Criminalizing Cyber Bullying

Criminalizing Cyber Bullying

Many do not know about the implications that can come about within the world of cyberspace, let alone how it can lead to the suicide of a child. Now picture yourself as a teenager in high school who comes to school and notices that everyone is staring at you with an abhorred look on their face. Some of them snicker, some whisper horrid names, some even bump you as you go by. Rumors are spreading fast, but luckily school is at an end and you can get away from all of it, or so you thought. You go home turn on your computer and notice that you have several lengthy messages telling you you’re worthless, no one likes you, and to go kill yourself. Your anxiety builds up, you feel helpless as everyday is a repeat, and you feel like you’re trapped as if there is no one that can help you. This is what some teenagers go through right up until they end their own life. The question now is how can we stop cyber bullying?

Cyber bullying is an increasing implication that has arisen in the past decade. Many of the older generations have not faced such problematic factors because technology did not contain social media as a way to interact with people. The twenty-first century is all about being able to communicate with people when you are not able to be face to face. As this has been a great way to communicate with friends and family, it is also a great way for one to be a bully within this cyberspace. This enables security that they will be able to bully a person without worrying about any consequences. Unfortunately this cyber bullying has caused many victims to either be emotionally distressed or commit suicide. Because of this, cyber bullies should be criminally liable for their actions whether the person they bullied committed suicide or not.

Because it is an age of increasing technology, these bullies do not physically do anything within the school grounds. They merely have their peer bystanders isolate the victim and then cyber bully the victim when they get home. As much of these problems have been presented to legislation, there is not too much they can do to criminalize cyber bullying that will go without violating the first amendment of free speech. However, there are 10 states that have been able to make it a misdemeanor if a victim is clearly being threatened and being succumbed by emotional distress to where there are having thoughts of suicide. Many are still trying to depict a law that will criminalize cyber bullying in the other 40 states that will not be so broad as to be unconstitutional. (Benzmiller, 2013) However if criminalization of cyber bullying can be set as a misdemeanor in 10 states it can surely be done in the rest of the 40 states.

When it comes to bullying it has always been seen that any witnesses tend to turn a blind eye to the act that is at hand because they are afraid or do not know what they can do to help. This is also the same