Abstract
Soon after the invention of the internet, a new virtual world called the cyber world came into being, and with this, a new pattern and channel of social connections arose in the shape of social networking websites and apps. Historically, it is known that bullying was accepted in approximately all communities among adolescents. The government initially didn’t focus on it and just ignored it in the past because of the higher number of adolescents and teenagers involved in it. With the arrival of social networking websites and apps, the crime rate has increased and become more recognized at the same time. Apps and social networking websites are taking action against cyberbullying. Currently, the federal government has acted wisely and rapidly against cyberbullying, which has helped in the reduction of this crime in many communities of the United States. Precautions against cybercrime are disseminated, and people are made aware of privacy issues through campaigns so that the amount of danger can be reduced as much as possible (Jaffe, 2016).
Keywords: Criminal attempt, Cyberbullying, adolescents.
Introduction
Cyber security and cybercrime are the main issues among many nations facing severe damage from them. Cyberbullying is one of the problems related to cybercrime in which an individual uses electronic sources like a phone, the internet, chat forums, and other communication means to threaten or harass another person. The use of technology to harass others has become increasingly common. This trend is common among adolescents, but some of the worst cases are seen in professional office environments in which colleagues attempt this crime, resulting in severe insults and even suicide attempts. Cyberbullying is currently at its peak among adolescents, and the affected community also includes teenagers. Currently, the federal government has acted wisely and rapidly against cyberbullying, which has helped in the reduction of this crime in many communities of the United States. The main aim of the paper is to discuss the history of the laws on bullying, the current statutes of different states in the United States, and the comparison of past and present situations.
Elements of Historical Common Law
Historically, it is known that bullying was accepted in approximately all communities among adolescents. There are many key democratic changes in the United States. The evolution of the flow of information, communication, and educational technologies has helped the educational system to develop and modernize. This modernization positively and negatively impacted society and children of very young ages. They are tempted to engage in false activities if they find any chance because of their volatile nature and are easily influenced. Due to racism and class differences, kids were bullied decades ago; with the internet and easy access to social media and electronic communication devices, bullying has also moved online. One of the main factors which caused higher attention from the authorities and the government was psychological torture through the social exploitation of an individual’s personal belongings as well as suicide attempts.
The government initially didn’t focus on it and just ignored it in the past because of the higher number of adolescents and teenagers involved in it. In the past, the government initiated its first attempts to act legally against cyberbullying by making Maryland’s Grace’s Law. This law was to combat the digital epidemic of cyberbullying and cybercrime. The cyberbullying laws were hard to implement initially. There were numerous teachers who had faced difficulty in the implementation of the cyberbullying laws. The school systems were recommended to develop recording systems as well as to produce accurate results so that government officials would understand the situation of this crime and implement some better solutions for it. Maryland’s legislation was supposed to make some important attempts that would help in the development of a system in which the schools have a positive and safe educational environment.
Elements of Current Statute
Currently, the world is changing rapidly, and there is a requirement for the advancement of laws to handle criminal attempts that disturb local communities on a very large scale. In April 2009, a bill concerning cyberbullying was passed by the United States Congress under Title 18. This was a good change but a difficult task for teachers. The Bullying Prevention for School Safety and Crime Reduction Act of 2003 was also implemented in California. Similarly, Florida, Georgia, and Hawaii have developed similar laws that have helped to prevent bullying and harassment attempts, and high fines, embarrassment, and psychological sessions are imposed. It is helping the country greatly and has reduced crime by up to 60%. Now, highly monitored systems help society eliminate this crime completely, and any attempt to commit the crime is also detected immediately (Hertz & Holt, 2015; Patchin & Hinduja, 2016).
Comparison of Historical Common Law and Current Statute
Society and social channels have changed a lot since we were kids. When purchasing devices that connect us to the cyber world, we normally forget the great amount of exposure to the potential danger associated with the cyber world. As discussed above, cyberbullying is one of the major crimes of the cyber world, and a great deal of preventive action is required against it. In the past few years, the issue has been highlighted on every major platform covering the cyber world, but unluckily, research studies have found that the number of cases of cyberbullying has increased as compared to the earlier years. One study has depicted that the number of cases of cyberbullying crime has increased since the year 2010. The month of October has been associated with the prevention of this crime, which is a great chance to reduce the amount of exposure to the dangers of bullying in the cyber world, an epidemic faced by our children. Statistics show that almost eighty-seven per cent of children face cyberbullying, and thirty-four per cent of the students have reported that they had to face cyberbullying more than once. One of the causal factors is that most kids do not turn their privacy on while being active in the cyber world.
Initially, technology development made youngsters feel excited about using it, and they did not consider the dangers associated with information and communication technology. With the arrival of social networking websites and apps, the crime rate has increased and become more recognized at the same time. Apps and social networking websites are taking action against cyberbullying by providing more and more privacy and customized dissemination of personal information.
Reasons of Change
The government has taken comprehensive and advanced actions against cyberbullying and cybercrime in which the schools were supposed to be safe and appropriate places for education. A good number of socially active students have faced severe damage in their educational progress due to bullying only because of gender, religion, sexual orientation, and language differences. The changes in the laws were necessary because the electronic system had advanced, and tracking became difficult and sometimes impossible. In April 2009, the bill passed under Title 18 by the Congress of the United States concerned only cyberbullying. It was named the “Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act,” under which a teenager who attempts cyberbullying and causes another individual to commit suicide will be considered a criminal. Federal laws are strict regarding attempts to commit this crime, and a huge number of reports came from schools in which students complained about bullying. Officials acted positively upon those reports, and many cases were solved, while the rest concluded with psychological sessions and fines (Hinduja & Patchin, 2014).
Recommendations
The schools have considered the internet a necessity. This is a great opportunity for the teachers and students to study the market needs, which would help them develop accordingly, but some issues were seen because of it. The students with open internet access are using social media very explicitly. That is the point when cyberbullying starts. It is recommended to teach the children not to do this and explain the side effects and damage around them. Moreover, parents, teachers, and authorities are required to tell the children about cyberbullying and give them the courage to stand against cyberbullying.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, it can be explained that, conclusively, cyberbullying is the most common cybercrime being committed on a daily basis around the world. Social media websites and applications are mainly the platforms for committing such crimes. However, the purpose of these sites is quite different, but they have provided offenders with new opportunities to intrude into the personal lives of people by bullying them. A number of types of cyberbullying exist, and websites are taking more and more precautions in order to save individuals from this danger.
References
Jaffe, E. M. (2016). Swatting: the new cyberbullying frontier after Elonis v. United States. Drake L. Rev., 64, 455.
Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2014). Bullying beyond the schoolyard: Preventing and responding to cyberbullying. Corwin Press.
Hertz, M. F., Everett Jones, S., Barrios, L., David‐Ferdon, C., & Holt, M. (2015). Association between bullying victimization and health risk behaviors among high school students in the United States. Journal of school health, 85(12), 833-842.
Patchin, J. W., & Hinduja, S. (2016). Bullying today: Bullet points and best practices. Corwin Press.
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