Prateeksha K N, Christ (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru
ABSTRACT
Cyber bullying is an aggressive act of harassment by individuals or a group of people through social media platforms and chat rooms where content is shared online. Bullying in schools and harassment at workplaces are a few instances of cyberbullying. It can take various forms in the electronic world and the victims have to endure humiliation and emotional distress which affects their life drastically. Legislations such as the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Indian Penal Code, 1960 deal with some of the acts of cyber bullying. However, there is no specific statute that defines all forms of cyber bullying as a crime.
This paper will be discussing the effectiveness of current regulations as well as their success in curbing this menace. The Covid-19 outbreak has led to an increase in the number of cases thereby questioning the efficacy of these regulations in addressing the concerns of the victims of cyber bullying along with their repercussions. Some light has been shed on the need for cyber ethics and for all the stakeholders to work together for the effectual implementation of the laws in place. A special focus has been laid on the IT Rules, 2021 which are brought in with the aim to regulate the social media intermediaries in their due diligence to take down obscene or pornographic content on their platforms. The recent landmark decision on the ‘Right to be forgotten’ is also examined in detail as a remedy for the victims of cyber bullying. Its origin and developments in India are briefly analyzed with reference to certain case laws.
Keywords: Cyber bullying, Effectiveness, Harassment, Information Technology Act, Legislation, Social Media
