Megan Meier Cyber Bullying Prevention Act

Cyber bullying is an ever growing problem in the era of technological advancement; many children and teens fall victim to it every day. However, methods to prevent cyber bullying are being developed. Individuals may soon be able to be prosecuted for statements made on social media due to a new bill called the Megan Meier Cyber Bullying Prevention Act. This bill is absolutely necessary because, currently, cyberbullying is virtually inescapable, it affects millions, and it leads to physical harm. If this new bill is put into play, cyber bullying could become a rare occurrence and could become much less severe than it is as of now.

Firstly, individuals who are bullied online have few means of escaping their tormentors. Before technology was common

in households in the United States, children who were bullied at school could find solace at home (excluding situations in which parents and/or siblings were the bullies). However, now people carry their bullies with them all the time. In the article, “The Dangers of Cyberbullying,” Mr. Foster states, “Technology has become an essential part of our society and homes.” This quote stresses how people cannot simply “log off” of phones and computers, as technology has become a part of American culture. Furthermore, people cannot simply block their bullies either. Statements made on social media can be seen by anyone and will never truly go away, making it nearly impossible to rid oneself of the damages done by bullies.
Continually, cyberbullying affects more than a handful of people.

According to the article, “What is Cyberbullying?” by the Ophelia Project, “20% of youth ages 11-18 have been a victim of cyberbulling.” 20 percent of youth is a vast number; it adds up to millions of people. The concept of cyberbullying is prominent throughout the world, and, if millions of people are being affected, then it is a major problem. To elaborate, if laws are not passed restricting the number of offenses, then the numbers will continue to grow, as cyberbullying is not a problem that will fix itself. Cyberbullying destroys millions of lives every

year.
In addition to cyberbullying being difficult to escape and affecting millions, cyberbullying can lead to physical harm as well. Whether it is leading to planned fights, the victim lashing out at their aggressors, or the bully attacking the victim, it is undeniable that many incidents have roots in the virtual world. As well as physical fights that can cause injury, cyberbullying can lead to children and teens inflicting self-harm upon themselves or even committing suicide. According to the article, “The Dangers of Cyberbullying,” by Brett Warnke, the bill that will allow individuals to prosecute others for cyberbullying will help dramatically with these problems. To quote, “This bill ensures that someone is accountable for the behaviors that lead to someone getting hurt.” Therefore, the bill will reduce the chances of offenses happening and reduce the amount of repeated offenses greatly.
Although many people are in support of individuals being able to prosecute other with charges of cyberbullying, there are many who are not.

In the article, “Sacrificing the First Amendment to Catch Cyberbullies,” Kirk Sigmon, an opposer of the bill, says “The last time I checked, hurting someone’s feelings- even in real life- never justified criminal prosecution.” However, bullying is not simply “hurting someone’s feelings.” Bullying- in the cyber world or in real life- is a repeated action meant to cause harm to another. Bullying in the real world is criminally prosecuted; “hurting someone’s feelings” is not, as the statement is generally referring to a single occurrence. Therefore, cyberbullying should play to the same rules as regular bullying and be allowed to be counted as a criminal

offence.
To conclude, people should be prosecuted for negative statements made on social media. Cyberbullying is a terrible side effect of modern technology, and it is important to stop it as it is virtually inescapable, it affects millions, and it leads to physical harm. Bullying, whether in the real world or the cyber one, should be considered an inhumane offense and should be prosecuted for nothing less than that.