Cyber-bullying via social media seen as crime

PICKING on someone on Facebook may soon become illegal.

A new bill has been filed at the Congress describing and punishing “cyber-bullying,” or the illegal act of posting offensive or scornfully abusive messages in the Internet against the victim.

Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. said that cyber bullying would refer to “acts of cruelty committed using the Internet or any form of electronic media or technology that has the effect of stripping one’s dignity or causing reasonable fear or physical or emotional harm.”

Based on the House Bill 5718, or the proposed “Anti Cyber-Bullying Act of 2015,” oppressor of cyber-crime will have a penalty of fines ranging from 50,000 to P100,000 pesos, or a jail term imprisonment between six months and six years preference of the court.

The outcome of this is that, “Internet bashing” has become manifestations of human intellectual achievement among the Internet users and even released issues that include conflict and violence.

The system gives that the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall form together the important rules and regulations within 90 days of passage.

D. Yap