DEPARTMRNT OF COMPUTER STUDIES

COURSE UNIT: ETHICS

ASSYNMENT: CYBER BULLYING CASE STUDY

LECTURER: MADAM NANDUTU IRENE

GROUP MEMBERS

S/ NAME REGISTRATION NUMBER

N
1 BYARUHANGA MOSES BU/UG/2017/110
2 OMOLLO MOSES TANGA BU/UG/2017/136
3 OBOTH BLASTUS NATHAN BU/UG/2017/105
4 KISAKYE DIANA MICHELLE BU/UG/2017/107
1. In trying to teach the student a lesson about taking responsibility for her actions,
did the teacher go too far and become a bully? Why or why not? Does she deserve to
be fired for her actions?
Yes, the teacher went too far and became a bully.
This is because the teacher did not only stop on the confrontation in class in front of
classmates but also uploaded the scene online which attracted almost the whole public

Demanding for a public apology was also an unfair act according to the incident. Though the
student was a perpetrator, a more careful way handling this issue would be used instead of
going online and public.

Uploading the confrontation video online further affected/humiliated the student not only
among the classmates but also to the public that watched the scenario. This clearly shows
how too far the teacher went as far as this case is concerned

2. What punishment does the student deserve? Why?

On addition to the hand written apology to the teacher, the student should be tasked to
disseminate ethical morals that should be observed when online (social media platforms)
among all the classmates, fellow students at large and online if possible.
Secondly, she should be tasked to delete all the public posts that she uploaded against the
teacher in question.

This student deserves these punishments because of the following reasons

 She will act as an example to the rest of the students that would like to use the same way
to express the Unger to others.
 By doing so, other students will learn better and good ethics to be used while on social
media platforms
 The teacher in question will also be released from further social humiliation and spread of
bad information as this will be deleted from online

3. Who is the victim in this case? The teacher or the student? Was one victimized more
than the other?

 Both the teacher and the student are all victims

The teacher is a victim because the student tweeted a derogatory words about her saying she
is “bitch” and a “whore,” making her suffer a tremendous stress
While
The student is also a victim because the teacher would have been mature enough to discuss
the issue privately with her and she should not have recorded the confrontation and let alone
uploading it in the same platform where she felt she was victimized in

 The teacher was victimized the more because derogatory words were used against her
in the posts in the internet.
4. Do victims have the right to defend themselves against bullies? What if they go
through the proper channels to report bullying and it doesn’t stop?

Do victims have the right to defend themselves against bullies?

 Yes the victims have the rights to defend themselves but it should not be in the
similar trend because as the saying goes, "two wrongs don't make a right". The
victims should defend themselves by reporting the harassment case to relevant organs
of the state that will use the established laws of the state to deal with the harassment
case. In Uganda we have computer Misuse Act 2011.Section 24 of the act
criminalizes cyber harassment and provides a punishment upon conviction of a fine
not exceeding seventy two currency point or imprisonment not exceeding three
years or both
For US the punishment varies from State to State, Some States like California
the punishment by up to one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.

What if they go through the proper channels to report bullying and it doesn’t stop?

When the bully does not stop even after reporting through the right channels, the victims
should utilize the utilities provided the service providers by the way of blocking the people
harassing you, having strong security in their accounts and report the harassment
immediately noticed to the service provider such that it's taken down quickly.
And also
 Think about what you post.
 Think about who sees what you post online.
 Never share your passwords.
 Cease communication when it escalates or gets ugly.
 Know that your feelings are valid.
5. How should compassion play a role in judging other’s actions?

 Offer your full attention to someone

“Attention is the rarest and purist form of generosity,” said French philosopher and social
activist Simone Weil. Tasks, to-do lists, and texts can easily distract us from giving a
person our full attention. Today, try being completely present with someone and notice
what happens.

 Express sincere gratitude to a friend

Do your friends and loved ones know how much you appreciate them? Bring a smile to
someone’s face by sending a message or placing a phone call to say “thank you.”

 Take a photo of something beautiful, and text it to someone in your life

Sometimes a simple text is all it takes to brighten the day of someone you love.

 Detach from technology for one hour and look for opportunities to be helpful
Put your phone on airplane mode, move away from your computer, and take a walk or
grab a bite. Open your eyes to your surroundings and notice what happens. Perhaps you
can open the door for someone whose hands are full, help carry groceries, or purchase a
cup of coffee for someone who looks sad.

 Arm yourself with a $5 bill in your pocket

Travel through your day seeking ways to spread compassion with cash. Buy coffee for
someone who seems sad, get a sandwich for someone who seems hungry, purchase a
flower for a loved one (or a stranger)!

 Offer someone the benefit of the doubt

Someone may be late for an appointment today. Your boss might be short with you. Your
spouse might be ignoring you. Remember that we all make mistakes and might have
other reasons for unskilled behavior.

 Bring back snail mail and send a letter of encouragement

Remember stamps? Send a hand-written note to a friend who could use a pick-me-up. It’s
a small investment of time that provides big dividends because your friend can revisit the
card whenever she is feeling down.

 Greet a stranger with a smile and kind word

Compassion should not just be reserved for people you know. You can brighten the days
of others by looking them in the eyes and smiling. This simple act can help you feel more
connected to your community.
 Practice compassionate listening
When you’re with a friend or family member, listen without responding, judging, or
giving advice. Most of us simply want to be heard, and it is a gift when someone truly
listens with an open heart.

 Practice self-compassion and tend to your OWN suffering

We can’t offer compassion to others effectively if we don’t have compassion for
ourselves. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and notice if you feel tension
anywhere. Imagine breathing warm compassion to your places of tension. Place your
hand on your heart and soothe yourself by saying, “May I find peace.”

 Have compassion for our planet

Increase awareness of your surroundings and seek out opportunities to have compassion
for the Earth. You can pick up trash you see on the sidewalk, turn off lights you don’t
need, and shut off the faucet while you brush your teeth.

 Compliment a colleague or loved one

Research indicates that employees need an ideal praise-to-criticism ratio of 3:1 to be most
effective, and healthy relationships have a 5:1 ratio of positive-to-negative interactions.
You can improve your work and home atmosphere, and your kind word might make
someone’s day!

 Set an intention to treat everyone with kindness today

This might not be easy, but it’s worth trying. Try to bring mindfulness to your words, and
refrain from saying anything negative for an entire day. If you slip, you can re-start. Your
kind intention is key.

 Meet your neighbors!

Garage doors and busy lives can separate us from our neighbors. Seek out a neighbor
who you don’t know and introduce yourself. You never know when you might need a cup
of sugar.

 Drive with patience (and reduce road rage)

Try exercising patience with your fellow drivers and imagine that they, too, are trying to
get to work on time or home to their loved ones. Your relaxed, post-commute state of
mind might impact your entire day.
6. How are factors like age and gender used to “excuse” unethical behavior? (ie. “Boys will
be boys” or “She’s too young/old to understand what she did is wrong”) Can you think of
any other factors that are sometimes used to excuse unethical behavior?

People would probably say that they did not realize that their behavior was unethical. Sometimes
the border between ethic and unethical is thin, and people might not know...
Sometimes, people claim that they were just following the order (authority) and they couldn't
refuse to do actions that were unethical (milligram experience, or what happen in Germany
during ww2, for instance) Some other people have unethical behavior since it not illegal. For
instance, in a country where child labor is not illegal, some company might use child labor even
if it is unethical.

Some people do not just do something wrong in a weak moment though they say that they did
because of this limitation or because they are not sure about what is the right thing to do.  I guess
most of the time some people know exactly what they are doing and why. Self-interest, personal 
gain, ambition, and downright greed are at the bottom of a lot of  unethical activity.
As I have observed pressure  can drive people to do things they wouldn’t normally do and they
also try to justify with this term. PRESSURE. Pressure to  succeed, pressure to get ahead,
pressure to meet deadlines and  expectations, pressure from co-workers, bosses, customers, or
vendors to  engage in unethical activities or at least look the other way.
There are  those who simply never learned or do not care about ethical values and they justify
themselves with simple ignorance.  Since they have no personal ethical values, they do not have
any basis for understanding or applying ethical standards. These people do not think about right
and wrong. They only think, "What’s in it for me?" and "Can I get away with it?"

1. Everybody does it (we’ve always done it this way).

o Ethics is about the way things should be not about the way things are.
2. Who am I to judge?
o If you cannot distinguish the difference from what is morally acceptable and what
is not, then there is no difference between Mother Teresa and Adolph Hitler. You
must be aware of when conduct violates core ethical values.
3. I’m not so bad so long as others are worse.
o Your moral obligations are a matter of personal integrity and character. There is
no exemption because other people may behavior in a worse manner than you do.
If you lie to a liar, you’re still a liar. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
4. It’s not my job.
o Yes, it is! All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do
nothing. If not you, then who?
5. Nobody was hurt.
o The people who play by the rules are always hurt and disadvantaged by those who
don’t. You are always hurt when you sacrifice your integrity and character.
6. I’m only human (I’m not perfect / I’m basically honest / I hardly ever lie / Just this once)
o If you are lying, then you are a liar. You are, or should be, accountable for every
choice you make and every action that you take. Remember we tend to judge
 ourselves by our best intentions and most virtuous acts but we will be judged by
our last worst act.
7. It’s a stupid rule.
o Typically, if there is a rule, there is a reason. People often think that rules cost
them time or money or don’t let them do what they want. But would you want
people picking and choosing what they or should not do at work?

OTHER FACTORS USED TO EXCUSE UNETHICAL BEHAVIORS

 Pressure to succeed,
 Pressure to get ahead
 Pressure to meet deadlines and expectations,
 Pressure from co-workers, bosses, customers, or vendors to engage in unethical activities
or at least look the other way.

7. How is cyberbullying similar or different from face--‐to--‐face bullying?

a) how they are similar
i. In both cases of bullying, the bully uses threatening or mean acts of aggression designed to
cause harm towards someone else.
ii. The effects if either type of bullying is similar. For example, people who get picked on usually
experience depression, loneliness, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, and a loss of interest
in activities they used to enjoy.
iii. Face to face and Cyber bullying occur repeatedly. Bullying does not usually refer to a single
incident, it is an act that happens over and over again to the point where it has severe effects on
the victim.
iv. Face to face bullying and Cyber bullying have similar relationships when it comes to power
structure. This means that bullies will only pick on those who they think are weaker than they
are.

b) how they differ

i. Anonymity. In cyber bullying the internet actually protects the offender where his identity
maybe hidden while in Face to face bullying, the victims know who their aggressor was.
ii. Cyber bullying can happen anywhere, anytime as long as someone has access to the internet
while Face to face bullying, the bully and the victim have to be in the same location.
iii. Cyber bullying incidents can go viral. Online bullies expose their victims in front of the entire
virtual world while in face to face bullying takes place in front of a relatively small number of
witnesses.
iv. There is a lot less consequences in the online world. Solving a problem that happens online is
very difficult compared to a face to face problem since in the face to face bullying, victims are
likely to report to authorities so that the problem can be solved.
v. Cyber bullying can be dangerous and difficult to prevent right now unlike face to face bullying
where the victim can choose to isolate himself so that he avoids the bully.
vi. While both are emotionally and mentally damaging to victims, cyber-bullying has a longer
range and more damaging effect than face to face bullying.
Is one more harmful than the other?
Yes
Why? Cyber bullying causes individuals more great distress since it covers a larger audience
than face to face bullying.

8. Do you know anyone who has been the victim of cyberbullying?

The President of the republic of Uganda – H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who was cyberbullied
by Dr. Stella Nyanzi

What types of harm did this person experience?

i. Felt overwhelmed. Sometimes the stress of dealing with cyber bullying can cause
someone to feel like the situation is more than they can handle.
ii. Feel humiliated and exposed. When cyber bullying occurs, the nasty posts or
messages can be shared with multitudes of people and the sheer volume of people that
know about the post can lead to humiliation.
iii. Feel dissatisfied with who they are. The victims of cyber bullying often doubt their
worth and value and often respond to these feelings by harming themselves.
iv. Feel angry and vengeful. Sometime victims of cyber bullying get angry about what
is happening to them and as a result, they plot revenge and engage in retaliation.
 v. Feel anxious and depressed. Victims of cyber bullying often succumb to anxiety,
depression and other stress-related conditions. This is because cyber bullying erodes
their self-confidence and self-esteem.

Reference:

https://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/cyber-bullying.html

https://www.purposefulhabits.com/protect-yourself-from-cyberbullying/

www.softpower.ug › tumwebaze-says-govt-wont-police-social-media-.