Cyberbullying is a modern problem that a lot of adults find foreign. It seems like something distant and fairly unthreatening to individuals who have spent a long time away from the strange social interactions of high school hallways. But cyberbullying can be a much more serious issue with major ramifications, regardless of the age of those involved, possibly falling into the legal realm of defamation.
A Major Problem
Cyberbullying is a strange, sometimes horrifying, part of the internet realm. We most often see cyberbullying in the news because of its effect on kids in school. Everyone is probably familiar with some of the horrible stories that have come from news stations all over the world about kids who were harassed and bullied online. Some of those stories end in tragedy, trauma, and immense pain for those involved. But adults can be the victims and perpetrators of harassment and bullying in the virtual world, too.
A Recent Story
Recently, 6 ABC Action News ran a story about a group of people who claim to be the victim of “trolling”, a common term for cyberbullying and internet harassment. These individuals – who live all over the world, from the UK to NYC – claim that a New Jersey woman has harassed them online, even going as far as to have the police respond to false threats at their homes. This story goes to show that this type of behavior is not limited to schools and that cyberbullying can cause major problems for adults. 6 ABC even reached out to Bochetto & Lentz Defamation Attorney, David Heim, to discuss what people can do if they’re harassed online. You can find that video HERE.
Legal Action
“Trolling” and similar online harassment can lead to major problems, including defamation. Defamation results in the damaging of your reputation. For it to have taken place, someone aside from yourself must have heard or read false claims, published by someone else, that are clearly hurtful to your reputation and cause injury, even a social injury. If you’ve been the victim of internet harassment that has led to the tarnishing of your reputation and injury to your social standing or business, our experienced defamation attorneys can help you get justice. Contact us today!
