Bullying• Means a voluntary act intended to physically or mentally harm the victim or to create a sense of shock or fear in victim’s mind. • Parties involved are – the bully and the victim. • Psychologically bullying others gives a feeling of sense of superiority over others. Example: (1) shouting or swearing at a colleague. (2) persistent negative and inaccurate attacks on a colleague's personal or professional performance. (3) criticizing a colleague in front of others. (4) spreading malicious rumors / making malicious allegations. (5) threatening behavior, both verbal and physical. (6) Body language and non-verbal communication which is inappropriate e.g. invading personal space. (7) use of inappropriate tone, language and quantity of emails e.g. inappropriate use of capital letters. Cyber Bullying• Is a type of bullying. • It is different from the bullying only in the sense that mode of bullying becomes the virtual world. i.e. computer resources and digital platforms are used to bully others. Examples: (1) Posting private or embarrassing photos online or sending them to others: While traveling on the road with a junior team, one of the players takes an embarrassing photo of a girl that he met at the rink. He then posts the photo on Facebook and sends the photo to all of the other players on the team. The photo then gets distributed. (2) Creating fake Facebook or Twitter accounts that ridicule someone: A junior cricket player is jealous of Jerry, who has been given extra ice time. He poses as a recruiter that is allegedly interested in Jerry, but is just trying to embarrass and disappoint the player. (3) Stealing someone's password and impersonating them online: Two players access the coach's email account and send a message to one of the other players on the team telling him he is released because he is a weak player. (4) Spreading gossip, secrets or rumors about another person that will damage that person's reputation: A group of highly-motivated parents do not like the coach's policy of equal ice times. They want to win at all costs. They create a plan to try and have the coach removed. They videotape the coach at practices and games and then digitally alter the video. They create a website in the coach's name and post the materials. The coach is so upset, he quits. It may includes a vide variety of activities• Sending vulgar messages. • Posting any kind of humiliating content of the victim aka Outing or Doxing. • Hacking the victim’s account. • Sending or Posting mean and vulgar messages online. • Threats of violence. • Phone calls by Stalker. • Threats of child pornography. • Trolling • Impersonation Legal Provisions against cyber bullyingMainly stem from: •Indian Penal Code •Information Technology Act, 2000 Section 292A of IPC: Printing, or exhibiting grossly indecent matter. Whoever; • (a) print or causes to be printed in any newspaper, periodical or circular, or exhibits or causes to be exhibited, to public view or distributes or causes to be distributed or in any manner puts into circulation any picture or any printed or written document which is grossly indecent, or in scurrilous or intended for blackmail. • Shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both. Section 354A of IPC: Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment. (1) A man committing any of the following acts• Demand or request for sexual favours; shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both. • Making sexual coloured remarks, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both. Section 354D of IPC: Stalking(1) A man who- Monitors the use by a woman of the internet, email or any other form of electronic communication, commits the offence of stalking. (2) Whoever commits the offence of stalking shall be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine and be punished on a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to fine.
