Bullying, Cyberbullying, and the Law

• Stop Hating Online: Pass It On TV Commercial

What is Bullying?

• Bullying happens when there is an imbalance of power• It is where someone purposely and repeatedly

says or does hurtful things to someone else. • Bullying can occur one on one or in a group(s) of

people.

Bullying

Has it happened to me? Self-assessment quiz

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cycp-cpcj/bull-inti/selfassbull-autoevalinti-eng.htm

Forms of Bullying

• Physical bullying: hitting, punching, kicking, spitting, or breaking someone else’s belongings.

• Verbal bullying: name calling, put-downs, threats, and teasing.

• Social bullying (using your friends and relationships to hurt someone): includes Spreading rumoursGossiping Excluding others from a groupMaking others look foolish or unintelligent. • This form is most common among girls (Canadian Children’s

Rights Council).

Cyberbullying• Self-Quizhttp://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cycp-cpcj/bull-inti/selfasscybull-autoevalcyinti-eng.htm

• Cyberbullying: Bullying 2.0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0fxIG1HIOo&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLy1aka2Ed4bAQDpnSEKjCTJYfCNtO5kOs

What is Cyberbullying?

• Cyberbullying involves the use of communication technologies to repeatedly intimidate or harass others.• These technologies can include:

The InternetSocial networking sites Websites Email Text messaging Instant messaging

Forms of Cyberbullying

• Insulting: Posting / Spreading false information about a person that will cause harm to that person or his / her reputation

• Targeting: Singling someone out and inviting others to make fun of him / her

• Identity Theft: Pretending to be someone else.

Forms of Cyberbullying

• Uploading: Sharing embarrassing or harmful information about a person without permission, or sharing emails without the writer’s permission

• Excluding: Pressuring others to exclude someone (either online or offline)

• Harassment: Repeatedly sending someone mean and insulting messages

Impacts

Dangers for Children and Adolescents Who Are Bullied:• Depression• Social anxiety, loneliness, isolation• Stress related health problems (e.g., headaches, stomach

aches)• Low self esteem• School absenteeism and academic problems• Aggressive behaviours• Contemplating, attempting, or committing suicide

Impacts

Dangers for Children and Adolescents Who Bully Others:• Not knowing the difference between right and wrong• Delinquency and substance use• Academic problems and increased school dropout rate• Aggression• Sexual harassment and dating aggression• Gang involvement and criminal adulthood• Difficulties in their relationships with others• Being bullied at the hands of others

DID YOU KNOW? Bullies are more likely to use drugs and alcohol and

engage in criminal activity. According to one of the world’s leading researchers on bullying, 60% of boys who

frequently bullied others in elementary school had criminal records by age 24 (PREVNet).

Is Bullying / Cyberbullying against the law?

In a growing number of cases, YES!

• Threats - face to face, online, over the phone or through text messaging.

• Assaults - pushing, tripping, slapping, hitting or spitting.• Theft of personal items - like a backpack, books, electronic

devices, etc. • Harassment - repeated tormenting online, with texts, phone

calls and/or emails.

• Sexual Exploitation - sharing videos or photos with nudity of people under 18.

• Hate crime - bullying based on ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, etc.

For all of these criminal offences, notify your local police or report it to CYBERTIP.CA. Based on the available information, police will decide if an investigation is warranted and whether charges may be laid.

The Law and (Cyber)bullying

• If a bully spreads false information to harm someone’s reputation, it is called slander. • If slander appears permanently (such as in a book or on

a website) it becomes known as libel.

• If the target sues and is successful, the bully would have to pay damages (money) to the target.

• In extreme cases, up to 5 years of prison time may be sentenced.

Criminal Law

Harassment is a crime under the criminal code. • Harassment is when a person says or does something

that makes the target fear his/her safety.

• Even if the bully did not intend to frighten someone, he or she can still reasonably be charged with harassment.

• Criminal harassment is punishable by up to 10 years in

prison.

What to do…

If you are a victim of bullying• Walk away or leave the online conversation.• Keep track of the bullying (write it down and/or save a

screenshot of the online message).• Tell a trusted adult or contact the confidential and toll-free

Kids Help Phone. • Report the bullying to school administrators.• Report criminal offences, such as threats, assaults and sexual

exploitation to the local police. • Report unwanted text messages to your telephone service

provider. • Report online bullying to the social media site and block the

person responsible.

What to do…If you know someone who is being bullied...• As a bystander, you have the power to stop the bullying. 60%

of the time, bullying stops in less than 10 seconds when someone steps in (Kids Help Phone).

• If it’s safe to do so, tell the bully to stop.• Find friends/students/youth or an adult who can help stop it.• Befriend the person being bullied and lead them away from

the situation. • Report it to a teacher or school staff. • Fill out an anonymous letter and drop it off to a teacher or any

adult you trust.

DID YOU KNOW? 85% of bullying

incidences happen in front of people (Canadian

Red Cross).

Bibliography

Media Smarts: Cyberbullying and the Law Fact Sheet. 2013. www.mediasmarts.ca

Royal Canadian Mounted Police: Bullying and Cyberbullying. 2013. http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cycp-cpcj/bull-inti/index-eng.htm#law