Cyber bullying is defined as “a person tormenting, threatening, harassing or embarrassing another person using the internet or other technologies”.

Examples of cyber bullying include mean text messages or e-mails, rumours sent by e-mail or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites or fake profiles. It seems that this problem is becoming a serious issue and has given rise to a political initiative that aims to tackle cyber bullies.

The setting up of Anti-Cyberharassment Alliance Malta (ACHA) by three current and former politicians is beginning to raise awareness about this serious modern malady that affects mainly young people, but is also known to affect older people.

Bullying has been around for centuries. You only need to have some physical or intellectual differences from the crowd that surrounds you to be targeted by bullies who, despite their bluff, are no more than cowards.

Scanning the European media will give you an indication of how widespread this problem has become especially among young people who at a vulnerable age often have to confront bullying aggression at all times of the day.

Once bullying was restricted to schools. This was bad enough as it made the victims feel insecure and often undermined their self respect. But now that most of us are connected by the internet and social media practically 24 hours a day, the consequences of cyber bullying have become much more serious. Research conducted in the UK finds 70 per cent of students report seeing frequent bullying online. Perhaps even more worrying, 43 per cent of schoolchildren have been bullied online.

Calling the bluff of bullies is therefore a top social priority. Labour MP Deborah Schembri is right in saying that while “internet providers have agreed to remove any offending online content, there is no competent authority to instruct them to do so”. This is another case where good intentions are not enough.

What is needed is proper legislation as well as the political will to enforce sanctions against those who abuse. While it is commendable that there seems to be political consensus to tackle this problem with determination, one cannot but notice that once again a social issue has been left in the hands of politicians.

There are various organisations that have an interest in the prevention of cyber bullying. Why have unions representing university and other students not come forward in a more visible way to condemn and militate against cyber bullying? One notable voice against this problem was the Malta Union of Teachers which has repeatedly spoken on the need to protect its members who are often bullied not just by students but even by their parents.

Ultimately the element that will make a difference in resolving this issue is education. To be more specific, heads of school should not only ensure that bullying in whatever shape is seen as a form of violence against innocent victims, but must ensure schools under their responsibility have a proper code of discipline that tackles child to child, teacher to child, child to teacher, as well as parent to teacher forms of bullying.

Enforcement of discipline, especially in State schools, is no longer a fashionable value. Yet when we see the devastating consequences of cyber bullying we should seriously ask ourselves whether there is once again the need for stricter enforcement of rules that prevent violence against the victims of bullies.

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