Cyberbullying In Australia Essay

1.0 Introduction

As we come into an increasingly technologically based future, Australia, as a nation and a society, is facing more and more of one particular form of offense- cyberbullying. Unfortunately, despite greater efforts to counter it, the practice is quickly becoming one that current laws cannot control, and it’s about time Australians considered a change. The simple truth is that existing laws are inadequate and outdated, and, in order to protect our children, and our loved ones, a better solution is required.
2.0 The Law

As of current, there are no specific laws regarding cyberbullying in Australia, however, there a number of other criminal bylaws that can be applied to cyberbullies, most of which fall under the Commonwealth

Although not particularly effective, these various laws are indeed aiding in preventing and dealing with cyberbullying cases in the 21st century and cover a broad scope of cyberbullying offenses, thus proving victims with relative legal safety.
4.2 Weaknesses

Nevertheless, there are weaknesses in all laws, and the major issue with this one is that it lacks specificity. As it is, no laws in Australia exclusively deal with cyberbullying on a federal level, and, as it becomes more and more prevalent, current laws are continuing to fall behind, with many offences going undealt with and as many offenders getting away without prosecution. In order to achieve a fair, just and equitable system where both victims and offenders are dealt with fairly and appropriately, more deliberate and specific laws are required.
The other major fault with the law is that many major companies like Facebook and Twitter can often evade them under the masquerade of ‘privacy concerns.’ This not only inhibits police presence in preventing cyberbullying instances but heightens the potential risk for users too.
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