Cyberbullying (harassment on the internet)

Cyberbullying takes place via the internet (on a social network, a multiplayer video game, a blog, etc.). These may be publications on a online platform public (for example, a forum) or private exchanges (for example, on the private messaging of a social network).

The cyberbullying may take several forms:

• One psychological harassment on the internet which consists in intimidating and humiliating the victim by insulting messages, mockery, threats, etc.
• One school bullying on the internet when a pupil is humiliated, bullied or is the subject of rumors by a student or teacher in the school. For example, it could be the publication of discriminatory remarks on a student's « Instagram » account.
• One sexual harassment on the internet which manifests itself by sending the victim messages, photographs, videos or video montages to sexual connotation or sexist. These may include sexual photos of the victim, pornographic videos showing strangers, etc.

Cyberbullying always requires a repetition facts (for example, a person posts insult messages on the victim's « Facebook » wall daily).

So that this offense be retained, the acts committed must also have:

• Caused a deterioration in the victim's living conditions
• Or violated the dignity of the victim
• Or creates a situation that is intimidating, hostile or offensive to the victim.

This offense may be committed by:

• One person, who acts repeatedly
• Or by a group of people, without each of them having acted repeatedly.

The victim of cyberbullying must collect as much evidence as possible of these facts. These may include:

• Screenshots (for example, images sent by private message)
• Copying emails
• Audio or video recordings
• Of a attestation of witnesses (with their full identity)
• A medical certificate
• Of a handrail previously filed against the harasser.

In any case, the victim must be as precise as possible: all these documents must be dated.

This evidence is essential to carry out a reporting or if the victim wishes to testify complaint. They will be taken into account by the competent services, even if the cyberharassment took place for several years.

Any person of age or age, victim or witness, can report cyberharassment to law enforcement.

Reporting arrangements differ depending on the age of the person who wishes to report:

The hosting providers must offer internet users mechanisms to report content published on a site or a website. online platformwhen they consider it to be illicit.

These mechanisms must be easily accessible to anyone who wishes to report illegal data. It must be able to issue an alert by electronic means.

Social networks (Twitter, Facebook,Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, etc.) have developed reporting systems that allow for accurate explanation of the situation and reporting of illegal content.

In the case of independent websites (e.g. the website of a company), the person who wishes to make a report must search for the host's contact details (e.g. email address).

The alert shall contain the following information:

• Description of the content illicit
• Content localization (for example, URL address)
• Contact details of the notifier (surname, first name, email address, etc.)
• Declaration of good faith.

If a person reports content as illegal, knowing that it is not, he or she faces a sentence of one year in prison and €15,000 of fine.