Bullying in Cyberspace

Cyber bullying is when the Internet and related technologies are used to bully other people, in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner. Especially this could be done via Cyber Stalking committed by children.

Children below 18 getting into an agreement with social networking sites to open an account is against the

• Indian Majority Act
• Indian Contract Act
• Information Technology Act.

Most social networking websites require that young people be at least 13-years old, to create an account. Don't let younger children pretend to be older to use these websites.

Social networking websites may seem high-tech, especially to the non-tech savvy user, but they're easy to use and to understand by any child.

Social networking websites allow users irrespective of their age to interact with them and with other users namely strangers. Most of the popular social networking websites let users create personal profiles, add photos, write in a public journal or blog, send messages to others, and invite people to become their online friend – all with just a few clicks of the mouse.

Bullying generally involves harassing or threatening behavior that a child engages in repeatedly, such as virtually chasing another child. It can be of various forms

• Instigating others to dislike and gang up on the target by making your child the subject of ridicule in forums.
• Posting false statements in order to humiliate or embarrass your child.
• Posting your child's picture on social networking sites without consent
• Making unwanted comments on the wall of your child's social networking page.
• Sending threatening messages with personal remarks posted online
• Hate speeches or excessive messages through online chat services.

Cases of piggy-backing on victim's identity are now common. This could be used to publish objectionable material in their name that defames or ridicules a subject.