Question

Research topic: Do teenagers really understand the criminal repercussions of cyberbullying?

Select variables and appropriate measures for this research study.

Answer 1

Teenagers today, in the United States and the world over, have started using the internet more than anything else. Social contact is made and maintained through the internet and people rarely have the time to communicate face-to-face as in the earlier days. This shift from direct one-to-one communication to online communication has given birth to online harassment or cyberbullying. This new form of bullying is a matter of grave concern as it involves hurting someone else using communication and information technologies. This includes posting private pictures, sending harassing messages or texts, making continuous comments, or trying to threaten or intimidate someone by posting something entirely personal to humiliate them publicly. Regular bullying did not have as harmful an effect as cyberbullying, as this type of bullying reaches a much larger audience in a matter of minutes. The messages or images displayed have a longer, more permanent stay, and cyberbullying lacks any kind of supervision. Moreover, the offenders rarely see the face of their targets and they have no idea of the level of harm they are causing them as they are unaware as to who will see the posts and how they will react. Therefore, these perpetrators do not understand the gravity of the situation caused because of their careless actions. There have been serious incidents where young adolescents have committed suicide only due to such ridiculous acts of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying has multiple repercussions like anxiety, depression, somatic disorders, emotional upheaval, disinterest in studies, etc. In many cases, it becomes critical and crucial to take action against the offender, and criminal prosecution is the next step to stop the offender from continuing with his/her bullying. Somehow, the criminal has to be deterred from doing any more damage to the victim's mental health, self-esteem, and reputation. Conclusively, it can be said that cyberbullying, in many cases, has proved to be a punishable criminal offence, and people are not allowed to violate the laws that prevent them from criminal harassment, uttering threats, intimidating someone, identity fraud, using someone's computer without permission, defaming someone, sending false or decent messages, etc. Otherwise strict legal action can be taken against them.