Declare Cyberbullying a crime

[mothertansg]

Cyber-bullying is a serious trend and we should do everything to stop/prevent it.

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Pondering cyber-bullying legislation in Singapore

The announcement that Singapore possibly could have cyberbullying legislation has got commentators all hot and bothered.

Some suggested an Internet code of conduct, while others pointed to finetuning that proposal with a bottom-up instead of a top-down approach. Others lamented that the current state of law allowed perpetrators to easily put up damning content while the victims would have to go to great lengths and cost to take such content down.

Some of those points are legitimate. We do know that the real-world laws do apply to the Internet. However, these laws are sometimes akin to using a sledgehammer to crack a peanut. There is a whole plethora of activity, whether mischievous or juvenile--but wrong--which needs to be monitored. These range from humiliating comments to playground-bully type activity.

However, there is a class of victims who also possess an unusually fragile demeanor. This should not be held against them, but to jump at every comment made would also be plain wrong.

My suggestion for legislation here is not to have laws, as we know the law can be a very blunt tool. Instead, we can have a monitoring system with a little bit of bite--one that is not entirely toothless but with limited powers to remove and, perhaps, order counselling. It certainly should not have the full weight of law.

It is a little bit like school, where we have the ability to wave the stick to correct behavior before it gets out of hand.

For the recalcitrant, maybe, the law then can step in after three strikes.

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[winchester]

yah, i support such legislation. bullying different from last time. in internet bullying spreads, and it lingers. the impact on kids is longer and deeper.


however, how to bring kids to court? these bullies are in the end just wayward kids - should they be treated as harshly as those who steal, fight, extort money?

[Joule]

I am all for it but frankly I don’t know what is a good kind of punishment.


Counselling?

Probation? - isn’t that the same thing? -e.g. have to stay at home by certain timing

Jail? - cannot what

Girls/ Boys home?

Fine? - parents will pay for it

maybe counselling. but not sure it is useful as cyber-bullies don’t have much empathy in the first place

[AC_Power]

How about teaching our kids how to react when faced with cyber bullies? I guess unlike real life, it is pretty easy to walk away when things get out of hand isn’t it?

[pinky]

it was reported that some victims notably the youngsters took their own

lives bec of cyberbullying... :sad:

[carebear]

Lock their fingers so that they cannot use computer :evil: .

[winchester]

pinky:

it was reported that some victims notably the youngsters took their own

lives bec of cyberbullying... :sad:

overseas i think.

[justlatte]

perhaps a suitable punishment would be community work. think we need to hv an expanded family and community court like tribal/kampong council last time. haha.