Bullying that occurs via digital devices, such as computers, tablets, and cell phones, is known as cyberbullying. Cyberbullying may happen online via social media, forums, or games where users can read, interact with, or share material, as well as through SMS, text messages, and applications. Sending, publishing, or disseminating hurtful, malicious, or deceptive material about another person is known as cyberbullying. It may involve disclosing someone else's private or sensitive information, which might be embarrassing or degrading. Cyberbullying sometimes veers into illegal or criminal activity.
Social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, texting and messaging applications on smartphone and tablets, instant messaging, direct messaging, online chat, online forums, chat rooms, online gaming groups, etc. are the most frequent locations for cyberbullying.
Types of Cyberbullying
The 19th annual World Day of Bullying Prevention will take place on October 6, 2025. It is definitely worth the time and effort to concentrate on strengthening anti-bullying measures, whether you do so for a day or for a whole month. We are aware that bullying can impair kids' academic performance and cause them to experience anxiety and sadness. It is also commonly known that cyberbullying increases the chance of suicide.
Compared to conventional bullying, cyberbullying is far more difficult to identify since it occurs online and on personal devices. Knowing the different forms of cyberbullying will help you avoid it.
1. Social Exclusion
The deliberate isolation of someone is known as social exclusion. A youngster may be conspicuously left out of message threads or chats involving common peers, or excluded from a gathering or party that "everyone" is discussing or attending.
2. Harassment
Bullying and cyberbullying are both included in the wide category of harassment. There is a distinction between bullying and harassment, according to the PACER Center, which serves children and young adults with disabilities and runs the National Bullying Prevention Center. While bullying include acts that cause physical or emotional injury to another person, bullying conduct is classified as harassment when the victim belongs to a protected class, such as those based on race, religion, sex, handicap, or other characteristics.
3. Outing or Doxing
The act of disclosing private or sensitive information about someone without that person's consent in order to hurt or embarrass them is called outing, or doxing. When it comes to cyberbullying, doxing might include releasing someone's private correspondence publicly, such in an online chat room, or revealing private images of them without their consent.
4. Trickery
With a dash of deceit, trickery is comparable to exposure. The bully will make friends with their victim in these circumstances, giving them a false sense of security. Once the bully has earned the target's confidence, they take advantage of it by dishonestly disclosing the victim's personal information and secrets to third parties.
5. Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking is defined by the Cyberbullying Research Center as the use of technology, usually the internet, to instill fear or anxiety in another person. Cyberstalking, a particularly severe and possibly damaging type of cyberbullying, is a federal offense that carries severe penalties and jail time. Cyberstalking examples include:
- Using social media, email, instant messaging, or SMS to make threats
- Monitoring someone's online activities and movements
- Posting derogatory or threatening remarks about someone on social media
- Using private images or information to request sexual favors (also known as sextortion)
Additionally, Fraping, Masquerading, Dissing, Trolling, Roasting and Flaming are some other common types of cyberbullying.
Current Legal Framework in India
There are no specific laws addressing cyberbullying, despite the fact that its prevalence is rising daily in India. Nonetheless, the next section discusses the provisions of the BNS and the Information Technology Act 2000 that address the penalties associated with cyberbullying.
Information Technology Act, 2000 – Section 66 A
The penalties for sending abusive or damaging emails or communications via the internet or another platform are covered in this section. These messages are intended to irritate, hurt, and inconvenience the recipient. Additionally, sharing material that one thinks to be untrue is criminal under the clause.
If the message delivered was deemed to be extremely insulting, the punishment under this clause is three years in jail. But in 2015, the Apex Court ruled in the Shreya Singhal case that this clause violated the right to free expression and was thus unconstitutional.
Information Technology Act, 2000 – Section 66 C
This clause addresses the penalties for dishonestly or fraudulently utilizing someone else's password, electronic signature, or any other form of identity. According to this clause, identity theft carries a maximum sentence of three years in jail or a fine of one lakh rupees.
Information Technology Act, 2000 – Sec 66 D
This clause penalizes anybody who uses social media or any other communication technology to defraud by impersonating someone else. It indicates that dishonestly posing as someone else usually results in punishment.
Information Technology Act, 2000 – Section 67
According to this clause, it would be illegal to print or distribute any pornographic material if it encourages corrupt individuals to read, hear, or view the content. It indicates that such content makes one think lustfully. A person who violates section 67 faces a maximum sentence of three years in jail and a fee of five lakh rupees. If they are convicted again, they might face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of ten lakh rupees.
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita , 1860 – Section 292 A
This section addresses publishing anything that is blatantly offensive or meant to be used as blackmail. It also covers printing, selling, or distributing any written or printed material that is offensive or meant to be used as blackmail. This clause makes it illegal to engage in or benefit from any activity that would be morally detrimental, such as the sale, import, export, printing, etc., of such items or the promotion of them.
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita , 1860 – Section 354 C
Voyeurism is covered in this section. According to this clause, it would be illegal for a male to take pictures of a woman doing a private act in which she presumes privacy or to share those pictures with a third party. This clause exclusively applies to men, making it gender specific. This clause exempts women from punishment. He faces a minimum sentence of one year in jail and a maximum sentence of three years, along with a fine, for his first conviction. A second conviction results in a minimum sentence of three years in jail, which can be increased to seven years with a fine.
Apart from the above, there are few other legal frameworks against cyber bullying in India such as Section 499, 507, and 509 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 1860,
Impact of Cyberbullying in India
Cyberbullying and other forms of bullying may have detrimental effects on communities, organizations, and people.
A person's emotional and physical health may suffer as a result of cyberbullying. Victims may feel frightened and suffer from severe social isolation. It can result in bodily and mental injury, low self-esteem, anxiety and humiliation, difficulty focusing, and learning challenges. There have also been cases of young person's killing themselves.
When someone bullies others, it can lead to further criminal or antisocial behavior as well as maltreatment in other settings.
Whether at a school, workplace, or sports club, cyberbullying is likely to create challenging and harmful conditions. It is the duty of the organizations where bullying takes place to deal with and stop bullying. In addition to the serious harm that cyberbullying can cause, failure to handle bullying occurrences may put organizations at danger of receiving compensation claims.
Conclusion
Cyberbullying is no longer a peripheral concern but a serious threat that endangers mental health, privacy, and overall societal well-being. Despite its growing prevalence, India still lacks a comprehensive law that specifically addresses cyberbullying in all its forms. The scattered provisions under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, though useful, are not sufficient to deal with the complex and evolving nature of online abuse. With the increasing reliance on digital platforms, urgent legal reform is essential—laws must not only criminalize cyberbullying explicitly but also provide preventive, educational, and rehabilitative mechanisms. Alongside legal measures, awareness campaigns, digital literacy programs, and strict accountability for social media platforms are equally important. To truly protect vulnerable individuals, especially children and young adults, India must act decisively to frame robust, clear, and victim-centric cyberbullying laws that can safeguard the digital space as a safe environment for all.