Cyberbullying Through Internet in Hong Kong

Cyberbullying is one of the current topic which is discussed in Hong Kong society for a long time. As the popularity of electronic devices and the increasing use of Internet, cyberbullying is becoming a serious problem through Hong Kong society. The situation not only occur among teenagers, but also in adults which cause a critical consequence. Belsey [1] define the cyberbullying as one type of bullying which main occur on the internet through the use of information and communication technology to support purposeful, repeated, and antagonistic behavior by an individual or group, where in the result to harm others. An increasing voice is proposing a law legislation to regulate those cyberbullying on the internet. This essay will be analyze whether it should be a law regulation or not.

Bully can be caught when he/she is proved that he/she participated in the cyberbullying which includes criminal behaviors to the victim so it is not necessary to legislate a new law. As the reply of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau [2] to the Legislative Council, inappropriate statements by the bullies may involve different crimes such as criminal intimidation and blackmail. The bullies may also violate the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance when they “caused harassment to others using insulting phraseology, words or pictures on the internet” [2]. The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKYFG) doubt that the laws is no longer be effective to protect the victims. For example, the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance was set in 1996 which is not satisfy the changing situation nowadays. The law only protect the victims when the bullies are being found and the distribution of victims’ personal information is in personal which not by organizatio...

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...hers, or lack in social skills. Their personal development would be incomplete. Cyberbullying is necessary to regulate by law legislation so there will be a protector to the victims away from bullies.

Works Cited

[1] B. Belsey, “What can be done?”, 2004. [Online] Available: http://www.cyberbullying.ca/pdf/Cyberbullying_Information.pdf [Accessed: Nov. 14, 2013]

[2] Hong Kong Infromation Services Department, “LCQ12: Cyber-bullying”, Dec 2012. [Online] Available: http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201212/19/P201212190360.htm [Accessed: Nov. 14, 2013]

[3] The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, "A study on Cyber-bullying among Hong Kong Secondary Students," Youth Study Series, vol. 44, pp. 1-150, Sept, 2010.

[4] D. L. Hoff and S. N. Mitchell, "Cyberbullying: causes, effects, and remedies," Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 47, no. 5, pp. 652-665, 2009.