Now You Have To Pay $1,000 If You Caught In Cyber-Bullying

New York Assemblywoman Jane Corwin has announced that she has authored and will introduce legislation to create the crime of cyber-bullying in the state of New York. This follows no the heels of the suicide of 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer after years of being bullied, including cyber-bullied.

Specifically, the bill creates the crime of cyber-bullying as a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to one year imprisonment. Furthermore, the legislation defines cyber-bullying as any repeated acts of abusive behavior communicating or causing communication to be sent by mechanical or electronic means, including posting statements on the Internet, or sending messages through a computer network. Such abusive behavior includes messages that are taunting, threatening, intimidating, insulting, tormenting, humiliating, embarrassing or sexually explicit, as well as other forms of hate mail.

Corwin stated that “Bullying is a long-standing problem among school-aged children in New York State, and throughout the nation. With the increasing accessibility of electronic means of communication, bullying has transformed from a predominantly school-based issue to a broader societal problem. Jamey’s story shocked our community – and other small communities across the nation – to its very core, and we cannot allow cyber-bullying to continue without penalty. We must take a firm stand against this destructive and devastating behavior.”

Roughly 28% of students between the ages of 12 and 18 have reported bullying; however, when it comes to cyber-bullying, that number is closer to 42% with 35% of students being threatened online.

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Kids & Teens are at Risk of Online Cyber Crime

It's a crime to post threatening and tormenting posts on someone’s Facebook profile - but few people know it.The Far South Coast command’s youth liaison officers are cracking down on internet crime, and cyber bullying among children and teenagers.
Senior Constable Adrian Seal is the school liaison officer for the Far South Coast and Monaro commands and says parents should closely monitor their child’s profile on social media sites, including Facebook.

“For most parents, they probably don’t really know how many criminal offences there actually are on the internet,” he said.
“And I don’t think kids think about the consequences.”
He said the main internet offences, which can carry penalties of up to 10 years’ jail, include stalking, intimidation and harassment, luring, threatening serious harm, sending offensive material and sexting - which involves sending sexually explicit photographs.
“For a lot of young people sexting, they probably don’t realise it’s a criminal offence,” Snr Const Seal said. “They just think what they’re doing is harmless. But as soon as they hit the send button, they have no control over it. It’s out there, in the public domain.
“For threatening serious harm to someone, all they have to prove is that the third party (or the victim) meant it.”
He said that carries 10 years’ jail.
Internet and social media sites are now a part of everyday life, according to Snr Const Seal, which makes it easier for bullying to occur. Snr Const Seal said writing nasty messages about someone over the internet took away the face-to-face aspect of bullying. “And rumours spread easily on the internet, and it’s harder to track down offenders and know their geographic location.”

He said a lot of it goes unreported. “The problem is a lot of kids are scared to come forward.”
Batemans Bay’s youth liaison officer Senior Constable Gina Hamilton works closely with children in primary schools, and says the vulnerable ages of 10 to 14 were most prone to cyber bullying.

-News Source (Bay Post)

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Anonymous Say They've Track down Amanda Todd’s Tormentor & Publishes Online

Anonymous Say They've Track down Amanda Todd’s Tormentor & Publishes Online 

Everyday we are increasing cyber security, to stand against any sort of cyber harassment and attacks. But still its very unfortunate to say that the whole system failed to protect a teenager named Amanda Todd from Canada. She has been fallen a victim of cyber bullying, 15-year-old Amanda, described with the aid of a series of flashcards - the horrific treatment she had received at the hands of bullies in her video entitled "My Story: Struggling, bullying, suicide and self harm". Amanda was bullied viciously on Facebook where her schoolmates were invited to join a page which included topless photographs of her, causing Amanda to suffer from anxiety and depression.

Despite her family moving house and her changing schools, the bullying continued and Amanda fell into drug-taking and alcohol.  After a violent encounter with another girl, Amanda drank bleach and attempted to kill herself. "It killed me inside and I thought I actually was going to die." Amanda admitted in the video that she had deliberately cut herself, and ends the movie by holding a card which reads: "I have nobody. I need someone. My name is Amanda Todd." Finally after facing so many horrific treatment, she committed suicide. on 10th of October, it was just one week before her 16th birthday.

Here is the video, where Amanda tried to describe what she faced:- 

Amanda's tragic death has stirred a national debate about cyberbullying, but the sad story has now developed a new twist, when hacker collective group Anonymous claimed that hey have tracked down a man they say is Amanda Todd’s tormenter. The hacktivists say they have found a man in his early 30s from New Westminster, B.C., who allegedly blackmailed the 15-year-old girl for pictures over the Internet. In their move Anonymous have published a video (later removed by YouTube) and documents on pastebin, naming the person that they believe to have allegedly relentlessly harrassed Amanda Todd. 

Police told The Canadian Press they were aware of the Anonymous claim. “I'm not going to speak to anything beyond the fact that we are aware of what has been put on social media in regards to that name,” said Sgt. Peter Thiessen, spokesman for the RCMP. Amanda’s mother, Carol Todd, has said police have been investigating leads about the Web stalker. “Police investigated and investigated, it got traced to somebody in the United States,” Carol Todd was quoted saying by the press. “But they never found him. Those people are very good at hiding their tracks.”

-Source (Naked Security & thestar) 

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Help! I Think My Child Might Be a Cyberbully (Special Article)

Help! I Think My Child Might Be a Cyberbully (Special Article)

Our society grows more and more connected. We have smart phones, computers, tablets, social media sites and other tools constantly creating new connections between people. This is generally a good thing, but there is a negative side to this enhanced communication—cyberbullying. Although bullying in the playground or classroom has been around since we started putting kids in schools, cyberbullying brings a new aspect to bullying. It is more difficult to stop because, in many cases, the bully is anonymous.

Cyberbullying Can Lead to Suicide

Cyberbullying is using the internet, cell phones or other devices to post pictures, text, videos or other information intended to hurt or embarrass another person. According to the National Crime Prevention Association, cyberbullying affects almost half of all American teens. Although many feel cyberbullying is not a big deal, the consequences can be severe. As evidenced by the amount of suicides—particularly of gay teens—in the last few years, cyberbullying can have a devastating effect on the victim and their family. Because of the nature of cyberbullying, it is difficult to tell if your child is involved—either as a victim or an aggressor.

Prevent Your Child From Becoming a Cyberbully

There are some simple ways to prevent your child from becoming a cyberbully. Be a model for them. Don’t use abusive language when referencing workmates, other parents or kids. Make sure the language you use around your child does not lead them to believe it is alright for them to use abusive language. Children look to their parents as guides for how to operate in the world. Make sure, as a guide, you're pleasant, kind and non-aggressive.

Keep an eye on your child’s social networking profile. See if they are getting involved in harassing other children. This could be a precursor to them becoming the primary bully themselves. If you do find evidence they are harassing others, do not let it stand. Talk to them about it. Explain the better, healthier ways to deal with their aggression or anger towards their friends and classmates. Make sure they understand that harassment is not an acceptable type of behavior. There are ways to assure your child's social network site can't be hacked.

Keep Your Child's Social Network From Being Hacked

Cyberbullying is not exclusive to hateful or aggressive comments or messages. Many kids have their social networking site hacked, and the hacker shares embarrassing information or posts things the actual user would not post. There is software to track the sites that have been accessed on your computer and that can help you to protect your child against identity theft. Utilize the tools available to make sure your child has not stolen another kid’s identity.

The best way to stop cyberbullying is to prevent your child from ever becoming one in the first place. Have open conversations about bullying and its effects on others. Show through example the best way to solve problems is not through threats and anger but through calm and reasoned action.

Special Article By 

Jennifer Stone

Guest Editor VOGH

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's Sister Said 'No more anonymous on Internet'

The sister of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants to put an end to online anonymity. She wants to force people to use their real names at all times on the Internet.
Randi Zuckerberg, who is Facebook's marketing director, believes users would act much more responsibly on the Internet if real names at all times were compulsory. Her remarks recall  the tangle that Google+, Facebook's fledging rival, got into the other week as it enforced its own real names policy.
Randi Zuckerberg was speaking during a presentation hosted on Tuesday by Marie Claire magazine on cyberbullying and social media. She said the use of real names online could help curb bullying and harassment on the web.

"I think anonymity on the Internet has to go away... People behave a lot better when they have their real names down. ... I think people hide behind anonymity and they feel like they can say whatever they want behind closed doors."

She added, "There's so much more we can do...We're actively tying to work with partners like Common Sense Media and our safety advisory committee."
Five months ago, Facebook, which requires all members to use their real names, announced new safety resources and tools for reporting issues, in conjunction with a White House summit for preventing bullying. Four months ago, the company rolled them out.
Christopher Poole, founder of 4chan, is however a defender of anonymity on the Internet , as ZDNet reports.
With anonymity, users can employ what Poole calls “fluid identity." He explains,  "Where there's no risk of failure, experimentation flourishes. On websites that require you to login via Facebook, the cost of failure is really high because you’re contributing as yourself. As a result, mistakes are attributed to who you are.

"I believe real names should only be required in scenarios where your actions can hurt others; in other cases, anonymity is just fine."

-News Source (The Drum & Social-network UK)

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Sydney Peace Medal awarded to WikiLeaks founder

The Sydney Peace Foundation has awarded WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange its gold medal for “exceptional courage in pursuit of human rights.”

According to the foundation, the award was given to recognise the need for greater transparency and accountability for governments.

“By challenging centuries-old practices of government secrecy and by championing people’s right to know, WikiLeaks and Julian Assange have created the potential for a new order in journalism and in the free flow of information,” said Prof Stuart Rees, director of the Sydney Peace Foundation and founding director of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney.

“Instead of demonising an Australian citizen who has broken no law, the Australian Government must stop shoring up Washington’s efforts to behave like a totalitarian state.

“The treatment of alleged whistleblower Bradley Manning confirms a US administration at odds with their commitment to universal human rights and intent on militaristic bullying,” he said, referring to the intelligence analyst with the US Army in Baghdad who was detained for allegedly giving classified data to WikiLeaks.

Assange, born in Australia, founded WikiLeaks and has since drawn massive controversy globally for leaking cables from US diplomats and the US military, posting a huge amount of confidential data on the web.

Assange is currently awaiting an appeal in London against his extradition to Sweden on allegations of sexual assault filed by two women last year.

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48 Countries Worldwide Joined Biggest Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online

48 Countries Worldwide Joined Biggest Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online

Cyber bullying, online child sexual abuse has became one of the biggest threat and challenge for the society. Several security report are pointing out that the number of cyber bully is increasing every day. There are daily reminders about those risks, whether it's the tragic fate of Amanda Todd, bullied into suicide. To get rid of these burning issues European Union (EU) Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström together with US Attorney General Eric Holder launched a Global Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Online. In this campaign Forty-eight countries have joined forces to launch the most expansive fight ever against the spread of online child sex abuse. According to current estimates, there are more than one million images of sexually abused and exploited children now online. Every year, that number grows by 50,000 new images, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Participants at the launch include Ministers and high-level officials from 27 EU Member States, who are also joined by 21 countries outside the EU (Albania, Australia, Cambodia, Croatia, Georgia, Ghana, Japan, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, the Philippines, Serbia, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United States of America, and Vietnam). The countries of the alliance are committing themselves to a number of policy targets and goals. Thanks to increased international cooperation, the fight against child sexual abuse online will therefore be more effective.

"Behind every child abuse image is an abused child, an exploited and helpless victim. When these images are circulated online, they can live on forever. Our responsibility is to protect children wherever they live and to bring criminals to justice wherever they operate. The only way to achieve this is to team up for more intensive and better coordinated action worldwide", said Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström.

“This international initiative will strengthen our mutual resources to bring more perpetrators to justice, identify more victims of child sexual abuse, and ensure that they receive our help and support,” said Attorney General Holder. “Through this global alliance we can build on the success of previous cross-border police operations that have dismantled international pedophile networks and safeguard more of the world’s children.” 

The participants of this campaign put out this list of goals for the new initiative, which has been dubbed the Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online, in a press release:-

• Enhance efforts to identify victims and ensure that they receive the necessary assistance, support and protection;
• Enhance efforts to investigate cases of child sexual abuse online and to identify and prosecute offenders;
• Increase children's awareness of online risks, including the self-production of images and "grooming" methods used by paedophiles;
• Reduce the availability of child abuse material online and the re-victimization of children;
• Establish dedicated law enforcement units for these crimes in all countries;
• Make it easier to initiate joint cross-border police investigations;
• Intensify co-operation with hotline services, where the public can report findings of online child pornography; and
• Ensure that the Interpol international database of child abuse material grows by 10 percent annually.

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Cyber Camps been organised for Children

A series of unique cyber camps are being conducted for children aged 8 years and upwards. These camps are being conducted by city-based Asian School of Cyber Laws (ASCL) and Data 64 Techno Solutions Pvt. Ltd, a company dealing in cyber laws and cyber crime investigation.
 "The internet is a world full of information, friends, fun, education and sports. It is also a world full of drug dealers, porn freaks, cyber stalkers, psychopaths, kidnappers, cyber bullies and even recipes to make bombs," said Sagar Rahurkar, project coordinator, Pune.
 "There are several threats that children face on-line. One of these is cyber bullying, which can lead to depression, substance abuse and even suicide. Another threat is from on-line buddies who can turn out to be psychopaths, kidnappers or even child molesters," he said.
 "Often children inadvertently give away vital details like their parents' incomes, their address, even credit card information! This information can then be misused by criminals to make illegal purchases and run up huge bills," said Rahurkar.
 "The solution is to make children CyberSmart. We would be making children cyber smart by acquainting them with basics of how the Internet works, IP addresses and the domain name system, an introduction to wireless networks, Firefox, guide to safe on-line shopping, among other things," he said. 

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Operation Tennessee By Anonymous

Anonymous, a fairly high-profile hacker group, says that it has taken personal data through a Tennessee government website in retaliation for a controversial cyber-bullying law.

The group claims to have taken “personal but not harmful” information, including phone numbers and addresses, in an attack on the TN.gov site over the July 4 weekend that it’s calling “Operation Tennessee.” The data is available here, but since this is a hacker website, click the download at your own risk.
Anonymous says the action is retaliation for a new law that extends the state’s harassment statutes to cover images and messages posted through social media sites. The law has been a hot topic in online discussions, with critics saying its overly broad definitions could be applied to practically anyone who publishes an offensive image online. The state’s attorney general has been asked to weigh in on the matter.

Message From Anonymous:- 

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#OpKillingBay- Anonymous Threaten to Engage Cyber Attack Against Japan Govt Over Dolphin Hunt

#OpKillingBay- Anonymous Threaten to Engage Cyber Attack Against Japan Govt Over Dolphin Hunt

I am sure that many of you remember the famous Oscar winning documentary 'The Cove' where the atrocious practice of killing Dolphins have been highlighted. Now it seems that the internet activist have pick that issue very seriously as the world's largest community of international hackers and activist, widely known as Anonymous has rises his voice against a gruesome culture of Dolphin hunting in Japan. The Japanese government has received an online threat from dangerous hacker collective group Anonymous where they vows to engage massive cyber attack against Japan government if they did not stop this cruel practice of killing the rare spices of dolphin near Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture. According to Japanese officials, they have received this bullying message from Anonymous “STOP these slaughters IMMEDIATELY, or get ready to face the extent of our wrath.” In a pastebin release the hacker group has declared 22 high profile Japanese websites on their hit list, including those of the prime minister’s office, Taji, Wakayama Prefecture, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

While following their consuetude, Anonymous has called this campaign Operation KillingBay dubbed #OpKillingBay, where the hacker promised to engage massive cyber attack, in order to damage the Japanese Cyber space. The government has taken this threat very seriously, while looking at the past history of Anonymous and their capabilities, Taiji government and the National Information Security Center have been sent immediate alert since the warning from Anonymous been received. To gain public attention on this very matter the internet activist has already started a project named Save Japan Dolphins, now this contribution of Anonymous will definitely enhance this protest. For updates on this story and also all the other cyber updates stay tuned with VOGH. 

-Source (JDP)

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