Cyber bullying should be criminalised as it serves as a deterrent against perpetrators who hide behind their veil of anonymity and their false sense of invincibility. Cyber bullying is prevalent in society as it functions mainly due to the concept of lack of accountability. Cyber bullying is defined as “the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.” (Oxforddictionaries.com, 2014) It encourages perpetrators to abandon normative societal constraints to abuse their victims. Consequences of cyber bullying are far reaching. The purpose of cyber bullying is mainly to cause emotional turmoil to victims which are hard to be measured, unless, of course it eventually translates
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With the rise of information technology, social media provides highly interactive platforms that enable users to virtually connect with one another. However, this breakthrough comes with its own downfall when users decide to abuse it. Cyber bullying is a result of distortion in morality. A recent survey conducted by network security company McAfee shows that one in three Singaporean youth have been the victims of cyber bullying. (Straitstimes.com, 2014) This statistic is a great cause of concern considering Singapore is such a small country. Offenders are emboldened by the sense of invincibility that their anonymity provides. These virtual social platforms allow bullies to perceive moral rules as more breakable. This, paired together with the lack of accountability breeds ignorance for the consequences of their actions and serves an impetus for them to hurl abuses against their …show more content…
An apt example would the case of 16-year-old Khine Thinzar.(Education.asiaone.com, 2014) Touted as first case of cyber-bullying death in Singapore, she was a Myanmar girl who committed suicide after her ex-boyfriend allegedly slammed her on Facebook. Many victims like Khine are often left feeling vulnerable and powerless. This leads them to making poor judgement calls, resulting in fatal incidents which could have been prevented. Inaction of the judiciary is a reason for the increase in cyber bullying crimes. Anti-harassment laws such as the Protection from Harassment Act should be established. Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam conveyed public interest where he was quoted saying that the bill “witnessed overwhelming consensus for a standalone omnibus legislation”. (TODAYonline, 2014) Writer Au-Yong pointed out that the proposed laws such as the bill have more muscle due to the fact that if the harasser does not comply with the protection order, he could face a fine and go to jail. (Au Yong, 2014) This reflects the overwhelming need for strict legislation to combat virtual harassment. Therefore, far-reaching reforms are needed to tackle the pervasive problem of cyber
With the rise of information technology, social media provides highly interactive platforms that enable users to virtually connect with one another. However, this breakthrough comes with its own downfall when users decide to abuse it. Cyber bullying is a result of distortion in morality. A recent survey conducted by network security company McAfee shows that one in three Singaporean youth have been the victims of cyber bullying. (Straitstimes.com, 2014) This statistic is a great cause of concern considering Singapore is such a small country. Offenders are emboldened by the sense of invincibility that their anonymity provides. These virtual social platforms allow bullies to perceive moral rules as more breakable. This, paired together with the lack of accountability breeds ignorance for the consequences of their actions and serves an impetus for them to hurl abuses against their …show more content…
An apt example would the case of 16-year-old Khine Thinzar.(Education.asiaone.com, 2014) Touted as first case of cyber-bullying death in Singapore, she was a Myanmar girl who committed suicide after her ex-boyfriend allegedly slammed her on Facebook. Many victims like Khine are often left feeling vulnerable and powerless. This leads them to making poor judgement calls, resulting in fatal incidents which could have been prevented. Inaction of the judiciary is a reason for the increase in cyber bullying crimes. Anti-harassment laws such as the Protection from Harassment Act should be established. Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam conveyed public interest where he was quoted saying that the bill “witnessed overwhelming consensus for a standalone omnibus legislation”. (TODAYonline, 2014) Writer Au-Yong pointed out that the proposed laws such as the bill have more muscle due to the fact that if the harasser does not comply with the protection order, he could face a fine and go to jail. (Au Yong, 2014) This reflects the overwhelming need for strict legislation to combat virtual harassment. Therefore, far-reaching reforms are needed to tackle the pervasive problem of cyber