Cyber-Bullying: An Old Threat in a New Avatar
RESEARCH METHODOLO!
Table "# C"ntent$
Abstract...........................................................................................................4 Research Objectives and Questions................................................................5 Research Hypothesis.......................................................................................7 Questionnaire..................................................................................................8 Data Sources.................................................................................................1 !oo"s#.........................................................................................................1 Artic$es#............................................................................... .......................1 %ases#.........................................................................................................1 Su&&aries....................................................................................................11 !oo" Su&&ary...........................................................................................11 Artic$e Su&&ary.........................................................................................1' %ase Su&&ary...........................................................................................1(
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Sub%e&t Area
# )a* and Hu&an Ri+hts # %yber )a*, %yber Security and Hu&an Ri+hts
T"'i&
# A critica$ ana$ysis o- the eistin+ $e+a$ -ra&e*or" to tac"$e
cyber/bu$$yin+
Cyber-Bullying: An Old Threat in a New Avatar
Ab$tra&t
Advance&ents in techno$o+y have resu$ted in the overa$$ deve$op&ent o- the society and have -aci$itated the -ree interaction bet*een hu&ans on a +$oba$ sca$e. Ho*ever, just as a coin has t*o sides, these techno$o+ica$ deve$op&ents have a dar" side. Apart -ro& the obvious ea&p$es o- nuc$ear *ar-are and *or$d*ide po$$ution *hich have captured +$oba$ attention, there are various +ro*in+ issues that sti$$ re&ain unnoticed. 0his project -ocuses on such an area, *hich has been a resu$t o- the deve$op&ents in the e$d o- co&&unication techno$o+y# %yber/bu$$yin+, an o$d threat that *as $i&ited to schoo$s and p$ay+rounds, *hich has crept its *ay into the di+ita$ rea$&, vio$atin+ the basic hu&an ri+hts. 2eop$e bein+ subject to bu$$yin+ o- any "ind o-ten -ee$ de-ense$ess to repe$ or put up a +ht a+ainst their a++ressors. %yber/bu$$yin+ au+&ents a ne* di&ension to this he$p$essness *ith its abi$ity to reach the victi&s '437. 0he n+er has been pointed to*ards *eb/users, parents, teachers, po$icy/&a"ers and socia$ net*or"in+ sites to brin+ a stop to it. 0hat bein+ said, to *hat etent can restrictions be i&posed to prevent cyber/bu$$yin+ 0here has been a $ot o- debate on $terin+ techno$o+y and &easures $i"e bannin+ socia$ net*or" sites as &eans to stop cyber/bu$$yin+, as they see& to vio$ate the ri+ht to -reedo& o- epression.
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0hrou+h this project, the author &a"es an honest atte&pt to in-or& the readers o- the eects o- cyber/bu$$yin+ on chi$dren and peop$e across dierent *a$"s o- $i-e. 0he project a$so ea&ines the current approach to*ards its prevention and ana$y6es the debate on the restrictive &easures and the -reedo& o- epression. 0he author conc$udes by $ayin+ do*n su++estive &easures that can be adopted by concerned parties *ho can &a"e an i&pact to curb this +ro*in+ &enace.
Re$ear&h Ob%e&tive$ and (ue$ti"n$
1. 0o understand the concept o- cyber/bu$$yin+. a. hat is cyber/bu$$yin+ b. hat are the various -or&s by *hich cyber/bu$$yin+ is co&&itted c. ho are the victi&s o- cyber/bu$$yin+ and *hat is its i&pact on the&
'. 0o ana$y6e *hether cyber/bu$$yin+ vio$ates the basic hu&an ri+hts. a. hat are the ri+hts that are vio$ated by the co&&ission o- cyber/ bu$$yin+ b. n *hat *ays does cyber/bu$$yin+ aect the ri+ht to privacy c. Ho* does cyber/bu$$yin+ resu$t in de-a&ation conse9uentia$$y vio$atin+ the ri+ht to $ive *ith hu&an di+nity
(. 0o ea&ine the eistin+ $e+a$ -ra&e*or" and the &easures ta"en at schoo$s and co$$e+es to address cyber/bu$$yin+. 4|Page
a. hat are the eistin+ $a*s in p$ace in various countries to tac"$e cyber/bu$$yin+ and to consider the& as +rounds -or civi$ and cri&ina$ $iabi$ity b. hat are the &easures ta"en in schoo$s and co$$e+es to co&bat cyber/bu$$yin+ c. hat are the &easures adopted by socia$ net*or"in+ sites, *ho inadvertent$y provide potentia$ p$at-or&s -or cyber/bu$$yin+, to prevent it
4. 0o de$ve into the criticis& a+ainst the various restrictive &easures adopted by dierent parties to prevent cyber/bu$$yin+. a. Are the eistin+ restrictive ðods adopted -or curbin+ cyber/ bu$$yin+ eective b. Are the schoo$s and co$$e+es justied in adoptin+ these &easures *hich curtai$ the ri+ht to -reedo& o- epression c. Do these 6ero to$erance po$icies &a"e thin+s *orse by creatin+ toic environ&ents that perpetuate cyber bu$$yin+ rather than -osterin+ positive or respect-u$ $earnin+ environ&ents
5. 0o propose3reco&&end eective re+u$atory &easures that shou$d be adopted by various parties to stop cyber/bu$$yin+. a. hat are the re+u$atory po$icies that are re9uired to rep$ace the eistin+ $a*s to +ht cyber/bu$$yin+ &ore eective$y
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b. O*in+ to the criticis& a+ainst the various restrictive &easures adopted by schoo$s, socia$ net*or"in+ sites and internet service providers, *hat a$ternative steps can ba$ance the need -or protection a+ainst cyber/bu$$yin+ and the -reedo& o- epression c. hat ro$e can the parents p$ay in preventin+ cyber/bu$$yin+ since &ost o- these activities ta"e p$ace on co&puters at ho&es
Re$ear&h Hy'"the$i$
1. %yber/bu$$yin+ is in +ross vio$ation o- the basic hu&an ri+hts, particu$ar$y the ri+ht to $ive *ith hu&an di+nity and the ri+ht to privacy. '. %yber/bu$$yin+ is not $i&ited to &inors, rather it aects peop$e across a$$ *a$"s o- $i-e. (. 0he $e+a$ -ra&e*or" that is in p$ace to curb cyber/bu$$yin+ is inade9uate. 4. 0he restrictive &easures adopted to put a stop to cyber/bu$$yin+ vio$ate the ri+ht to -reedo& o- epression.
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5. 0here is a $ot o- :n+er pointin+ at each other; concernin+ the duty to prevent cyber/bu$$yin+, *hen *hat is actua$$y re9uired is a co$$ective eort by *eb/users, parents, teachers, socia$ net*or"in+ sites and po$icy &a"ers to*ards the sa&e.
(ue$ti"nnaire
0he Questions are posed to parents, teachers, schoo$ ad&inistrative bodies, socia$ net*or"in+ sites, internet service providers and *eb/users. 1. Are you a*are o- *hat cyber bu$$yin+ is
=o
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'. Do you a+ree to the c$ai& that the practice o- cyber/bu$$yin+ resu$ts in the vio$ation o- the basic hu&an ri+hts %o&p$ete$y
A+ree
=ot sure
A+ree
Disa+re
%o&p$ete$y
e
Disa+ree
(. Do you thin" the protection oered by the eistin+ $a* to*ards &inors a+ainst cyber/bu$$yin+ shou$d be etended to peop$e across a$$ *a$"s o- $i-e %o&p$ete$y
A+ree
=ot sure
A+ree
Disa+re
%o&p$ete$y
e
Disa+ree
4. Do you be$ieve that parenta$ responsibi$ity can be a better re&edy to prevent cyber/bu$$yin+ since &ost o- these activities ta"e p$ace on co&puters at ho&es %o&p$ete$y
A+ree
=ot sure
A+ree
Disa+re
%o&p$ete$y
e
Disa+ree
5. Have you adopted restrictive &easures such as $terin+ and bannin+ in your institution3*ebsite3ho&e to deter cyber/bu$$yin+
=o
>. Do you thin" the schoo$s, socia$ net*or"in+ sites and internet service providers are justied in i&posin+ such restrictions to curb cyber/ bu$$yin+ %o&p$ete$y A+ree
A+ree
=ot sure
Disa+re
%o&p$ete$y
e
Disa+ree 8|Page
7. Do you a+ree to the criticis& raised a+ainst these preventive &easures bein+ vio$ative o- the ri+ht to -reedo& o- epression %o&p$ete$y
A+ree
=ot sure
A+ree
Disa+re
%o&p$ete$y
e
Disa+ree
8. Do you be$ieve that po$icy/&a"ers and the $a*s enacted by the& are the on$y -actors that can &a"e a si+nicant positive i&pact on the prevention o- cyber/bu$$yin+ %o&p$ete$y
A+ree
=ot sure
A+ree
Disa+re
%o&p$ete$y
e
Disa+ree
?. Do you thin" the &easures adopted by the socia$ net*or"in+ sites and internet service providers to re+u$ate cyber/bu$$yin+ are inade9uate and are in need o- a better protection &echanis& %o&p$ete$y
A+ree
=ot sure
A+ree
1.
Disa+re
%o&p$ete$y
e
Disa+ree
Do you be$ieve that a co$$ective eort by a$$ the parties @*eb/
users, parents, teachers, schoo$s, socia$ net*or"in+ sites, internet service providers and po$icy/&a"ers is the best and &ost eective so$ution to stop cyber/bu$$yin+ %o&p$ete$y A+ree
A+ree
=ot sure
Disa+re
%o&p$ete$y
e
Disa+ree
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Data S"ur&e$ 0he Researcher has re$ied on pri&ary sources such as artic$es, boo"s, journa$s, case $a*s and internet sources -or dra-tin+ the current research abstracts, 9uestionnaire and the proposed hypothesis. B"")$:
Shari, Shaheen, Cyber-Bullying: Issues and Solutions for the School, the Classroom and the Home, @=e*
Bo*a$s"i, Robin C., et a$., Cyber Bullying: Bullying in the Digital Age, @Cassachusetts# !$ac"*e$$ 2ub$ishin+ )td., '8
aishan"ar, B., Cyber Criminology: Exloring Internet Crimes and Criminal Beha!iour , @E$orida# %R% 2ress, '11
Hinduja, Sa&eer F 2atchin, ustin ., Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: "re!enting and #esonding to Cyberbullying, @%a$i-ornia# %or*in, '8
Arti&le$:
Canue$, Rose, =atasha, Cyber-Bullying: Its #ecent Emergence and $eeded %egislation to "rotect Adolescent &ictims, 1( )oy. . 2ub. nt. ). '1? @'11/'1'
Hay*ard, ohn O., Anti-Cyber Bullying Statutes: 'hreat to Student (ree Seech, 5? %$ev. St. ). Rev. 85 @'11
!ut$er, Des, et a$., Cyber Bullying In Schools and the %a): Is 'here an E*ecti!e +eans of Addressing the "o)er Imbalance , 1> e)a* . 84 @'?
Ca$e$:
S v. Dre), G'5? E.R.D. 44? @%.D. %a$. '? 10 | P a g e
A.B. v. Bragg Communications Inc., G'1' S%% 4> @%an) State of $e) /ersey v. Dharun #a!i, G=e* ersey Superior %ourt @'1'
Su**arie$
B"") Su**ary
Shari+, Shaheen, Cyber-Bullying: Issues and Solutions for the School, the Classroom and the Home, New !"r): R"utledge, .//01
Shaheen Shari;s Cyber Bullying: Issues and Solutions ta"es a co&prehensive approach to*ards the issue o- cyber bu$$yin+ by coverin+ a$$ the necessary an+$es. 0he boo" hi+h$i+hts so&e o- the issues connected *ith cyber/bu$$yin+ internationa$$y, ana$y6in+ the cu$tura$ and contetua$ dierences in the &anner in *hich the youth -ro& dierent parts o- the *or$d are en+a+in+ and considers the $e+a$ and po$icy responses that have e&er+ed at the +$oba$ $eve$s to address cyber/bu$$yin+. 0he boo" is a va$uab$e +uide -or educators, po$icy &a"ers, parents, the &edia, techno$o+y providers and indeed anyone *ith a sta"e in understandin+ the co&p$eities o- cyber/bu$$yin+. t see"s to reconceptua$i6e the *ay the +enera$ pub$ic thin" about education, student citi6enship, socia$$y responsib$e discourse and discip$ine in a di+iti6ed *or$d. 0he author be+ins the boo" by distin+uishin+ cyber/bu$$yin+ -ro& its traditiona$
counter/part
and
de$ves
into
the
9uestion
*hether
the
cyberspace is a batt$e+round or an opportunity. 0he -o$$o*in+ chapter dea$s *ith the bio$o+ica$ and socio$o+ica$ inIuences o- cyber/bu$$yin+ on 11 | P a g e
chi$dren;s behavior. 0he third chapter ta$"s about a transnationa$ approach to*ards curbin+ cyber/bu$$yin+, providin+ the readers *ith rea$/$i-e cases so that they can have a better +rip over the i&pact o- these activities. =et, the author +oes on to ea&ine the po*er hierarchies a&on+ the sta"eho$ders *ithin schoo$ syste&s that u$ti&ate$y contro$ *hat chi$dren $earn and epress on and oJine, pointin+ it as the pri&ary reason *hy typica$ approaches to address traditiona$ and cyber/bu$$yin+ do not *or". She then &a"es a detai$ed ana$ysis on the debate concernin+ the ba$ancin+ o- -reedo& o- epression and the privacy and sa-ety &easures in cyberspace. 0he boo" conc$udes by proposin+ certain har&onious so$utions that can address the c$ai&s o- a$$ and that *hich can ensure a better protection o- chi$dren -ro& cyber/bu$$yin+.
Arti&le Su**ary
Manuel, R"$e, Nata$ha, Cyber-Bullying: Its Recent Emergence and Needed Legislation to rotect !dolescent "ictims , 23 L"y4 54 6ub4 7nt4 L4 .28 ./22-./2.1
=atasha Rose Canue$;s Cyber-bullying: Its #ecent Emergence and $eeded %egislation to "rotect Adolescent &ictims is one co&&ent a&on+ the very -e* artic$es on cyber/bu$$yin+ that ep$ores a$$ an+$es o- the +ro*in+ &enace o- cyber/bu$$yin+. 0he artic$e -ocusses on the p$i+ht o- ado$escent victi&s o- cyber/bu$$yin+ and hi+h$i+hts the reason -or its recent e&er+ence, by providin+ rea$ instances and ana$y6in+ the i&pact it has had on the victi&s and their -a&i$ies. t ea&ines in depth the eistin+ $e+a$ -ra&e*or" in p$ace to co&bat cyber/bu$$yin+ and &a"es an atte&pt to eva$uate *hat i&pact a -edera$ $e+is$ation can have on the prevention o- cyber/bu$$yin+ *ith specia$ re-erence to the Ce+an Ceier %yber/bu$$yin+ 12 | P a g e
2revention Act *hich has been introduced in the House o- Representatives, as the artic$e pri&ari$y center on the KS position to*ards cyber/bu$$yin+. 0he artic$e a$so c$ear$y $ays do*n the etent o- responsibi$ity each sta"eho$der has in +htin+ cyber/bu$$yin+. hi$e 2art o- the co&&ent discusses the recent e&er+ence o- cyber/ bu$$yin+, ana$y6in+ its reasons and its devastatin+ eect on &inors, the subse9uent 2art discusses *hy the current $a*s -ai$ to protect the victi&s, a+ainst *ho& these victi&s can brin+ a case, *hy private action is the best &eans o- obtainin+ re$ie- and ho* current &eans o- re$ie- prove insuicient. 0he na$ 2art discusses ho* to cri&ina$i6e the act and ana$y6es the -ai$ure o-
the
a$ready
proposed
$e+is$ation
cri&ina$i6in+
cyber/bu$$yin+.
Additiona$$y, the section a$so discusses the proposed -edera$ $e+is$ation that *ou$d consider the -ai$ure o- the bi$$, and reco&&ends -edera$ $e+is$ation that *ou$d success-u$$y aord re$ie- to ado$escent victi&s o- cyber/bu$$yin+. %onsiderin+ the dearth o- $iterature on the subject, this artic$e, thou+h $i&ited to the KS scenario, captures a$$ the necessary aspects o- cyber/bu$$yin+ particu$ar$y its i&pacts on the victi&s and the society, in a +enera$ tone.
Ca$e Su**ary
#S v4 $re% , 9.8 ;4R4D4 <<8 C4D4 Cal4 .//81=
0he case revo$ves around the co&&ission o- cyber/bu$$yin+ by a *o&an na&ed )ori Dre*, *ho created a -a"e account in the socia$ net*or"in+ site :CySpace; to harass Ce+an Ceier, a 1( year o$d chi$d, *hich u$ti&ate$y insti+ated the chi$d to co&&it suicide. 0he de-endant *as char+ed *ith vio$atin+ the provisions o- the %o&puter Eraud and Abuse Act 13 | P a g e
@%EAA by usin+ a ctitious na&e and a+e on the CySpace account as a+ainst the ter&s o- service o- the site, and usin+ it to &a"e hurt-u$ co&&ents. n the instant case, thou+h the jury -ound that the de-endant had not co&&itted the act *ith &a$icious intent, but *as +ui$ty o- cri&ina$$y vio$atin+ the ter&s o- service a+ree&ent, the +ui$ty verdict *as $ater set aside. 0he prosecution ar+ued that the de-endant;s subse9uent visits to the site a&ounted to Lunauthori6ed accessM as per the ter&s o- the %EAA *hich *as a+reed to by the jury. 0his can be seen as creative eercise o- the provisions o- the %EAA, *hich pri&ari$y tar+ets hac"in+ and trade&ar" the-t. Ho*ever, the ud+e Neor+e u o- the District %ourt o- %a$i-ornia overturned the verdict and c$ear$y stated that the vio$ation o- the ter&s o- service potentia$$y vio$ated the %EAA, ho*ever, he noted that these vio$ations cou$d not be cri&ina$, as to do so *ou$d be unconstitutiona$$y va+ue. He -urther observed that ta"in+ the breach o- a *ebsite;s ter&s o- service a$one as the re$evant consideration -or %EAA vio$ations *ou$d p$ace too &uch contro$ in the hands o- the *ebsite operators and too $itt$e notice to the *ebsite users. 0he case is o- etre&e i&portance as it $ays do*n the scope o- the cybercri&e statutes, *ith tre&endous$y hi+h sta"es -or the civi$ $iberties o- every internet user. 0he case has a$so resu$ted in si+nicant $e+is$ative responses as a $ot o- States in the KS have enacted $e+is$ations to address cyber/bu$$yin+. An atte&pt *as &ade to enact a -edera$ $e+is$ation @Ce+an Ceier %yber/bu$$yin+ 2revention Act as *e$$ to set a -edera$ standard denition -or the ter& :cyber/bu$$yin+;. Ho*ever, the proposa$ *as critici6ed as overboard and did not advance.
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