Making Cyberbullying a Criminal Offense - 695 Words

â€Å"Even in death, Phoebe Prince was bullied† (Kennedy). That was the headline when a FaceBook page dedicated to Prince was hacked and filled with hurtful and derogatory comments about her. Phoebe was a regular teen that was cyber bullied to the extent that she couldn’t take it anymore. Her body was found in a stairwell, and at 15 years old, Phoebe hanged herself. Although cyberbullying is a vague concept to many, it should be made a criminal offense because it is causing suicides for youth, government intervention is the only solution, and the bully should be punished instead of the victim. Being a recent issue, cyberbullying has seriously been taken for granted by society. Not only is it real and hurtful, but it is also leading to suicide as a result, especially for youth. From a survey taken by the Cyberbullying Research Center, 20% of around 2000 respondents reported seriously thinking about attempting suicide, and 19% did (Hinduja/Patchin). This means that one out of every five kids has been cyber bullied to such an extreme that life is no longer considered livable, or even bearable. One of these kids was Ryan Patrick Halligan, a regular teen living in Essex Junction, Vermont (Halligan). Unfortunately, he was repeatedly sent instant messages from his classmates accusing him of being gay, and was threatened, taunted, and insulted relentlessly. On October 7, 2003, at the age of 13, Ryan hanged himself while his family was asleep. The internet can humiliate and tip a personShow MoreRelatedShould Cyberbullying Be a Crime? Essay examples1208 Words   |  5 Pagesknown a s ‘cyberbullying’. Cyberbullying is defined as, â€Å"an aggressive intentional act carried out by a group or individual using electronic forms of contact repeatedly and over against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself† (WebMD). It can take place using cell phones, computers, tablets, social media sites, text messaging, and/or chat rooms. Cyberbullying has become a growing awareness nationwide, prompting lawmakers to act and propose new laws making cyberbullying a criminal offense. SeveralRead MoreShould Cyber Bullies Be Prosecuted?939 Words   |  4 PagesBullies Be Prosecuted? Sticks and Stones may break your bones but words never hurt, but in reality, words cut deep. Cyberbullying is on the rise and more people are taking their lives due to another person(s) choice of words and actions. Someone has to take a stand against it, cyberbullies should be prosecuted. It has become a bigger issue than face to face bullying. Cyberbullying is permanent and inescapable as technology progresses with time it lasts forever. They way that social media networksRead MoreSetting Up Laws for Cyberbullying Essay793 Words   |  4 Pageswords, right? These few sentences from the movie Cyberbully could be someone’s last few words. Cyberbullying is the inappropriate use of electronic communication to bully a person through text messages, rumors, pictures, fake profiles etc. on social networking sites. Cyberbullying should have specific laws against it. If all abuse is illegal and against the laws, then why is cyberbullying not? Cyberbullying is equivalent to the effects of traditional bullying because it causes pain, whether emotionalRead MorePros And Cons Of Cyberbullying1180 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction â€Å"You are a loser†, â€Å"no one likes you†, â€Å"you have no friends†. Sending mean messages such as these through text, or email, spreading rumors or posting embarrassing pictures, videos, or fake profiles are all examples of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology such as cell phones, computers, and tablets as well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages, chat, and websites (U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesRead MoreCyber Bullying Essay1114 Words   |  5 Pagesprompted calls for tougher laws and school sanctions, but the poll shows the huge challenge in establishing clear definitions and punishments for cyber bullying. Schools should consider those different opinions to avoid having to put teens in the criminal justice system for behavior that is hard to define and enforce consistently. Social Problems work : new laws have been implemented and new policies have been advised. The increased pressure for stronger school policy and action to mitigate bullyingRead MoreCyberbullying through Social Media and the Internet1134 Words   |  4 PagesCyberbullying has become extremely detrimental as social media and the internet have become more and more popular. People use the internet to viciously attack others from behind a screen. They sometimes even do it anonymously which can be more hurtful for the victims who do not know who their attacker is. Bullies often consider cyberbullying to be harmless and don’t realize that they can still get caught. Just like other types of bullying, many people notice it but never say anything and the victimsRead MoreOnline Bullying Is Still Bullying?1687 Words   |  7 Pagesthe time it is only addresses physical, verbal and relational bullying. Cyberbullying is often forgotten, especially if a school is not up to date on all th e different types of social media that it can occur on. We learn a lot of about cyberbullying and how all the posts you share are viewed by hundreds of people from Orenstein’s essay in Rereading America. Many schools in the United States have attempted to stop cyberbullying but are having trouble because most parents do not know how much harmRead MoreBullying Has Been A Big Problem In Our School System For1745 Words   |  7 Pagestechnology made it very easy to engage in cyberbullying, perpetrators used cell phones or computers to conduct this hideous behavior, hiding behind their keyboards to express negative feelings and or thoughts toward others. Using social media for senseless and unwarranted insults to intentionally cause harm and emotional pain. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately ninety-two percent of Americans own a cell phone, therefore, there are no escaping cyberbullying, due to the proliferation of theRead MoreThe Social Communication Era1478 Words   |  6 Pagestoday by adults, teenagers and child ren. These far-reaching interaction web-based media, embeds the unethical act of cyberbullying. According to Michael J. Quinn (2012), â€Å"Cyberbullying is the use of the Internet or the phone system to inflict psychological harm on another person. Frequently, a group of persons gangs up to cyberbully the victim.† (pg141). Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, embarrassing picturesRead MoreYouth Gang Prevention Efforts : A Two Pronged Prevention843 Words   |  4 Pagesgang hotlines to gather information and facilitate a quick response to gang-related issues. Organizing athletic events with teams of law enforcement officers and gang members. Establishing working relationships with local social service agencies. Making presentations about gangs to schools and community groups as a combined effort at prevention and information gathering. Sponsoring school-based gang and drug prevention progra ms (e.g. DARE and GREAT)† (Hess, 2013 p.230). Another great example of