Cyber-bullying Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cyber-bullying - Research Paper Example This is also done through text messages and emails which are forwarded throughout the social circuit. Another form of cyber bullying is sexting which is getting popular with the increase in use of mobiles phones that have imbedded cameras in them. Generally this is common with girlfriends sending pictures to their boyfriends via multimedia messages. But what these teenage girls do not realize is that there are legal implications to this. After break ups these boyfriends can use these pictures to blackmail or embarrass the sender. Cyber bullying is a psychological disturbing form of social cruelty among young people (Jaishankar 2011). Cyber bullying is increasing at a high rate with the increase in the use of technology like cell phones and computers. The ways in which bullying can take place are also increasing because young children who have access to technology invent various ways to harass other young children. Social networking sites also give a forum to these cyber bullies as it is a safe medium through which they can easily commit the crime of cyber bullying without the fear of being caught by the other person. In spite of all this social networking websites cannot be held accountable for any kind of hate speech that is posted on their websites. Cyber bullying has increased the number of suicides committed by teenage boys and girls. Some of these youngsters cannot take in the embarrassments and harassments they are being subjected to and hence fall prey to this act. The mention of cyber bullying now brings about a debate of how strongly governments should act against cyber bullying and whether new acts of laws be implemented against it or not as most of the culprits involved are juvenile. Many states in America have already implemented laws against cyber bullying. The state of Missouri had no made against the crime of cyber bullying until the suicide of a 13 year old girl Megan Meier in 2006. It was then that the state realized that it cannot persecute th e culprit because cyber bullying was not against the law at that time. It was after this incident that Missouri legislature and governor passed a new law that cyber bullying is unlawful harassment by electronic means of communication. This new law also requires the schools and colleges to make a written policy to report any such harassment, which includes not only cyber bullying but other kinds of felonies as well like stalking, to the local police. Now this crime is a class A misdemeanor. According to this new law the act of cyber bullying remains a class A misdemeanor unless 1) committed by a person twenty-one years of age or older against a person seventeen years of age or younger; or 2) the person has previously committed the crime of harassment (â€Å"Internet law-Missouri Governor signs cyber-bullying bill into law†. Web. 2008). After the case of Megan Meier, Missouri was not the only state that took this under consideration and made new laws in order to prevent people from getting harassed in this way. Under this law the offender is penalized if he or she is caught harassing or recklessly frightening an underage. Cyber bullying is a crime which is generally committed by young people mostly teenagers, and are committed against teenagers as well. The under eighteen children come under the juvenile category so are tried more leniently then the adults. The laws for juvenile offenders are much