Cyber bullying is information technology enabled hostile behavior on the web directed at the target or victim. Cyber bullying cases may include threats, malicious and false allegations, sexual remarks, hate speech and so on. Cyber bullying law also covers disclosure of an individual’s personal data or information on the websites without his clearance or even assumption of the identity of the victim impersonating him on the web, in order to ridicule or disrepute him. Shooting of unwanted e mails to target recipients repeatedly, despite being requested by them not to do so, also constitutes cyber bullying.
Websites collect personal information from the unsuspecting children. Unscrupulous website operators may use such information for identity theft of the parents of such children. When personal information posted is likely to cause harassment or embarrassment to the concerned individual or might affect his safety, reputation or well being; the aggrieved person can request Google to disable the information or ask the website operator to remove the same from site on the ground of infringement of privacy or safety rights. Further the aggrieved person can also demand removal of personal information on the site related to him, uploaded without his consent.
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act requires website operators to immediately remove information posted on the website regarding parents collected from their children below the age of thirteen, on the objection of the concerned parent. On failure to do so, the concerned website operator is liable to prosecution.
In case of cyber bullying the victim should contact his local law enforcement agency at first. With the advancement in technology, it is now possible to track down the cyber criminal and even identify the machine from which the objectionable message was sent.
