19 March 2012

MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

CASE STUDY CYBER BULLYING

Submitted to :-

Submitted by :-

Prof. Amit Bardhan

Lochan Aswani

Roll No.:- 29

Skips (PGDM)

Term:- lll

Batch:- 2011-13

CASE :- WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT CYBER BULLYING

Questions Solved

1. What are some of the technologies and communication methods used by the cyberbullies? Why are they so effective? a. Technologies used by cyber-bullies :i. Cyber-bullies use the indispensable internet creatively to find their victims and humiliate them. ii. Bullies use social networking sites, e-mail, instant messaging, cell phone cameras, blogs, text messages to insult and embarrass their targets have access to a wide variety of technological communication methods such as cell phones, text-messaging, multi-media messages, videos, weblogs, email and social networking websites.

b. Reason for their effectiveness :i. Cyber-bullies are often anonymous to their victims. They target recessive teenagers or someone who is shy or low in confidence. They abuse these people badly and hurt them

mentally so bad that these people are forced to make an adverse decision in their lives like suicide attempts, etc. ii. The sensitive victims are made to feel guilt about their weaknesses with the help of technology, by merely spreading victims personal information online on social networks or in blogs or by posting abusive videos or messages related to them or sometimes special websites are created in order to break them and make them quit on their lives.

2. What measures have been taken by school districts and governments to combat cyber-bullying? How helpful are they? Can you think of any other ways to effectively control cyber-bullying? a. Measures taken:- The governor of the state signed a bill outlawing cyber bullying and broadening the existing laws scope. It was announced that for adults over 21 years of age, cyber bullying will be considered a felony, punishable by up to 4 years in prison. b. Effectiveness of the measures taken :- Although the measures taken up by the government were strict and apt but only up to the extent of punishing the torturer. These steps will not be effective in order to stop the cyber bullying. Some other technology should be used in order to track and stop these activities beforehand. c. Controlling cyber bullying- other ways :i. Every school should be strict enough to keep an eye on students online activities in the college premises. ii. No personal multimedia devices should be allowed to be accessed in school by students and staff as well (exception-

teachers can access their personal phones if required), except the phones or devices of college. iii. The school server should have restricted access to internet, preventing the usage of any social network cite by staff as well as students. iv. School should focus on personality development of all students so that no student remains shy or less confident. v. Seminars or workshops can be arranged to address the students as well as their parents about their overall personality development and their safety. Students should be taught how to deal and cope up with such situations. Parents should be encouraged to take more active parts in the internet activities of their children in order to guide and protect them. vi. As far as adults are concerned regarding such types of crimes, so state should install a system where all the activities of every IP addresses can be tracked and kept account of. In this way cyber bullying can be considerably controlled.

3. Should there be stronger laws outlawing cyber bullying? Why or why not? Yes there should be stronger Laws outlawing cyber bullying. Because cyber bullying is one of the serious issues and is often much more damaging in its effects on recessive individuals and children, resulting into loss of somebodys life. Cyber bullying is so bad that it can break a persons confidence forever, thereby not letting him to grow normally and make him weak at his decisions.

It is a cruel act played with innocent immature children resulting into loss of their lives often which should be stopped and strictly shunned.

4. Does a social networking site catering to teens such as MySpace represent an ethical dilemma? Why or why not? a. No, it does not represent any ethical dilemma, in my opinion. b. The website or the company cannot be blamed completely for such kinds of problems. Because not only teenagers but adults are also involved in activities like cyber bullying. c. The ethical responsibility lies on the part of the people or the citizens using the facility. d. The company in no way intends to encourage such bad crimes, infact in order to prevent such things or protect its customers integrity, networking cites also provide privacy and security controls to the customers. e. If any customer faces any kind of problem than the prospect customer has full authority to block that threat or report it to the company in the form of complaints so that company can take actions regarding it. f. The burden lies on us, the customers, who should be ethical enough to use the technology responsibly and appropriately without harming others.