Cyberbullying/Cyberstalking

     Cyberbullying is the act in which a child is being mentally humiliated by another preteen or teen. This type of behavior involves; the child to be embarrassed and harassed on purpose by another child. In comparison to regular bullying, Cyberbullying is where the child is being bullied over the Internet, or another interactive digital devices such as a cellphone. Cyberbullying involved either a minor being attacked on both sides, or a minor must have instigated the inappropriate behavior. Once the parents become involved, it is then an act of Cyberstalking. On the contrary, "Adult cyber-harassment or cyberstalking is NEVER called cyberbullying." In some situations, the cyberbullying can be taken to another level once the sexual predators become intrigued by the behavior, and this may lead to the victim being offered sex. What is so surreal and unfortunate, is that without even noticing, the bully themselves can become the victim. Children are so unaware of their surroundings at times, that these roles can change at times, going from victim to bully and back again.
     Cyberbullying has a major effect on the current adolescence generation. They can have such a traumatic experience that these young people do not know the proper way to deal with such scenarios where they will take violent action in order to cope. Besides for it leading to extreme measures, which is death, these children may potentially put harm on their own bodies and bodies of other's. As for the law of this criminal act, "Cyberbullying may rise to the level of a misdemeanor cyberharassment charge, or if the child is young enough may result in the charge of juvenile delinquency." Even though in most cases the charges may not be taken that far, there have been cases where the children will lose their privileges to have IM or ISP accounts because of the inappropriate behavior and the terms that they have violated. Another thing that could happen if "hacking or password and identity theft is involved, can be a serious criminal matter under state and federal law."
     On the other hand, Cyberstalking involves threatening behavior or unwanted communication towards another person who is using the Internet and other forms of online and computer communications. This type of stalking is new being that the Internet is being used by now mostly everyone of all ages. The Internet makes its users vulnerable and more prone to being cyberstalked. Cyberstalkers are mainly targeting their victims through chat rooms, message boards, discussion forums, and e-mail. Cyberstalking takes many levels of stalking by using  "threatening or obscene e-mail, spamming (in which a stalker sends a victims numerous amounts of junk e-mail),live chat harassment or flaming (online verbal abuse), leaving improper messages on message boards or in guest books, sending electronic viruses, sending unsolicited e-mail, tracing another person's computer and Internet activity, and electronic identity theft."
     These young people, mainly women, can experience psychological trauma, and possibly physically harm themselves and others. Many cyberstalking situations do evolve into off-line stalking, and a victim may experience abusive and excessive phone calls, vandalism, threatening or inappropriate emails, trespassing, and physical assault. The government has taken this situation very seriously by passing The Violence Against Women Act in 2000. it made cyberstalking a part of the federal interstate stalking statue. However, no such measures have been enacted; and this situation remains at state level.
     My personal advice in order to prevent Cyberharassment is to fully be aware of who you are speaking to on the other end of the Internet. More importantly, if you do not know the person you are speaking you, the best thing to do is to stop all communication, because you can never be too careful these days. For children, however, in my opinion there needs to be heavy restrictions in order for these terrible situations to continue to erupt. The Internet is a privilege and if someone is not using it in the correct way, they should not be using it at all. The Internet was invented to help us, not tear us apart and hurt anyone. Children should know exactly what type of people can be going online and more importantly, that not everyone wants to be their best friend.

References:

Cyberbullying

Cyberstalking