Social Media - harassment and the law

[hatcheckgirl]

Articles mentioning harassment on social media are becoming so common now, but worldwide there just aren't adequate laws in place yet, mainly because social media is still relatively new. 

 

There is a case currently before the court, a sort of test case where a man is being charged with "using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence". A "carriage service" is a service for carrying communications by means of guided and/or unguided electromagnetic energy. This is a broad definition and covers most electronic communication.  However this legislation was enacted almost two decades ago — well before the introduction of social media.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-19/that-tinder-girl-olivia-melville-speaks-out/7519724

 

It really highlights to me how we are protected by following Jehovah's standards, regardless of whether human laws are adequate to protect us or not.  The girl mentioned in the article has been threatened with rape and abuse, due to a seemingly innocent byline on her social media account (Tinder has it's own really perverse issues, so that's another subject again).  But because of her naivety/stupidity/inexperience in life, she has endured some pretty uncomfortable and unwarranted backlash from a certain section of the population who think it is ok to brutalise people online. 

 

This trial is a test case of existing laws that will help set parameters for what can and can't be said on social media ... a senior lecturer at the University of New South Wales who studies gendered online abuse, believes online harassment is not treated seriously enough under Australian law.

"Threatening to rape or hurt someone is quite serious," Dr Jane told ABC News. "If I threatened you in another context, it would be taken very seriously."

 

So many scriptures come to mind, but 2 Tim 3:13-17 will do for starters.

 

[Alexa]

"Get help. Parents and teachers can give you the support you need to deal with your harasser. But what if the people you tell don’t take your complaint seriously? Try this: Every time you are harassed, write down the details. Include the date, time, and location of each incident, along with what the harasser said. Then give a copy of it to your parent or teacher. Many people treat a written complaint more seriously than a verbal one."

 

It's important if this happen, to report it to the Social Media itself or to any mature one. They will tell you to block or unfriend the man and how to not to invite such harassment. If the law to be follow was supported by ways how man/woman should deal it and its consequences, there should be the states' share for giving knowledge to ones who uses Social Media. Thankfully, jw.org is here to guide us.  

 

https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/family/teenagers/ask/sexual-harassment/