Relationships, Internet &

the Law
Be safe

Cyberbullying
There is no legal definition of cyberbullying within UK law.
However there are a number of existing laws that can be
applied to cases of cyberbullying and online harassment,
namely:

Protection from Harassment Act 1997

Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
Malicious Communications Act 1988
Communications Act 2003
Breach of the Peace (Scotland)
Defamation Act 2013

What can I do?

If you're being bullied online/by text
Save the messages/material
Tell an adult or report it online
Do not retaliate or reply. If possible, block the person.

If you see bullying online/by text

Report it to a parent, trusted adult or teacher.
Support the victim - imagine how you would feel if you were being
bullied.

What can I do?

Advice for parents, carers and teachers
Your child is just as likely to be a bully as they are to be a target.
Watch out for uncharacteristic behaviour (your child being upset
or secretive, using the phone/internet more than usual, changing
friendship group.)
Remind your child not to retaliate and keep any evidence
Report the bullying contact the school if the bullying involves
another pupil and contact your service provider to report the user
and remove the content. If the bullying is more serious and a
potential criminal offence, consider contacting Kent Police

European Law
European Data Protection Legislation is now being applied to
issues of cyberbullying, online harassment and identity theft.
From 2010, EU Data Protection legislation could be
implemented to protect individuals from cyberbullying and
online harassment.
Conference Report: Cyber-Harassment in Schools (2010)
The European Commission has also been active in curbing
online abuse by forming an agreement with 17 of the worlds
leading social networks, including Facebook and Myspace, to
ensure young people and children are better protected
online.

Sexting
The practice of sending sexually explicit or nude or
semi-nude photos of children by mobile
Similar issues with misuse of webcams
As soon as you have sent it, you have lost control
It could turn up anywhere parent, friends, school,
future family, employment
Makes you vulnerable
Would you print the picture and make it into a
poster?

So whats inappropriate?

Nudity or partial nudity

Genital exposure.
Exposing or involving a child in pornographic
materials
Showing a child pornographic materials
Watching sexual activities.
Encouraging children to behave in sexually
inappropriate ways.
Any act where a child is the object of another's
sexual gratification.

What if the image is of me?

You might have committed an offence
But the person you send it to will break the law
Can you trust them forever?
Virtual life is real life
Your online reputation will become your real life
reputation
Revenge sites exist where video and photos of
former partners stripping are available for all

Have you broken the law?

Have you received an attachment or link which
shows illegal content?
This is not always against the law but can be
Have you shown it to someone else, forwarded it,
printed it or given a printed copy to someone else?
This is against the law
You could break the law 4
times very quickly

Receive the
image by email, phone,
on-line

Print it

Store the
image on
device or
paper

Show image
of another
person

Receive the
image on
paper

Send to
boyfriend/
girlfriend

Receive the
image by email, phone,
on-line

Print it

Store the
image on
device or
paper

Show image
of another
person

Receive the
image on
paper

Send to
boyfriend/
girlfriend

Which laws?
If a teenager were to have in their possession an indecent
image of another minor (even if done on a computer graphics
program), they would technically be in possession of an
indecent image of a child, which is an offence under:
the Protection of Children Act 1978
the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

If you cannot prove that:

you have a good reason for having the image
you didnt see it
didnt ask for it
You told someone straight away

You could get up

to 5 years in
prison/juvenile
detention, put on
the sex
offenders
register for 10
years and a fine

Someone has sent me something..

Write down the URL on a piece of paper with a
pen or a pencil
Tell your parents, a member of staff or anyone you
can trust and give them the piece of paper
Do not forward them the link.
Do not investigate yourself only Police (CEOP)
or Internet Watch Foundation can do this.

Being yourself
Do you have character, principles, the ability to
make difficult decisions because they are right?
Can you stand up for yourself and do what you
want to do because it is what you want or is it
easier to do what you have heard others are
doing?
Ask yourself why does he/she really want me to
do this?
Frigid or just not with you eughh!

Who is my virtual friend?

Do you have friends you have never met?
Abusers store streamed webcam videos and assume the
identity of a number of children. They use these to befriend
other children after all you saw them on webcam!
One American man had 50+ girls aged 13-16 who all thought
they were his girlfriend
A Kuwaiti man hacked into laptops and PCs, using the
information found to convince girls to strip etc.
Sexual offenders are out there and they are always
searching for new victims.

Worst case example?

This video is about a girl who sent some photos

The School System

You can tell any member of staff you want
All staff know what to do
Staff will listen to you and believe you
Staff will not blame you
Staff will not ask leading questions
Staff will write down what you are saying
Staff will refer the issue to Mrs Nicholls
But we cant keep a secret if we think you might be in danger,
come to harm or a law be broken
ACS will always report breaches of the law to CEOP, police,
social services as appropriate