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IRELAND SHOULD CONSIDER adopting anti-cyber bullying laws from New Zealand, which could see some cyber bullies being jailed, a Fine Gael TD has suggested.
The Limerick TD and member of the Oireachtas Communications Committee, Patrick O’Donovan, has called on the Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter TD, to consider the new legislation that is being adopted in New Zealand to combat cyber bullying.
The new legislation is being introduced in parliament in New Zealand, and would see cyber bullies who use “a communications device to cause harm” facing penalties up to three months in jail or a fine, as the New Zealand Herald explained.
Also included in the laws, which are being fast-tracked by the country’s Justice Minister Judith Collins, will be the offence of inciting someone to take their own life.
“The issue of cyber bullying has received considerable attention here over the last year or so, due in no small part to the tragic deaths by suicide of several young people and teenagers,” said Deputy O’Donovan.
This, of course, isn’t just an Irish problem, it’s an international one, and I think the new law being adopted in New Zealand should be given serious consideration here.
He pointed out that the legislation is being brought forward by Minister Collins in a bid to crack down on bullying via social networking, email, mobile phones and websites.
The Deputy has asked Minister Shatter for his views on the matter and he will also be calling on the Oireachtas Communications Committee to consider the issue.
The Committee completed a report on cyber bullying earlier this year, and I believe we must continue to pursue the matter. As more and more of our interactions take place online, we must look at ways to protect young people in particular from harassment and abuse.
The Royal College of Surgeons recently announced that it has opened a cyber-psychology research centre to look at child safety online, cyberbullying and human trafficking.
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Why are cyber bullies always classed independently….a bully’s a bully irrespective of the channel they use…
It tends to be because of the unprecedented access bullies can have to their victims compared to traditional bullying.
With Twitter, Facebook and phones, cyberbullying is constant and can take place 24 hours a day.
It would help a lot of kids who are being bullied out there at the moment if their bullies were to be punished. They can’t get away with it!
It’s not just kids in my opinion there is a lot of cyber bullying in the workplace too something that’s rarely reported.
Great idea but this been Ireland nothing will happen for 10/20 years
While it does deserve serious discussion, personally I think fg should be looking at suicide overall. It’s very easy to take a popular view that a specific area needs attention and get attention for fg.
What about the other serious issues around suicide? Cyber bullying is only a part of a far far bigger picture. Look at the money spent on road deaths and compare the numbers of suicides to road deaths.
What would I do for a laugh then.
Its not just the kids who are being bullied. The internet is a great tool but some people use it to inflict great emotional and mental stress. They need to be punished for that.
Exactly like the glorifying and covering up of terrorist activities like the grotesque murder of jean mcconville
No way. Horrible idea, will be abused.
Where’s the line between cyber bullying and legitimate criticism. Will people be allowed to argue online?
Will people be able to talk about legitimate opinions of people ?
It all depends, if one side decides “I’m being cyber bullied” then the other is in court for what could have been legitimate criticism.
No thanks, encroaches too much on my right to say what I want.
For the kids, give schools more power, institute harsh punishment and parent involvement.
But, you don’t have a right to say what you want on the Internet.
You only have that right because the website you’re posting on gives you that right if they wish.
No no no. Other way round son. The establishment doesn’t like criticism from the public in open forums so it’s trying to gain early control of the rulebook in anticipation of the problems it’s going to cause them in governing state affairs. They hate public chatter it scares the sh1t out of them, there’s a bloody debate on fluoride coming up, all as a result of online groups. The Internet is exposing them and they don’t like it. If they keep up this Gestapo sh1t up, it will drive everyone onto the dark web underground, and people won’t use Facebook and google anymore as they are affaid of being tracked . seriously, would you send personal info through a device if you thought that someone might gain access to it one day? Just as you would lower you voice when talking about the boss in work you should be cautious about your online activities. That crazy tech tycoon John macafee is releasing an anti tracking device soon, it could well end up outselling the iPhone “if” it can do what they claim it can do.
Colm maybe here in extreme circumstances but if I want I should be able to start a blog, my own site, whatever, make a YouTube video saying anything I wish to say.
Stifling opinions, criticism and other forms such as satire should not be allowed.
“Stifling opinions, criticism and other forms such as satire should not be allowed.”
Big difference between those things and “inciting someone to take their own life” as the article mentions.
Jamie, we don’t have free speech in Ireland. As is stands you cant say anything you want about anybody you want. There are already varies laws that cover online communication, Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act, Post Office Act (can’t remember the full title) and a few others
Same old nonsense, because it exists somewhere else than it must be a good idea & then we should bring it in also. Lets translate this quickly. Basically (using the guise of child abuse and bullying) they want to be able to legally violate privacy laws with a view to expanding the legislation in future years in anticipation of any dissenting opinions on social media outlets and political forums. So a form of “fast access” to an individuals personal online details with all the red tape removed.
Ok ok, Patrick O’Donovan, how about a compromise? Why dont we adopt the Chinese system of executing public officials who are convicted of embezzlement, then you can bring in laws to allow police officals to read through our emails and social media history on any report of bullying online regardless of how frivolous those accusations might be. So in the event you are caught dishonestly and illegally appropriating someones information for money (ie to slander a political opponent or remove business competition) than you would face the hangman. That would be a nice balance.
I forgot about that aspect, get accused of cyber bullying and your online conversations, posts and Internet history is trawled through.
Possibly because one side didn’t like your opinion, thoughts or simply because they don’t like you.
Ripe for abuse and destroys the privacy rights of the accused.
New Zealand’s recently passed laws are far reaching and go way beyond addressing cyber bullying.
Good intentions lead to serious unforeseen consequences…..
It’s all part of the plan.
Ridiculous….. If you don’t like someone abusing you on the net just log off…. simple
Yes Bill, and if some one is crank calling you just don’t use your phone,
Let the punishment fit the crime,a convicted Cyber bully should be banned from owning a device that can access the internet and the house they live at should not be allowed internet access, might make the parents take a bit more notice when their brats are cautioned about there activities.
( this is the punishment given to hackers in US so it must be possible)
There are a lot of punishments given to hackers in the US which were and are way above and beyond what they’re “crime” was.
Take a look at Barrett brown, Aaron Schwartz, Jeremy Hammond.
Laws are being used to silence these guys.
Maybe we should release the murderers, rapists and TV licence evaders to make room for them.
And its not just bullying. People often joke and make fun of others for a laugh. It might be funny to some but to others it may be offensive and that itself can cause mental anguish.
Say you’re 14-15 and on the Internet, you get into an argument, it degrades to name calling and slurs.
That child now has a criminal offence on their record forever.
If anyone here can tell me they were below 18 whilst on the Internet and never had an argument or flame war, you don’t speak for the majority.
An argument is not bullying , the definition of bullying has to include repeated abuse not one off,
I doubt every case of bullying would be brought before the courts but the idea that’s its a crime and has consequences should modify the behaviour of the majority.
The shinnerbots won’t like this
Cyber bullying laws are a good idea in principle but as with all laws they can (and usually are) full of specific legal jargon aimed at giving the government control. We are already in the same boat as China when it comes to the internet, censorship. Our for profit court system can and have placed restrictions on websites on the say of global media companies not the people of Ireland. Give it a few years and we won’t be the Republic of Ireland anymore we could be Ireland a Time Warner company trading as the Republic of Ireland.
Being on the receiving end of cyber bullying, is good practice for hopefully your eventual role in the work place, because that’s where bullying really begins. If you can’t handle the heat, switch of your device and give it to a bully.
I think they are referring to the extreme type of bullying that happens on the internet not the stuff that happens to all at some point, if they’re not they should be.
You hear of stories where people, not only kids, are online reaching out saying they’re depressed etc and people are on telling them to kill themselves etc.
That just doesn’t happen offline. If someone was standing on a ledge about to jump people wouldn’t be yelling up to just do it and if there was one horror doing it, chances are they’d be stopped by others.
People haven’t yet grasped the same mentality online because they can do and say whatever without repercussions and something needs to be done about that.
Even look at those three people lately who had poor taste Halloween costumes, they received death threats. Offline almost no one would say that to their faces.
Being online is still so new and while I’m not one for blocking freedom of speech there needs to be standards of what’s acceptable behaviour because unfortunately some people just don’t have it naturally.
What, no one mentioned jailing Bertie yet?
that’s soooooooo 2008….
Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.Your kids learn a lot about power relationships from watching you. When you get angry at a waiter, a sales clerk, another driver on the road, or even your child, you have a great opportunity to model effective communication techniques. Don’t blow it by blowing your top! Any time you speak to another person in a mean or abusive way, you’re teaching your child that bullying is ok. We must be responsible and action about this problem don’t let it happen to your child keep them safe and protected check it at http://safekidzone.com/#!/page_home.
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