Is Cyber bullying a Crime?

In the current digital era, with so many social media platforms and online communication, the dominance of communication has never been seen before. In modern digital era cyberbullying is a widespread problem. In my work as a professional cybercrime investigator, I have come across many instances of people being threatened, harassed, and intimidated online. In this blog post, I will explain that is cyberbullying a crime and will discuss its effects on victims, and countermeasures for this harmful kind of abuse.

So, the general question asked today is that how cyber bullying is a crime? So let’s explore different forms of cyber bullying which can take place, and try to understand that how to protect ourselves and others.

What is Cyber bullying?

Cyber bullying means the act of harassing, threatening, or intimidating someone with with damaging messages or information, like threats, rumors, or insults using digital communication technologies like instant messaging apps, email messages, or social media like facebook, instagram, tiktok, X and others. Therefore, Cyberbullying can easily be done anonymously which can quickly spread to a large scale of audience.

What are Common Forms of Cyber Bullying?

Cyberbullying may be done using different techniques but following are some common ones that answers our question that is cyberbullying a crime or not:

Harassment:

Online harassment means the use of digital communication tools and platforms to intimidate, threaten, or harm individuals or groups. It can be done in different ways, for example Trolling, Swatting, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Hate speech e.t.c. Online harassment can have severe consequences for victims, including psychological or reputational even sometimes it may cause physical harm to victim.

Exclusion:

Exclusion in cyber bullying can have deep psychological and emotional effects on the victim. The term Exclusion refers to deliberately excluding someone of online conversations, activities, or social groups with the intention of causing reputational harm or mental distress. It can be done by various actions like:

Social Exclusion: Ignoring, limiting, or excluding someone from online interactions, group chats, or social media circles.
Group Shunning: Often by spreading rumors or false information, the victim is deliberately excluded from online communities, events, or gatherings.

Impersonation:

While we talk about online behavior, impersonation means the act of deceiving others by pretending and presenting yourself to be some other person. This can occur on different online platforms, including social media applications, emails, and online forums. In case of online impersonation, individuals create fake profiles or accounts using name, photos, or personal information of some other person without his consent. They may also use techniques like spoofed email addresses and IP addresses or manipulating digital content to display some other person’s identity.
The motive behind impersonation varies from incident to incident. For example it can be a harmless prank to it can be a malicious activity for any fraud, harassment, or defamation. Impersonation is a type of crime in which there are two types of victim in a single incident and can have serious consequences for both: a) the victim of fraud or harassment, b) the impersonated individual.

Doxxing:

The term Doxxing is derived from “document tracing,” which means to the malicious act of researching and publicly disclosing private or sensitive information about an individual or organization without his consent. Doxxing can also occur through online channels, including social media platforms, online forums, and websites. This form of bullying is very common in the modern era and is being reported routinely to the law enforcement agencies.

Flaming:

Flaming, in the term of online communication, refers to the hostile or aggressive exchange of messages or comments, typically characterized by insults, personal attacks, or inflammatory language. This behavior often occurs in forums, social media platforms, or comment sections where users engage in heated debates or arguments. It may be triggered by differences in opinions, beliefs, or values, or fueled by anonymity. It can escalate conflicts, create hostile environments, and deter constructive dialogue. Moreover, flaming can have lasting effects on participants, contributing to stress, anxiety, and emotional distress.

Fostering a culture of respect, empathy, and constructive dialogue is essential for mitigating flaming and creating safer, more inclusive online spaces where individuals feel comfortable expressing themselves without fear of harassment or hostility.

Fraping:

“Fraping,” is typically termed by “Facebook” which is used to describe the unauthorized access and use of someone’s Facebook account to post or share content without their permission. This phenomenon typically occurs when an individual leaves their Facebook account logged in on a shared computer or device, allowing others to access their account and impersonate them online.

Fraping incidents often involve friends or acquaintances of the account owner who use the opportunity to post humorous or embarrassing content, such as fake status updates, inappropriate photos, or misleading information. While fraping is often intended as a prank or joke but it can have serious consequences for the victim, including damage to their reputation, loss of privacy, and feelings of betrayal.

In recent years, as awareness of online privacy and security issues has increased, Fraping has been increasingly recognized as a form of cyberbullying or harassment. To prevent Fraping, it’s essential for individuals to safeguard their online accounts by using strong, unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and logging out of shared devices when not in use.

How to Recognize Cyber Bullying?

Cyberbullying can sometimes be confused with harmless teasing but following are some red lines that indicate that the behavior may be crossing the line and explain that how is cyberbullying a crime:

The intent to harm using cyberbullying:

In any criminal investigation and its prosecution the mens-ria plays an important role. Therefore, everyone should be vigilant and immediately identify the intent of any form of cyberbullying. If the purpose of the communication is to humiliate, threaten, or isolate the victim then it must be taken seriously and considered that cyberbullying as a crime.

Severity and frequency:

Frequency of any form of cyberbullying is important to be noticed. If some unwanted event has happened once in a while then it may be just a prank but if the events happening frequently and the messages are coming constantly, are threatening, or particularly cruel or the victim considers it be harassing then the cybullying must be considered as a crime.

Impact of Cyberbullying on the Victim:

Is the victim feeling upset, scared, or withdrawn due to the online behavior of someone, then he has all the right to report it to the concerned authorities for further investigations.

What to do if You are Victim of Cyberbullying?

If you think that you are a victim of cyberbullying and being effected by that act then following are the steps that you should take if you are crime under cyberbullying:

Don’t respond:

The first thing that anyone is always suggested is that engaging with the bully can escalate the situation. Therefore, you should save the evidence and report it to the concerned law enforcement agency of your area.

Report the abuse:

Since cyberbullying is an eminent threat to all online users therefore, all the social medias have devised a mechanism for reporting cyberbullying directly to them. Therefore, the victim should immediately report to them so that they can assess the situation and procure all the concerned logs and data.

Seek support for Cyberbullying:

As mentioned above that responding to bully will escalate the situation therefore, the victim should first talk to a trusted adult, friend, or counselor. Afterwards the victim may decide to appropriately respond to it or report it to the LEA.

Document everything:

I have repeatedly mentioned in my various blogs that digital evidence is fragile therefore, I would reiterate here that victim must take at least screenshots and save messages as evidence.

Take control of your privacy:

A general advice for any online user is always to be as secure as he can. Therefore all users must update privacy settings on social media accounts to limit who can contact them and view their profile.

What is Legal Status of Cyberbullying?

There are few common legal aspects which may be applied to cyberbullying cases like:

Harassment Laws:

Most of the countries have their own laws that incriminate harassment, whether it occurs online or offline. Cyber bullying may be investigated under these laws, and perpetrators can be prosecuted accordingly.

Defamation Laws:

Posting damaging and defamatory content about someone online can constitute defamation, which actually is a civil litigation. But victims of cyber bullying may be given leverage to pursue legal action against the perpetrator for defamation.

Child Protection Laws:

Underage children are considered easy targets and are more vulnerable to cyber bullying. Many countries have enacted special laws to protect minors from harassment and exploitation. These laws can also be utilized to investigate and prosecute cyber bullying.

Cybercrime Laws:

There are certain forms of cyber bullying, like hacking or malicious code distribution, which may violate cybercrime laws of your area of jurisdiction.

What are the Impacts of Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying can effect a victim in devastating way, leading him to psychological trauma, social isolation, sexual harassment, and even physical harm. It is not like traditional bullying which ends once the victim goes awat, in contrast cyber bullying can follow individuals into their homes and society, affecting every aspect of their lives. Therefore, I may say that cyber bullying has more severe consequences which may include:

Emotional Distress:

Victims of cyber bullying may experience anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem as a result of the repeated harassment and humiliation.

Academic Decline:

Cyberbullying can interfere with a victim’s ability to concentrate and perform well in school or at work.

Social Isolation:

Victims of cyberbullying may isolate themselves from social activities and relationships, which may further worsen their feelings of being isolated.

Physical Health Issues:

Prolonged exposure to cyberbullying can manifest in physical symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, and insomnia.

How to Combat Cyberbullying?

Adopting an integrated approach that involves law enforcement, communities, and individuals is necessary to address cyberbullying. Here are some methods I want to talk about to stop cyberbullying:

Education and Awareness:

Educating people about the adverse consequence of cyberbullying and encouraging their respect for others can help stop incidences from happening.

Parental Involvement:

It is essential for parents to keep an eye on online activities of their kids. Parents can play important role in teaching them responsible online behavior.

Reporting Mechanisms of Cyberbullying:

Effective reporting systems should be put in place by social media sites and online service providers so that people can easily report incidents of cyberbullying.

Pursuance for Legal Action against Cyberbullying:

It is important to support victims of cyberbullying in reporting events to law enforcement, pursuing legal action against the offenders, and bringing the culprits to justice.

Counseling & Support:

Counseling and other forms of support can assist victims of cyberbullying in managing the psychological and emotional effects of their ordeals.

How to Build a Safer Digital World?

Cyber bullying is a complex issue, but following steps can be taken to make the digital world safe place:

Awareness to Children:

You should discuss the current threats with your children and teen agers and teach them responsible online behavior.

Encourage Friendly Communication:

Always keep your home environment friendly so that kids feel comfortable to discuss their online issues including cyberbullying.

Conclusion

To conclude the discussion that is cyberbullying a crime, I would say that cyberbullying is not only illegal in many countries but also immoral across the world. Being an experienced cybercrimes investigator, I feel obliged to educate others to stop cyberbullying by educating them. By increasing awareness, putting preventive measures, and offering assistance to victims, we all can put our efforts to establish a secure online community.

Remember, no one should be afraid to report the occurence of cyberbullying and seek assistance from the concerned authorities. By working together, we can eliminate or atleast minimize online harassment and promote tolerance and decency in the online community.

How to Report/File a Complaint?

Being a victim of any criminal activity or fraud, it is a social responsibility of every individual to report it to the concerned authorities. Therefore, now I will try to explain that how can an individual who is a victim of an online fraud can report to the concerned authority of his related country.

USA

If you are a resident of United States of America and is a victim of an online fraud, you can directly report and file a complaint online by visiting https://complaint.ic3.gov/ .

UK

For UK nationals or for those living in UK the individual has to first create an account and then he can file a formal complaint by visiting https://reporting.actionfraud.police.uk/login , alternatively you may call 0300 123 2040 for registering your complaint.

Canada

While living in Canada or being a resident or national of Canada you may call 1-888-495-8501. If you have a Government of Canada ID and have GC ID and password then you ma visit https://www.services.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/chooser-eng.html?ipeReferer=CAFCFRS and register your complaint online.

France

French nationals and those living in France may register their online complaints by visiting https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1435?lang=en#:~:text=For%20credit%20card%20fraud%20or,on%20Service%2DPublic.fr.

Pakistan

All Pakistani nationals and those who are at the time of crime residing in Pakistan may register their complaints regarding online fraud at https://www.nr3c.gov.pk or https://www.nr3c.gov.pk/creport.php. You can also register a complaint via email at helpdesk@nr3c.gov.pk or by calling at 0092 51 9106384 or on cell No 0092 336 6006060.

India

Indian nationals and visitor can call helpline number 1930 or report their complaints on National Cybercrime Reporting Portal https://i4c.mha.gov.in/ncrp.aspx#:~:text=Complaints%20can%20be%20reported%20through,on%20National%20Cybercrime%20Reporting%20Portal. Alternatively they can visit https://cybercrime.gov.in/ to report their complaints.

UAE

You can report cybercrimes to the nearest police station in your area, or call 999 for help in case you are a victim of an online fraud in UAE, alternatively you can also register your complaints online at https://www.dubaipolice.gov.ae/wps/portal/home/services/individualservicescontent/cybercrime. UAE also has a live portal of online frauds at https://twitter.com/moiuae/status/1762866045822349606 where you can keep yourselves up to date regarding online frauds in UAE.

Australia

While being a victim of online fraud if you are an Australian national or visiting Australia you can register your complaint regarding online fraud by simply clicking www.reportCyber.gov.au or by calling the Australian Cyber Security hotline on 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371). Australia also has a dedicated portal to register online fraud complaints at https://portal.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam/ where you can directly register your complaints.