Reference no: EM133740319

Assignment:

Should Cyber-Bullying Be Illegal?

Sending or forwarding threatening text messages, posting embarrassing or altered picture of someone without their permission, or setting up a fake social networking page where others make cruel comments and spread rumors about someone are all examples of cyber-bulling. Cyber-bullying is defined as harassment, often involving teens and preteens, using technology. Unlike verbal bullying, the perpetrators can hide behind the anonymity of the Internet and can reach a wide audience quickly. Because of people's reliance on smartphones, victims cannot just walk away or ignore bullying that comes in the form of text messages or other notifications sent to their smartphones.

Schools struggle to come up with policies because cyber-bullying often takes place outside of school hours. Yet the ramifications affect the victim at school. Anti-bullying laws vary from state to state and often do not include specific statutes against cyber-bullying. One argument against criminalizing cyber-bullying is the protection of free speech. Awareness campaigns and parent monitoring of technology use are some ways to attempt to prevent cyber-bullying, but they are not always effective. One group of teens recently worked together to create an app that enables anonymous reporting of bullying, including the time and location of the event(s).

What other measures can be taken to reduce cyber-bullying?

What role can parents play in reducing cyber-bullying?