We don't essentially grasp why youngsters bully or cyberbully; what we tend to do grasp is that cyberbullying is the deliberate, persistent and malicious use of words or photos in a web setting supposed to cause damage to someone’s eudaemonia. analysis undertaken by youngsters Helpline found that the foremost common age for cyberbullying is that the transition amount between primary and high school once adolescents square measure around eleven or twelve, however it happens throughout the young years thus it’s vital to bear in mind.
Reason for increased screen time
● Because of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, individuals around the world, together with children, square measure payment twenty % longer on social media than they were pre-pandemic.[1]
● 71 % of U.S. folks with a kid, a toddler, a baby} age eleven or younger square measure involved that their child would possibly pay an excessive amount of time before screens, in keeping with the church bench centre.[2]
● 70 % of fogeys calculate that their children pay a minimum of four hours daily with screens. Before the pandemic, sixty % of fogeys calculated that their children spent 3 hours or less before screens.[3]
There is no specific legislation that provides for the specific cyberbullying laws in India however provisions such as Section 67 of the Information Technology Act deals with cyberbullying in a way. Section 67 of the act prescribes punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form for a term which may extend to five years and also with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees.
Other than Section 67 of the IT Act following are the provisions of the cyberbullying laws in India:
1. Section 507 IPC- The section states that if anyone receives criminal intimidation by way of anonymous communication then the person giving threats shall be punished with imprisonment for up to two years. By virtue of word anonymity the offense of anti-bullying and cyberbullying is included in this section.[4]
2. Section 66 (E)of IT Act- The section prescribes punishment for violation of privacy. The section states that any person who intentionally violates the privacy by transmitting, capturing or publishing private pictures of others shall be punished with up to three years imprisonment or fine up to three lakhs.[5]
Unlike face-to-face teenage bullying, cyberbullying creates a way of distance—in each time and space—between bullies and their victims. This gap provides bullies the illusion of namelessness, and so will increase an inclination toward even harsher harassment. Places wherever cyberbullying happens among teens embody the following:
● Social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and YOLO (a question-and-answer app that teenaged cyberbullies use to shame and embarrass vulnerable adolescents, by asking hurtful questions about them)
● Text electronic messaging on cell phones and different devices, together with each one-on-one message and cluster electronic messaging.
● Gaming forums or throughout on-line game enjoyment, wherever teens play characters in multiplayer formats.
● Instant messages delivered via social media electronic messaging options, smartphone apps, and different electronic messaging services
● Anonymous electronic messaging apps and sites like Kik, Sarahah, and Askfm, which permit for messages and feedback while not characteristically supplying Email, though this can be less common since teens currently see email as being somewhat old.
There is no excellent strategy on the way to solve cyberbullying, although, if you recognize your kid is being cyberbullied, the primary issue to try and do is to be adjunct and sympathetic. Make certain that they grasp it’s not their fault. Cyberbullying is serious and displeasing, therefore strive to not minimize or minimize the case to make your kid ‘feel better’. Avoid the temptation to prevent your kid logging on at all; this can additionally possibly lead to them not telling you if it happens once more.
Ways to supply emotional support to your kid include:
a) Speak to your kid and extremely hear what they need to mention. Convey them for a gap up to you, and allow them to grasp that you just need to place a finish to the bullying.
b) Never blame your kid for experiencing cyberbullying. The manner children act on-line could appear excessive to adults; however, bullying is rarely the fault of the person being afraid.
c) Acknowledge their feelings and don’t attempt to dismiss their experiences, though it doesn’t look like a giant deal to you.
Reassure them that there are people that offer support, whether this is often you, their lecturers or alternative professionals and services.
Sources [1] Statista. (2020). Increased time spent on media consumption due to the coronavirus outbreak among internet users worldwide as of March 2020, by country. statista.com/statistics/1106766/media-consumption-growth-coronavirus-worldwide-by-country/ [2] Pew Research Centre. (2020). Parenting Children in the Age of Screens. pewresearch.org/internet/2020/07/28/parenting-children-in-the-age-of-screens/ [3] Security.org. (2022). The Best VPN of 2022. security.org/vpn/best/ [4] Case law- State vs. Sachin Kumar Srivastava on 10 August, 2018 [cites:1382615] https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1255223/ [5] Case law- Central Bureau of Investigation vs Harinder Singh on 16 February, 2018 [cites- 1318767] https://indiankanoon.org/search/?formInput=citedby%3A%201318767&pagenum=1
This article is written by Muskan Gupta of Trinity Institute of Professional Studies.
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