Cyberbullying is now an epidemic that is reaching every corner of the globe. Countries worldwide, including the United States are seriously considering passing strict laws that would prosecute cyberbullies who lead their victims to harm themselves or commit suicide.

Practice Makes the Perfect Cyber Laws in New Zealand

New Zealand is one of many countries that experience serious problems with cyber bullies. This country is concerned about the result of internet bullying that has been leading to a number of suicides and other individuals with reported self-physical harm.

The Responsibility of Schools with Cyber Laws in New Zealand

Lawmakers are proposing new laws to prosecute cyberbullying for minor and major damages done to victims. These laws are planning to require all schools to set a plan in motion to take action against student cyberbully perpetrators. Public and private schools must set new legal requirements in place to help combat bullying at their facility.

This new law will target any child who is fourteen years of age and older. Cyber bullies under the age of 14 years will not face prosecution. However, other services will be involved with these cases, such as the Police and Youth Aid.

Cyber Laws in New Zealand In the Beginning..

At the beginning of designing these laws, this country said that when the offender is caught they must present themselves in a mini court set up for harassment cases. This court had limits on what they could impose on the criminal. There was no approval for this court to order compensations paid or impose criminal sanctions.

This law used to say that cyber bullies who ended up in this Tribunal Court would no longer remain anonymous, hiding behind the internet. This mini court was to enforce apologies and order cease-and-desist orders.

This Country Returned to the Drawing Board

Cyberbullies will meet with new revamped cyber laws and programs to fight this outrageous and dangerous practice of internet harassment to victims in the country of New Zealand. The new change directs the District Courts to hear serious cyberbully cases instead of a mini-court as first planned.

A cyberbully who is harassing their victims to the point that the victim commits suicide faces stiff prosecution of three years in jail and be named to the victim and victim’s family.

In 2012, New Zealand put bullying laws in place, to stop this practice; however, 2013 saw a new added law. Anyone who uses any kind of mobile communication device with the intention of causing harm to the victim faces a $2,000 fine and three months in jail. Mobile devices include but are not limited to Smartphones, iPad, iPhones and such.

The legal steps for designing a formal process of law for cyber bully offences in this country make lawmakers and the country’s populace delighted. New laws finally back victims of these internet crimes. As of 2013, this country is leading the way towards constructing laws and a stricter process of curbing cyberbullying complaints.

One more change this country is making is to support the schools through a non-profit agency funded by the Education of Ministry, with a $1 million annual budget.

This agency will assist schools in dealing with texting and internet issues. The purpose of this agency is to take the brunt of complaints and resolve them quickly. District courts plan to hear the serious cyber bully cases and prosecute the offenders.

This country has in place a law that prosecutes those individuals who lead someone to suicide, even if the individual does not commit suicide. This new law will also follow suit for victims of cyber crimes who do not commit suicide.

This country strongly feels that bullying is seriously damaging to victims, and the internet makes online harassment twice as deadly.

This law reads that it is illegal for anyone to send any text message or email that is offensive. This applies to those indecent, menacing, obscene and knowingly false messages. This law is to include all messages posted online but not actually sent to the person.

The Responsibility of Networking sites with Cyber Laws in New Zealand

These laws hold networking sites responsible. Laws allow district courts to order individuals, social media sites, and internet service providers to correct untruths posted about victims, and remove material posted with the intention of harming a person. The social media site must identify the anonymous persons. The responsible party meaning to cause harm must apologize to the victim. This law will give the victim the right to reply.

In conclusion, it is not easy setting Cyber Laws in New Zealand in place for cyber bully crimes.

  • This country is witness to this difficult process of law
  • This country is making great progress to meet the demands of this new global crime
  • This country has written and rewritten the laws regarding cyber bully crimes and filled in all the loop-holes

This country has a handle on this global internet crime and seems to be out in front of other countries struggling to decide what part they can play and how they can eliminate this dangerous and unfortunate practice in their country.

Spread the word about Cyber Laws in New Zealand!