This article first appeared in Forum, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on April 24, 2023 - April 30, 2023

Cyberbullying is a common form of harassment among young people that needs to be addressed as it can have dire consequences for their relationships, education and mental health.

Nowadays, people are using social media from an early age. While many young people do benefit from the validation that comes from using social media, others often bear the burden of unpleasant encounters on the platforms.

To allow people to enjoy the benefits of the developments and improvements made possible by the online environment, effective user protection is therefore crucial.

In order to provide users with a safe online environment, Malaysia has introduced regulations such as Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which covers the misuse of community facilities. However, such regulations alone are insufficient to protect users from threats like cyberbullying.

Many internet users might find it hard to identify cyberbullying or may not even be aware of the legal measures available to curb it. They may also lack knowledge of self-defence measures that can protect them from becoming victims.

To raise public awareness of the legal remedies for cyberbullying, it is essential to have specifically designed laws that deal with the problem.

Continuous cyberbullying can be curbed with the help of a strong legal system and tough enforcement.

In addition to regulations, values that promote social harmony must be instilled in social media users so that they are mindful of the ethical standards that must be respected in order to stop cyberbullying.

Strategies include increasing public awareness and promoting civic-mindedness through education on the forms of online behaviour that are acceptable and those that are not. Programmes that promote these goals can be implemented with the aid of government agencies, non-governmental organisations, the education sector and the corporate sector. Cyberbullying in Malaysia can also be eliminated with the cooperation of the local community.

Although it is difficult, we believe that our legislators and officials can make this a reality. Having effective anti-cyberbullying regulations can shield victims and internet users generally while also punishing offenders as necessary.

Lim Ker Xin is a student at the Faculty of Business and Communication, Universiti Malaysia Perlis

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