Cyber bullying: A Need for Separate Provision in Indian Law Saran

Abstract

The Internet has become an essential component of our daily lives. It has opened the door to many opportunities and new social media culture. The Internet has made connecting and communicating with people more accessible than ever. The use of the Internet cannot be overemphasized as much as its inherent peril could not be underestimated. A few relevant ones are (but are not limited to) online harassment, voyeurism, identity theft, phishing, internet fraud, etc. The Internet has also become a medium for character assassination. Online abuse is severe and pervasive. It is severe because it causes the victim to suffer from mental distress, insecurity, and depression, especially in children. It is pervasive because it has become common, and the facility of publicity is detrimental to the dignity and reputation of people.^[1] Cybercrimes have unique features and raise special evidentiary issues that might not be adequately addressed by simply stretching old laws to fit new crimes.[2] Most countries have taken measures to prevent cyberbullying. However, Indian law did not take cyberbullying into its cognizance. In this paper, we are dealing with cyberbullying and its effects, how foreign law deals with cyberbullying, how cyberbullying is dealt with in India, and most importantly, the need for separate provisions in Indian law to deal with it.