What is bullying and cyberbullying?
As we know, cyberbullying is the type of bullying that involves digital technologies aiming to bring psychological and emotional harm to a certain person, usually a teenager. According to the National Center Against Bullying, bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behavior that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power, or perceived power, over one or more persons who feel unable to stop it from happening. While some people see it as an essential part of growing up, building a character and being a man, most experts and progressive world leaders try to fight against it. Bullying has been linked to numerous suicides as well as the development of various illnesses, both physical and mental. However, is this the right approach? And if it is, does it work when it comes to cyberbullying?
What are some particular cases of cyberbullying?
At first, let’s consider what is actually cyberbullying. Here are just some common examples of bullying using the Internet:
– posting embarrassing or extremely disgraceful photos of another person on the Internet, usually adding some hurting comments;
– sending threats or hurtful messages via messaging platforms;
– spreading lies about a person with the help of social media.
The regulation of bullying in general
49 US states have passed some sort of legislation against bullying. In most cases, such laws seek to prevent such situations at schools and protect the victims. The only state with no such legislation is Montana. The first state to pass an anti-bullying law was Georgia in the 1990s. At least 15 other major countries have created such regulations, even though the definition and methods vary quite a bit. Are there any elements that guarantee that a law will have a positive effect and will reduce the number of cases? So far, it is tough to answer that question. However, some general areas may influence the outcome of such legislative efforts.
· The target group should not be afraid of the law enforcement officers and rely on, or at least be able to give a chance to, the latter. If in a particular country the society doesn’t trust the police the legislation may fail easily.
· Any law should be well-written. Vague definitions may work in favor of both sides which is not a good thing. It is like playing a game with no rules.
· Some groups of people as just less likely to report the cases. It may be due to a lack of familial or societal support as well as widespread and tolerated hate speech against those groups. In the United States Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, Asians and Pacific Islanders, as well as the LGBT+ people are more likely not to seek justice against the bully even if they’re not in Montana.
So, as we see, the anti-bullying legislation has a million chances to fail. So is it worth trying?
It is possible to state that anti-bullying legislation is a complicated process that is not so easy to establish in all American states. If your business or the major, your admission MBA essay or project is connected to anti-bullying/cyberbullying legislation, you can buy mba essay or you can also do homework for me to have more time for other important activities.
The case against regulations and the unique challenges of the Internet
Helene Guldberg, a child development academic, has stated that bullying may have a positive effect on a child’s character. According to her, it may teach young people how to solve conflicts and get along with various members of society. It caused much controversy among both the public and the scientific community. It proves that it has become a common-sense that bullying is bad and we should stand against it. However, cyberbullying has proven to be a harder issue to tackle. The unique challenge of this kind of attacks is anonymity. It has been called a blessing and a curse of the Internet world. In the case of cyberbullying, it is a blessing for the attacker and a curse for the victim and the authorities. First of all, anonymity is making cyberbullying more tempting. It has even become a meme that a person would say stuff on the Internet that they would never say in person. Second, it is harder to catch the bully. Identifying the attacker on the Web is way harder than in the real life. The Internet never forgets what you said, but it may hide who you are.
In conclusion, it is worth it to at least try and fight against the abuse of power. However, the legislators should understand that it is important to work towards a healthier society in general to regulate bullying. It is an essential part of kids becoming functional adults that don’t bully their coworkers or students. Nobody should pretend that cyberbullying is insignificant or easy to tackle. It might pose a bigger challenge than in-person attacks, but the effort is worth it.
