Forestalling Cyber Bullying and Online Harassment

Forms of Cyber Bullying

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  Online Harassment: A prevalent form of cyberbullying in digital spaces driven by the anonymity and separation that encourage destructive behavior which includes derogatory comments, threats, hate speech and dissemination of misinformation causing severe consequences on victims and digital community (Chahal et al., 2019). It severe immense psychological and emotional effects on victims, leading to anxiety, depression, and a sense of helplessness, often condemning free speech, deterring individuals from expressing their opinions and stifling diversity in digital spaces. As it becomes more pervasive, trust in digital communities erodes, making individuals hesitate to engage in meaningful conversations or participate in online discussions due to fear of potential harassment.

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  Revenge Porn: A form of digital exploitation, is a rising concern in the digital era amplifying the scope and scale which involves sharing, distributing, or publishing intimate images or videos without explicit consent, often by disgruntled ex-partners or individuals seeking retaliation or control over others making it more pervasive issue with profound implications for personal privacy. The ease with which intimate content can be captured and disseminated, coupled with the accessibility of social media, messaging apps and online forums contributes to the proliferation under the veil of anonymity. In the digital era, it is a big problem as it violates people's privacy and have dire repercussions. It draws attention to the necessity of a comprehensive strategy to prevent cyber exploitation while incorporating technological advancements, social and cultural changes, strong support networks, and legal measures.

Figure 1.

Forms of cyber bullying

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  Doxxing: Hacker culture refers to the act of publishing private or proprietary information without consent, often used as a form of technology-facilitated violence (TFV) against specific groups or forums. Motivations include extortion, silencing, retribution, controlling, reputation-building, unintentional, and doxing (Anderson & Wood, 2021) in the public interest. Methods include social engineering, manipulating individuals, phishing schemes, accessing public records, hacking, and cross-platform tracking. These methods aim to gather information, access private information, and exploit vulnerabilities in the public domain.

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  Impersonation: Online impersonation, identity theft, or catfishing is a growing issue in the digital era. It involves assuming a false identity to trick, mislead, or hurt others through social media, chat applications, and online forums(Campobasso & Allodi, 2020). Cybercrime includes phishing assaults, email spoofing, and fake accounts. Fake accounts use fake personalities, biographical information, and pilfered photos. Email spoofing aims to trick users into disclosing personal information. Phishing attacks involve fraudsters sending false communications to trick users into downloading dangerous software or providing login credentials. AI-generated “deepfakes” can also be used to manipulate cues. Coordinated action from law enforcement, IT companies, and the public is needed to mitigate the effects of impersonation and create a safer digital environment.

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  Sexual harassment: The MeToo movement and Everyday Sexism project have highlighted the issue of sexual harassment, with the UK seeing high-profile cases of harassment in university students. This highlights the failure of the 'right to everyday life' for women and other feminized and gender diverse subjects. To address this issue, society must take collective action through legal, technological, and cultural initiatives, tightening legal protections, reporting systems, encouraging digital literacy, and cultivating an empathetic culture (Boyer, 2022). This will create digital spaces where people of all genders can express themselves freely and interact without fear of harassment.

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  Cyber Stalking: A form of harassment that involves the persistent and undesired pursuit of an individual through digital means, causing fear, anxiety, and distress, manifested through various online channels, such as emails, social media platforms, messaging applications, and other digital communication methods leveraging the obscurity provided by the internet to engage in relentless monitoring and pursuit of their targets. The growing issue requires a multifaceted approach involving legal, technological, and societal interventions to strengthen, severe penalties for offenders and establish robust reporting mechanisms to swiftly address cyber stalking incidents. Technological safeguards, such as advanced algorithms for detecting stalking behavior and privacy settings, are crucial for preventing and combating cyber stalking.