Online defamation and cyberbullying are serious issues that can have significant legal consequences. Let’s explore the legal aspects of these actions.
Cyberbullying vs. Internet Defamation
Cyberbullying refers to any form of bullying that occurs over electronic media, such as offensive messages, trolling, or publicly harassing someone . On the other hand, internet defamation is a more advanced form of cyberbullying that involves publicly posting defamatory content with the intention of damaging the reputation of a person or organization .
Defamation Laws and Cyberbullying
Defamation laws vary from country to country. In some jurisdictions, cyberbullying cases require the element of defamation offense for the victim to sue the cyberbully in a criminal case . For example, in Thailand, victims can sue cyberbullies in a criminal case if the action imputes others and causes damage to the victim’s mentality and reputation .
In civil law, cyberbullying can be considered defamation when the person bullying causes harm to someone’s reputation by spreading false information about them . Defamation can be classified as slander if it appears temporarily (e.g., unrecorded speech or live broadcast) and as libel if it appears permanently (e.g., in a book or on a website).
Legal Consequences of Cyberbullying and Defamation
Cyberbullying and defamation can have serious legal consequences. Depending on the conduct of the cyberbully, they could face criminal charges under the country’s criminal code . Some possible criminal charges include sharing intimate images without consent, criminal harassment, uttering threats, intimidation, mischief in relation to data, unauthorized use of a computer, identity theft, extortion, false messages, and defamatory libel.
In civil cases, the target of defamation can file a lawsuit against the person making the defamatory statement. If the lawsuit is successful, the person making the statement may have to pay damages to the target .