- Written By: R. Stamm
- Edited By: A. Joseph
-
Copyright Protected:
2003-2012 Conjecture Corporation
Cyber harassment and cyber stalking are often used synonymously to describe the actions of persons who relentlessly pursue others online with the intention of frightening or embarrassing the victim. Sometimes a harasser intends to teach the victim a lesson or solicit information from the victim, and stalkers generally want revenge or attention. Laws against cyber harassment vary depending on the country, and victims should report their case to local authorities. To prevent crimes from occurring, it is important for everyone to protect their identity while on the Internet.
There is no universal legal definition of cyber harassment, but it typically is defined as repeated, unsolicited, threatening behavior by a person or group using mobile or Internet technology with the intent to bother, terrify, intimidate, humiliate, threaten, harass or stalk someone else. The harassment can take place in any electronic environment where communication with others is possible, such as on social networking sites, on message boards, in chat rooms or through email. Posting a general opinion on a discussion board or in a forum is not considered cyber harassment.
A cyber harasser often will post comments to the victim that are intended to cause distress and will try to incite others to do the same. The harasser might break into the victim’s accounts and send numerous obscene or hurtful emails and instant messages to the victim’s significant other, family, friends, coworkers and boss. A harasser might even hack into the victim’s computer and take over his or her accounts, change passwords or sign up the victim for things such as pornographic websites and spam. The harasser might set up websites using digitally manipulated, sexual images of the victim or send those images to amateur pornographic websites.
Laws protecting citizens from cyber harassment can vary from place to place and country to country. Western European countries have explicit laws providing their citizens with protection from cyber harasser or stalkers, but as of 2010, some Asian countries had not yet enacted laws against this crime. In the United States, many states have laws that provide some protection from cyber harassment or stalking. There were no U.S. federal laws of this type as of 2010, but there are laws that protect children age 16 or younger from electronic sexual offenses.
Persons who feel they have been victimized should begin to document and collect all harassing messages, postings and other activities. If there is any indication that a perpetrator knows where the victim lives or works or how to find them offline, the victim should contact the local authorities immediately. In some instances, the authorities can track the harasser through an Internet Service Provider and issue a restraining order against the stalker. Victims who cannot file criminal charges against an offender might attempt to file a civil suit, have accounts revoked and have damaging websites shut down.
Related Videos
Discuss this Article
|
Moldova
Post 5 |
Latte31- I remember that case it was so sad. This is why there should be stricter cyber bullying laws on the books because cyber bullying is a very real form of harassment that can no longer be ignored.
Harassment laws need to be in place that expand the definition of harassment to include cyber bullying as well. This is a very real threat to young people who do not yet have the perspective necessary to brush these comments off because they are so very young.
To them they feel that the present will last forever because they have not lived long enough to know that their future will change.
This is why we really need to protect these kids and charge those accused of cyber bullying with a felony which will really impact their life. I bet if the punishment were more severe people would think twice about doing this.
|
|
latte31
Post 4 |
BrickBack-I agree with you, but the worst of all of the cyber harassment cases has to be the Megan Meier case.
This thirteen year old girl was tricked by her former friend’s mother named Lori Drew who pretended to be a boy named Josh who was interested in her.
Drew did this to see what Megan would say about her daughter. After she got the information that she wanted Drew posing as “Josh” ended the relationship and Megan killed herself that night.
Not only was this a cruel joke but to make matters worse Megan suffered from depression which made her even more vulnerable to suicide.
Lori Drew was charged with a misdemeanor for computer fraud which yielded only 90 days in jail and a $500 fine.
However, the ruling was reversed on appeal citing that there were no laws on the books to address this crime so Drew walked free.
This is a tragedy on so many levels because someone like this should never get away with cyber bullying like that. This woman robbed her of her life that she will never get back.
|
|
BrickBack
Post 3 |
Sunshine31 -I don’t understand why there are not stricter laws in place because I believe that the bullying harassment cases are worse on the internet than they are in person.
The reason is simple. People can hide behind their computer and say all sorts of things but when they are face to face with their victim it is a different situation.
It is really a more cowardly way to harass someone. There are many cyber harassment cases that ended tragically.
The Tyler Clement case regarding the Rutgers freshman that killed himself over the humiliation that he experienced when two of his supposed friends broadcasted his sexual encounters on the internet.
This is really terrible that people think something like this could ever be funny.
|
|
sunshine31
Post 2 |
Anon125965- That is a good question, but I am not sure of the answer. I just wanted to say that I am surprised that there are no federal laws against bullying and harassment on the internet.
As a matter of fact the Communications Decency Act of 1996 protects services like Facebook and MySpace from litigation.
This is why most of these social networking sites don’t do more to prevent cyber bullying. While there are laws that exist to protect minors 16 and under the majority of the cases involve young women between the ages of 18 and 24.
The cyber harassment statistics show that the percentage of young women that are harassed in this manner is over 60% and only 10% of victims tell their parents which is really disturbing. |
|
anon125965
Post 1 |
What happens if an adult reposts something on facebook that was an original post by a minor who lied about their age (13 saying they were 18) on a public page? the repost was on a private page. |
