 217(4), pp.180-181.

Smith, P.K., Mahdavi, J., Carvalho, M., Fisher, S., Russell, S. and Tippett, N., 2008. Cyberbullying: Its nature and impact in secondary school pupils. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, 49(4), pp.376-385.

Stacey, E., 2009. Research into cyberbullying: Student perspectives on cybersafe learning environments. Informatics in Education-An International Journal, 8(1), pp.115-130.

Wang, J., Nansel, T.R. and Iannotti, R.J., 2011. Cyber and traditional bullying: Differential association with depression. Journal of adolescent health, 48(4), pp.415-417.

Whittle, H., Hamilton-Giachritsis, C., Beech, A. and Collings, G., 2013. A review of online grooming: Characteristics and concerns. Aggression and violent behavior, 18(1), pp.62-70.

Willard, N., 2012. Cyberbullying and the law. In Cyberbullying Prevention and Response (pp. 47-67). Routledge.