Republic Act No.

10175
September 12, 2012

S. No. 2796
H. No. 5808
Republic of the Philippines
Congress of the Philippines
Metro Manila
Fifteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday the Twenty-fifth day of July
two thousand eleven.
[ Republic Act No. 10175 ]
AN ACT DEFINING CYBERCRIME, PROVIDING FOR THE
PREVENTION, INVESTIGATION, SUPPRESSION AND THE
IMPOSITION OF PENALTIES THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
SECTION 1. Title. This Act shall be known as the Cybercrime Prevention
Act of 2012.
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. The State recognizes the vital role of
information and communications industries such as content production,
telecommunications, broadcasting electronic commerce, and data
processing, in the nations overall social and economic development. The
State also recognizes the importance of providing an environment
conducive to the development, acceleration, and rational application and
exploitation of information and communications technology (ICT) to attain
free, easy, and intelligible access to exchange and/or delivery of
information; and the need to protect and safeguard the integrity of
computer, computer and communications systems, networks, and
databases, and the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information
and data stored therein, from all forms of misuse, abuse, and illegal
access by making punishable under the law such conduct or conducts. In
this light, the State shall adopt sufficient powers to effectively prevent and
combat such offenses by facilitating their detection, investigation, and
prosecution at both the domestic and international levels, and by
providing arrangements for fast and reliable international cooperation.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act, the following terms
are hereby defined as follows:
(a) Access refers to the instruction, communication with, storing data in,
retrieving data from, or otherwise making use of any resources of a
computer system or communication network.
(b) Alteration refers to the modification or change, in form or substance, of
an existing computer data or program.
(c) Communication refers to the transmission of information through ICT
media, including voice, video and other forms of data.
(d) Computer refers to an electronic, magnetic, optical, electrochemical, or
other data processing or communications device, or grouping of such
devices, capable of performing logical, arithmetic, routing, or storage
functions and which includes any storage facility or equipment or
communications facility or equipment directly related to or operating in
conjunction with such device. It covers any type of computer device
including devices with data processing capabilities like mobile phones,
smart phones, computer networks and other devices connected to the
internet.
(e) Computer data refers to any representation of facts, information, or
concepts in a form suitable for processing in a computer system including
a program suitable to cause a computer system to perform a function and
includes electronic documents and/or electronic data messages whether
stored in local computer systems or online.
(f) Computer program refers to a set of instructions executed by the
computer to achieve intended results.
(g) Computer system refers to any device or group of interconnected or
related devices, one or more of which, pursuant to a program, performs
automated processing of data. It covers any type of device with data
processing capabilities including, but not limited to, computers and mobile
phones. The device consisting of hardware and software may include
input, output and storage components which may stand alone or be
connected in a network or other similar devices. It also includes computer
data storage devices or media.
(h) Without right refers to either: (i) conduct undertaken without or in
excess of authority; or (ii) conduct not covered by established legal
defenses, excuses, court orders, justifications, or relevant principles under
the law.
(i) Cyber refers to a computer or a computer network, the electronic
medium in which online communication takes place.

(j) Critical infrastructure refers to the computer systems, and/or networks,

whether physical or virtual, and/or the computer programs, computer data
and/or traffic data so vital to this country that the incapacity or
destruction of or interference with such system and assets would have a
debilitating impact on security, national or economic security, national
public health and safety, or any combination of those matters.
(k) Cybersecurity refers to the collection of tools, policies, risk
management approaches, actions, training, best practices, assurance and
technologies that can be used to protect the cyber environment and
organization and users assets.
(l) Database refers to a representation of information, knowledge, facts,
concepts, or instructions which are being prepared, processed or stored or
have been prepared, processed or stored in a formalized manner and
which are intended for use in a computer system.
(m) Interception refers to listening to, recording, monitoring or
surveillance of the content of communications, including procuring of the
content of data, either directly, through access and use of a computer
system or indirectly, through the use of electronic eavesdropping or
tapping devices, at the same time that the communication is occurring.
(n) Service provider refers to:
(1) Any public or private entity that provides to users of its service the
ability to communicate by means of a computer system; and
(2) Any other entity that processes or stores computer data on behalf of
such communication service or users of such service.
(o) Subscribers information refers to any information contained in the
form of computer data or any other form that is held by a service provider,
relating to subscribers of its services other than traffic or content data and
by which identity can be established:
(1) The type of communication service used, the technical provisions
taken thereto and the period of service;
(2) The subscribers identity, postal or geographic address, telephone and
other access numbers, any assigned network address, billing and payment
information, available on the basis of the service agreement or
arrangement; and
(3) Any other available information on the site of the installation of
communication equipment, available on the basis of the service
agreement or arrangement.

(p) Traffic data or non-content data refers to any computer data other
than the content of the communication including, but not limited to, the
communications origin, destination, route, time, date, size, duration, or
type of underlying service.
CHAPTER II
PUNISHABLE ACTS
SEC. 4. Cybercrime Offenses. The following acts constitute the offense
of cybercrime punishable under this Act:
(a) Offenses against the confidentiality, integrity and availability of
computer data and systems:
(1) Illegal Access. The access to the whole or any part of a computer
system without right.
(2) Illegal Interception. The interception made by technical means
without right of any non-public transmission of computer data to, from, or
within a computer system including electromagnetic emissions from a
computer system carrying such computer data.
(3) Data Interference. The intentional or reckless alteration, damaging,
deletion or deterioration of computer data, electronic document, or
electronic data message, without right, including the introduction or
transmission of viruses.
(4) System Interference. The intentional alteration or reckless hindering
or interference with the functioning of a computer or computer network by
inputting, transmitting, damaging, deleting, deteriorating, altering or
suppressing computer data or program, electronic document, or electronic
data message, without right or authority, including the introduction or
transmission of viruses.
(5) Misuse of Devices.
(i) The use, production, sale, procurement, importation, distribution, or
otherwise making available, without right, of:
(aa) A device, including a computer program, designed or adapted
primarily for the purpose of committing any of the offenses under this Act;
or
(bb) A computer password, access code, or similar data by which the
whole or any part of a computer system is capable of being accessed with
intent that it be used for the purpose of committing any of the offenses
under this Act.

(ii) The possession of an item referred to in paragraphs 5(i)(aa) or (bb)

above with intent to use said devices for the purpose of committing any of
the offenses under this section.
(6) Cyber-squatting. The acquisition of a domain name over the internet
in bad faith to profit, mislead, destroy reputation, and deprive others from
registering the same, if such a domain name is:
(i) Similar, identical, or confusingly similar to an existing trademark
registered with the appropriate government agency at the time of the
domain name registration:
(ii) Identical or in any way similar with the name of a person other than
the registrant, in case of a personal name; and
(iii) Acquired without right or with intellectual property interests in it.
(b) Computer-related Offenses:
(1) Computer-related Forgery.
(i) The input, alteration, or deletion of any computer data without right
resulting in inauthentic data with the intent that it be considered or acted
upon for legal purposes as if it were authentic, regardless whether or not
the data is directly readable and intelligible; or
(ii) The act of knowingly using computer data which is the product of
computer-related forgery as defined herein, for the purpose of
perpetuating a fraudulent or dishonest design.
(2) Computer-related Fraud. The unauthorized input, alteration, or
deletion of computer data or program or interference in the functioning of
a computer system, causing damage thereby with fraudulent
intent: Provided, That if no
damage has yet been caused, the penalty imposable shall be one (1)
degree lower.
(3) Computer-related Identity Theft. The intentional acquisition, use,
misuse, transfer, possession, alteration or deletion of identifying
information belonging to another, whether natural or juridical, without
right: Provided, That if no damage has yet been caused, the penalty
imposable shall be one (1) degree lower.
(c) Content-related Offenses:
(1) Cybersex. The willful engagement, maintenance, control, or
operation, directly or indirectly, of any lascivious exhibition of sexual

organs or sexual activity, with the aid of a computer system, for favor or
consideration.
(2) Child Pornography. The unlawful or prohibited acts defined and
punishable by Republic Act No. 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of
2009, committed through a computer system: Provided, That the penalty
to be imposed shall be (1) one degree higher than that provided for in
Republic Act No. 9775.
(3) Unsolicited Commercial Communications. The transmission of
commercial electronic communication with the use of computer system
which seek to advertise, sell, or offer for sale products and services are
prohibited unless:
(i) There is prior affirmative consent from the recipient; or
(ii) The primary intent of the communication is for service and/or
administrative announcements from the sender to its existing users,
subscribers or customers; or
(iii) The following conditions are present:
(aa) The commercial electronic communication contains a simple, valid,
and reliable way for the recipient to reject. receipt of further commercial
electronic messages (opt-out) from the same source;
(bb) The commercial electronic communication does not purposely
disguise the source of the electronic message; and
(cc) The commercial electronic communication does not purposely include
misleading information in any part of the message in order to induce the
recipients to read the message.
(4) Libel. The unlawful or prohibited acts of libel as defined in Article
355 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, committed through a
computer system or any other similar means which may be devised in the
future.
SEC. 5. Other Offenses. The following acts shall also constitute an
offense:
(a) Aiding or Abetting in the Commission of Cybercrime. Any person who
willfully abets or aids in the commission of any of the offenses
enumerated in this Act shall be held liable.
(b) Attempt in the Commission of Cybercrime. Any person who willfully
attempts to commit any of the offenses enumerated in this Act shall be
held liable.

SEC. 6. All crimes defined and penalized by the Revised Penal Code, as
amended, and special laws, if committed by, through and with the use of
information and communications technologies shall be covered by the
relevant provisions of this Act: Provided, That the penalty to be imposed
shall be one (1) degree higher than that provided for by the Revised Penal
Code, as amended, and special laws, as the case may be.
SEC. 7. Liability under Other Laws. A prosecution under this Act shall be
without prejudice to any liability for violation of any provision of the
Revised Penal Code, as amended, or special laws.
CHAPTER III
PENALTIES
SEC. 8. Penalties. Any person found guilty of any of the punishable acts
enumerated in Sections 4(a) and 4(b) of this Act shall be punished with
imprisonment of prision mayor or a fine of at least Two hundred thousand
pesos (PhP200,000.00) up to a maximum amount commensurate to the
damage incurred or both.
Any person found guilty of the punishable act under Section 4(a)(5) shall
be punished with imprisonment of prision mayor or a fine of not more than
Five hundred thousand pesos (PhP500,000.00) or both.
If punishable acts in Section 4(a) are committed against critical
infrastructure, the penalty of reclusion temporal or a fine of at least Five
hundred thousand pesos (PhP500,000.00) up to maximum amount
commensurate to the damage incurred or both, shall be imposed.
Any person found guilty of any of the punishable acts enumerated in
Section 4(c)(1) of this Act shall be punished with imprisonment of prision
mayor or a fine of at least Two hundred thousand pesos (PhP200,000.00)
but not exceeding One million pesos (PhP1,000,000.00) or both.
Any person found guilty of any of the punishable acts enumerated in
Section 4(c)(2) of this Act shall be punished with the penalties as
enumerated in Republic Act No. 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of
2009: Provided, That the penalty to be imposed shall be one (1) degree
higher than that provided for in Republic Act No. 9775, if committed
through a computer system.
Any person found guilty of any of the punishable acts enumerated in
Section 4(c)(3) shall be punished with imprisonment of arresto mayor or a
fine of at least Fifty thousand pesos (PhP50,000.00) but not exceeding Two
hundred fifty thousand pesos (PhP250,000.00) or both.
Any person found guilty of any of the punishable acts enumerated in
Section 5 shall be punished with imprisonment one (1) degree lower than
that of the prescribed penalty for the offense or a fine of at least One

hundred thousand pesos (PhP100,000.00) but not exceeding Five hundred

thousand pesos (PhP500,000.00) or both.
SEC. 9. Corporate Liability. When any of the punishable acts herein
defined are knowingly committed on behalf of or for the benefit of a
juridical person, by a natural person acting either individually or as part of
an organ of the juridical person, who has a leading position within, based
on: (a) a power of representation of the juridical person provided the act
committed falls within the scope of such authority; (b) an authority to take
decisions on behalf of the juridical person: Provided, That the act
committed falls within the scope of such authority; or (c) an authority to
exercise control within the juridical person, the juridical person shall be
held liable for a fine equivalent to at least double the fines imposable in
Section 7 up to a maximum of Ten million pesos (PhP10,000,000.00).
If the commission of any of the punishable acts herein defined was made
possible due to the lack of supervision or control by a natural person
referred to and described in the preceding paragraph, for the benefit of
that juridical person by a natural person acting under its authority, the
juridical person shall be held liable for a fine equivalent to at least double
the fines imposable in Section 7 up to a maximum of Five million pesos
(PhP5,000,000.00).
The liability imposed on the juridical person shall be without prejudice to
the criminal liability of the natural person who has committed the offense.
CHAPTER IV
ENFORCEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
SEC. 10. Law Enforcement Authorities. The National Bureau of
Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) shall be
responsible for the efficient and effective law enforcement of the
provisions of this Act. The NBI and the PNP shall organize a cybercrime
unit or center manned by special investigators to exclusively handle cases
involving violations of this Act.
SEC. 11. Duties of Law Enforcement Authorities. To ensure that the
technical nature of cybercrime and its prevention is given focus and
considering the procedures involved for international cooperation, law
enforcement authorities specifically the computer or technology crime
divisions or units responsible for the investigation of cybercrimes are
required to submit timely and regular reports including pre-operation,
post-operation and investigation results and such other documents as
may be required to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for review and
monitoring.
SEC. 12. Real-Time Collection of Traffic Data. Law enforcement
authorities, with due cause, shall be authorized to collect or record by

technical or electronic means traffic data in real-time associated with

specified communications transmitted by means of a computer system.
Traffic data refer only to the communications origin, destination, route,
time, date, size, duration, or type of underlying service, but not content,
nor identities.
All other data to be collected or seized or disclosed will require a court
warrant.
Service providers are required to cooperate and assist law enforcement
authorities in the collection or recording of the above-stated information.
The court warrant required under this section shall only be issued or
granted upon written application and the examination under oath or
affirmation of the applicant and the witnesses he may produce and the
showing: (1) that there are reasonable grounds to believe that any of the
crimes enumerated hereinabove has been committed, or is being
committed, or is about to be committed: (2) that there are reasonable
grounds to believe that evidence that will be obtained is essential to the
conviction of any person for, or to the solution of, or to the prevention of,
any such crimes; and (3) that there are no other means readily available
for obtaining such evidence.
SEC. 13. Preservation of Computer Data. The integrity of traffic data
and subscriber information relating to communication services provided
by a service provider shall be preserved for a minimum period of six (6)
months from the date of the transaction. Content data shall be similarly
preserved for six (6) months from the date of receipt of the order from law
enforcement authorities requiring its preservation.
Law enforcement authorities may order a one-time extension for another
six (6) months: Provided, That once computer data preserved, transmitted
or stored by a service provider is used as evidence in a case, the mere
furnishing to such service provider of the transmittal document to the
Office of the Prosecutor shall be deemed a notification to preserve the
computer data until the termination of the case.
The service provider ordered to preserve computer data shall keep
confidential the order and its compliance.
SEC. 14. Disclosure of Computer Data. Law enforcement authorities,
upon securing a court warrant, shall issue an order requiring any person
or service provider to disclose or submit subscribers information, traffic
data or relevant data in his/its possession or control within seventy-two
(72) hours from receipt of the order in relation to a valid complaint
officially docketed and assigned for investigation and the disclosure is
necessary and relevant for the purpose of investigation.

SEC. 15. Search, Seizure and Examination of Computer Data. Where a

search and seizure warrant is properly issued, the law enforcement
authorities shall likewise have the following powers and duties.
Within the time period specified in the warrant, to conduct interception, as
defined in this Act, and:
(a) To secure a computer system or a computer data storage medium;
(b) To make and retain a copy of those computer data secured;
(c) To maintain the integrity of the relevant stored computer data;
(d) To conduct forensic analysis or examination of the computer data
storage medium; and
(e) To render inaccessible or remove those computer data in the accessed
computer or computer and communications network.
Pursuant thereof, the law enforcement authorities may order any person
who has knowledge about the functioning of the computer system and the
measures to protect and preserve the computer data therein to provide,
as is reasonable, the necessary information, to enable the undertaking of
the search, seizure and examination.
Law enforcement authorities may request for an extension of time to
complete the examination of the computer data storage medium and to
make a return thereon but in no case for a period longer than thirty (30)
days from date of approval by the court.
SEC. 16. Custody of Computer Data. All computer data, including
content and traffic data, examined under a proper warrant shall, within
forty-eight (48) hours after the expiration of the period fixed therein, be
deposited with the court in a sealed package, and shall be accompanied
by an affidavit of the law enforcement authority executing it stating the
dates and times covered by the examination, and the law enforcement
authority who may access the deposit, among other relevant data. The
law enforcement authority shall also certify that no duplicates or copies of
the whole or any part thereof have been made, or if made, that all such
duplicates or copies are included in the package deposited with the court.
The package so deposited shall not be opened, or the recordings replayed,
or used in evidence, or then contents revealed, except upon order of the
court, which shall not be granted except upon motion, with due notice and
opportunity to be heard to the person or persons whose conversation or
communications have been recorded.
SEC. 17. Destruction of Computer Data. Upon expiration of the periods
as provided in Sections 13 and 15, service providers and law enforcement

authorities, as the case may be, shall immediately and completely destroy
the computer data subject of a preservation and examination.
SEC. 18. Exclusionary Rule. Any evidence procured without a valid
warrant or beyond the authority of the same shall be inadmissible for any
proceeding before any court or tribunal.
SEC. 19. Restricting or Blocking Access to Computer Data. When a
computer data is prima facie found to be in violation of the provisions of
this Act, the DOJ shall issue an order to restrict or block access to such
computer data.
SEC. 20. Noncompliance. Failure to comply with the provisions of
Chapter IV hereof specifically the orders from law enforcement authorities
shall be punished as a violation of Presidential Decree No. 1829 with
imprisonment of prision correctional in its maximum period or a fine of
One hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00) or both, for each and every
noncompliance with an order issued by law enforcement authorities.
CHAPTER V
JURISDICTION
SEC. 21. Jurisdiction. The Regional Trial Court shall have jurisdiction
over any violation of the provisions of this Act. including any violation
committed by a Filipino national regardless of the place of commission.
Jurisdiction shall lie if any of the elements was committed within the
Philippines or committed with the use of any computer system wholly or
partly situated in the country, or when by such commission any damage is
caused to a natural or juridical person who, at the time the offense was
committed, was in the Philippines.
There shall be designated special cybercrime courts manned by specially
trained judges to handle cybercrime cases.
CHAPTER VI
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Sec. 22. General Principles Relating to International Cooperation All
relevant international instruments on international cooperation in criminal
matters, arrangements agreed on the basis of uniform or reciprocal
legislation, and domestic laws, to the widest extent possible for the
purposes of investigations or proceedings concerning criminal offenses
related to computer systems and data, or for the collection of evidence in
electronic form of a criminal, offense shall be given full force and effect.
CHAPTER VII
COMPETENT AUTHORITIES

SEC 23. Department of Justice (DOJ). There is hereby created an Office

of Cybercrime within the DOJ designated as the central authority in all
matters related to international mutual assistance and extradition.
SEC. 24. Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center. There is
hereby created, within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act, an
inter-agency body to be known as the Cybercrime Investigation and
Coordinating Center (CICC), under the administrative supervision of the
Office of the President, for policy coordination among concerned agencies
and for the formulation and enforcement of the national cybersecurity
plan.
SEC. 25. Composition. The CICC shall be headed by the Executive
Director of the Information and Communications Technology Office under
the Department of Science and Technology (ICTO-DOST) as Chairperson
with the Director of the NBI as Vice Chairperson; the Chief of the PNP;
Head of the DOJ Office of Cybercrime; and one (1) representative from the
private sector and academe, as members. The CICC shall be manned by a
secretariat of selected existing personnel and representatives from the
different participating agencies.
SEC. 26. Powers and Functions. The CICC shall have the following
powers and functions:
(a) To formulate a national cybersecurity plan and extend immediate
assistance for the suppression of real-time commission of cybercrime
offenses through a computer emergency response team (CERT);
(b) To coordinate the preparation of appropriate and effective measures to
prevent and suppress cybercrime activities as provided for in this Act;
(c) To monitor cybercrime cases being bandied by participating law
enforcement and prosecution agencies;
(d) To facilitate international cooperation on intelligence, investigations,
training and capacity building related to cybercrime prevention,
suppression and prosecution;
(e) To coordinate the support and participation of the business sector,
local government units and nongovernment organizations in cybercrime
prevention programs and other
related projects;
(f) To recommend the enactment of appropriate laws, issuances, measures
and policies;
(g) To call upon any government agency to render assistance in the
accomplishment of the CICCs mandated tasks and functions; and

(h) To perform all other matters related to cybercrime prevention and

suppression, including capacity building and such other functions and
duties as may be necessary for the proper implementation of this Act.
CHAPTER VIII
FINAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 27. Appropriations. The amount of Fifty million pesos
(PhP50,000,000.00) shall be appropriated annually for the implementation
of this Act.
SEC. 28. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The ICTO-DOST, the DOJ
and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall
jointly formulate the necessary rules and regulations within ninety (90)
days from approval of this Act, for its effective implementation.
SEC. 29. Separability Clause If any provision of this Act is held invalid,
the other provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.
SEC. 30. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees or rules inconsistent with
this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. Section 33(a) of
Republic Act No. 8792 or the Electronic Commerce Act is hereby
modified accordingly.
SEC. 31. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after the
completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2)
newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,

(Sgd.) FELICIANO BELMONTE JR.

Speaker of the House
of Representatives

(Sgd.) JUAN PONCE ENRILE

President of the Senate

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2796 and House Bill No.
5808 was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives
on June 5, 2012 and June 4, 2012, respectively.

(Sgd.) MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP

Secretary General
House of Representatives

(Sgd.) EMMA LIRIO-REYES

Secretary of the Senate

Approved: SEP 12 2012

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III
President of the Philippines

CYBERBULLYING

Bullies and mean girls have been around forever, but technology now gives them a whole new
platform for their actions. The old "sticks and stones" saying is no longer true both real-world
and online name-calling can have serious emotional consequences for our kids and teens.
It's not always easy to know how and when to step in as a parent. For starters, most kids use
technology differently than we do. They're playing games online and sending texts on their phones
at an early age, and most teens have devices that keep them constantly connected to the Internet.
Many are logged on to Facebook or Tumblr and chatting or texting all day. Even sending email or
leaving a voicemail can seem old-school to them. Their knowledge of the digital world can be
intimidating to parents.
But staying involved in kids' cyber world, just as in their real world, can help parents protect them
from its dangers. As awareness ofcyberbullying has grown, parents have learned more about
how to deal with it. Here are some suggestions on what to do if this modern type of bullying has
become part of your child's life.

What Is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person.
By definition, it occurs among young people. When an adult is involved, it may meet the definition
of cyber-harassment or cyberstalking, a crime that can have legal consequences and involve
jail time.
Sometimes cyberbullying can be easy to spot for example, if your child shows you a text, tweet,
or response to a status update on Facebook that is harsh, mean, or cruel. Other acts are less
obvious, like impersonating a victim online or posting personal information, photos, or videos
designed to hurt or embarrass another person. Some kids report that a fake account, webpage, or
online persona has been created with the sole intention to harass and bully.
Cyberbullying also can happen accidentally. The impersonal nature of text messages, IMs, and
emails make it very hard to detect the sender's tone one person's joke could be another's
hurtful insult. Nevertheless, a repeated pattern of emails, texts, and online posts is rarely
accidental.

Because many kids are reluctant to report being bullied, even to their parents, it's impossible to
know just how many are affected. But recent studies about cyberbullying rates have found that
about 1 in 4 teens have been the victims of cyberbullying, and about 1 in 6 admit to having
cyberbullied someone. In some studies, more than half of the teens surveyed said that
they've experienced abuse through social and digital media.

Effects of Cyberbullying
No longer limited to schoolyards or street corners, modern-day bullying can happen at home as
well as at school essentially 24 hours a day. Picked-on kids can feel like they're getting blasted
nonstop and that there is no escape. As long as kids have access to a phone, computer, or other
device (including tablets), they are at risk.
Severe, long-term, or frequent cyberbullying can leave both victims and bullies at greater risk for
anxiety, depression, and other stress-related disorders. In some rare but highly publicized cases,
some kids have turned to suicide. Experts say that kids who are bullied and the bullies
themselves are at a higher risk for suicidal thoughts, attempts, and completed suicides.
The punishment for cyberbullies can include being suspended from school or kicked off of sports
teams. Certain types of cyberbullying can be considered crimes.

Signs of Cyberbullying
Many kids and teens who are cyberbullied don't want to tell a teacher or parent, often because
they feel ashamed of the social stigma or fear that their computer privileges will be taken away at
home.
Signs of cyberbullying vary, but may include:

being emotionally upset during or after using the Internet or the phone

being very secretive or protective of one's digital life

withdrawal from family members, friends, and activities

avoiding school or group gatherings

slipping grades and "acting out" in anger at home

changes in mood, behavior, sleep, or appetite

wanting to stop using the computer or cellphone

being nervous or jumpy when getting an instant message, text, or email

avoiding discussions about computer or cellphone activities

How Parents Can Help

If you discover that your child is being cyberbullied, offer comfort and support. Talking about any
bullying experiences you had in your childhood might help your child feel less alone.
Let your child know that it's not his or her fault, and that bullying says more about the bully than
the victim. Praise your child for doing the right thing by talking to you about it. Remind your child
that he or she isn't alone a lot of people get bullied at some point. Reassure your child that you
will figure out what to do about it together.
Let someone at school (the principal, school nurse, or a counselor or teacher) know about the
situation.Many schools, school districts, and after-school clubs have protocols for responding to
cyberbullying; these vary by district and state. But before reporting the problem, let your child
know that you plan to do so, so that you can work out a plan that makes you both feel
comfortable.
Encourage your child not to respond to cyberbullying, because doing so just fuels the fire and
makes the situation worse. But do keep the threatening messages, pictures, and texts, as these
can be used as evidence with the bully's parents, school, employer, or even the police. You may
want to take, save, and print screenshots of these to have for the future.
Other measures to try:

Block the bully. Most devices have settings that allow you to electronically block emails,
IMs, or texts from specific people.

Limit access to technology. Although it's hurtful, many kids who are bullied can't resist
the temptation to check websites or phones to see if there are new messages. Keep the
computer in a public place in the house (no laptops in children's bedrooms, for example) and
put limits on the use of cellphones and games. Some companies allow you to turn off text
messaging services during certain hours. And most websites and smartphones include parental
control options that give parents access to their kids' messages and online life.

Know your kids' online world. Ask to "friend" or "follow" your child on social media
sites, but do not abuse this privilege by commenting or posting anything to your child's profile.
Check their postings and the sites kids visit, and be aware of how they spend their time online.
Talk to them about the importance of privacy and why it's a bad idea to share personal
information online, even with friends. Write up cellphone and social media contracts that you
are willing to enforce.

Learn about ways to keep your kids safe online. Encourage them to safeguard
passwords and to never post their address or whereabouts when out and about.

If your son or daughter agrees, you may also arrange for mediation with a therapist or counselor
at school who can work with your child and/or the bully.

When Your Child Is the Bully

Finding out that your kid is the one who is behaving badly can be upsetting and heartbreaking. It's
important to address the problem head on and not wait for it to go away.
Talk to your child firmly about his or her actions and explain the negative impact it has on others.
Joking and teasing might seem harmless to one person, but it can be hurtful to another. Bullying
in any form is unacceptable; there can be serious (and sometimes permanent) consequences at
home, school, and in the community if it continues.
Remind your child that the use of cellphones and computers is a privilege. Sometimes it helps to
restrict the use of these devices until behavior improves. If you feel your child should have a
cellphone for safety reasons, make sure it is a phone that can be used only for emergencies. Set
strict parental controls on all devices.
To get to the heart of the matter, talking to teachers, guidance counselors, and other school
officials can help identify situations that lead a kid to bully others. If your child has trouble
managing anger, talk to a therapist about helping your son or daughter learn to cope with anger,
hurt, frustration, and other strong emotions in a healthy way. Professional counseling also can help
improve kids' confidence and social skills, which in turn can reduce the risk of bullying.
And don't forget to set a good example yourself model good online habits to help your kids
understand the benefits and the dangers of life in the digital world.
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: June 2014

Canada arrests two in well-publicized teen cyber-bullying case

Reuters | August 8, 2013
By Peter N. Henderson Aug 8 (Reuters) - Canadian police arrested two men on Thursday in
the case of a teenage girl who died after a suicide attempt that followed months of cyber
bullying, including lewd photos of an alleged sexual assault that were posted online. The
April, 2013, death of Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old from Halifax, Nova Scotia, focused
international attention on the issue of bullying in the Internet era, where cellphone pictures
can easily circulate on Facebook and other social media sites.

Yik Yak app disabled in Chicago amid principals' worries

By Naheed Rajwani and Stacy St. Clair, Tribune reporters | March 7, 2014
In the years since learning that her daughter had been bullied on the Internet, Sandy Reeves
has made a point of following social media trends and tracking new apps where teens can

hurl insults at one another. She knows them all. Or at least she thought she did. The Hanover
Park mother was surprised Thursday to learn that several local schools sent letters warning
parents about the dangers of Yik Yak, a Twitter-like application that lets kids post
anonymous comments to users in a 5- or 10-mile radius.
NEWS

MySpace user faces charges in teen suicide

By FROM TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICES | May 16, 2008
A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a woman on charges she fraudulently used a
MySpace account to "cyber-bully" a Missouri teen who later hanged herself because she
believed she was being rejected by a 16-year-old boy she met on the social networking Web
site. Lori Drew, 49, of O'Fallon, Mo., faces three counts of accessing protected computers
without authorization to obtain information to inflict emotional distress on the girl and one
count of conspiracy. The case set off a furor when it was revealed that 13-year-old Megan
Meier was the victim of a hoax allegedly perpetrated by Drew, who is the mother of one of
the girl's former friends.
NEWS

Officials trying to stay ahead of the curve in dealing with cyberbullying

By Bonnie Miller Rubin, Chicago Tribune reporter | December 26, 2012
Everyone knows that cyberbullying can be nasty, but now people are acutely aware that it can
also be deadly. A flurry of high-profile teen suicides has shed light on how damaging online
harassment can be. And with increasing numbers of tweens owning smartphones and using
Facebook, officials are trying to stay ahead of the curve, with more innovative tools in the
arsenal than ever before. Lawmakers have responded with legislation that specifically takes
aim at teasing texts or digital rumor-mongering.
NEWS

Tennis-Weary Marino bids farewell to WTA and cyber-bullies

Reuters | February 20, 2013
By Steve Keating TORONTO, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Canada's Rebecca Marino, a rising star in
women's tennis, stepped away from the sport in search of a normal life on Wednesday, weary
of battling depression and cyber-bullies. Ranked number 38 in the world two years ago, the
22-year-old admitted she had long suffered from depression and was no longer willing to
make the sacrifices necessary to reach the top. "After thinking long and hard, I do not have
the passion or enjoyment to drive myself to the level I would like to be at in professional
tennis," Marino explained in a conference call.
NEWS

Cyber-bullying program bumped up

By Vikki Ortiz, Tribune Reporter | March 21, 2009
Oak Park River Forest High School officials are speeding up plans to offer workshops on
cyber-bullying and other technological misbehavior after a student recently created a list of
insults about 45 female classmates and e-mailed it to friends. "It's the perennial issue now.
Kids are always strategic and creative, and sometimes, unfortunately, unwisely misusing
[technology]," said Kay Foran, spokeswoman for the high school. The district's decision
comes a month after administrators disciplined a student who created a list of derogatory
comments about specific girls and distributed copies of it in the school's cafeteria and in
other public areas, as well as over e-mail.

Face the facts about Facebook bullying

March 3, 2010
Dear Amy: What's a parent to do when their child is being bullied relentlessly by peers on
Facebook? As a parent who monitors my kids' Facebook communications, I'm disgusted by
the ongoing profanity-filled sniping and attacks by individuals and groups alike. School
administrators say they have no control over what happens outside of school. Maybe not, but
Facebook repercussions are felt every day in the hallways, classrooms and lunchrooms at
school. We live in a small town, but no one seems to want to discuss this.
NEWS

Clean up your digital footprint

By Christina Antonopoulos, RedEye | December 14, 2007
Experts recommend being more cautious about what you post online. Once something is
written about you using your personal information, it can be a tedious task to go through
every site and request that the information be removed, said Justin Patchin of
cyberbullying.us. Companies exist that clean up your digital footprint, or personal
information about you on the Web. ReputationDefender is one of them. The first step is to
Google yourself. "You want to make sure you have a really keen awareness about what's
being said about you online," said Paul Pennelli of ReputationDefender.
NEWS

Are cellphones a must for middle school kids? Parents try to dial in when to get kids a
cellphone
By Alexa Aguilar, Special to the Tribune | August 8, 2012
With the start of middle school just around the corner, Alyssa Davidson's family decided the
time was right for her to reach one of society's newer childhood milestones: She can have a
cellphone of her own. The 11-year-old will be a sixth-grader at Geneva Middle School North

this fall, and now can text, play Fruit Ninja, and call her mom whenever she needs to check
in. "We felt she was responsible enough," said her mother, Chris Davidson.

PORNOGRAPHY

The Social Costs of Pornography: A

Statement of Findings and
Recommendations Paperback 2010
by Mary Anne Layden (Author)
9 customer reviews
3.6 out of 5 stars

Since the beginning of the internet age, pornography has been consumed in greater quantities
than ever before in human history, and its content has grown more graphic. Recent research
suggests that pornography consumption - especially consumption of a more hard-core or violent
sort - has negative effects on individuals and society. More studies are necessary, but a growing
body of research strongly suggests that for some users pornography can be psychologically
addictive, and can negatively affect the quality of interpersonal relationships, sexual health and
performance, and social expectations about sexual behavior. Widespread pornography
consumption appears to pose a serious challenge to public health and to personal and familial
well-being. With concerted action from legislators, the therapeutic community, educators,
policymakers, and responsible corporate leaders, however, some of the negative effects of
pornography consumption can be combated. This monograph, The Social Costs of Pornography:
A Statement of Findings and Recommendations, is the fruit of an inquiry begun at a consultation
held in Princeton, New Jersey, in December 2008, sponsored by the Witherspoon Institute and
cosponsored by the Institute for the Psychological Sciences. This consultation, which sought to
estimate the social costs of pornography, was the first multifaceted, multidisciplinary, scholarly
exploration in the internet age of a subject that is critically important to the health and well-being
of many Americans: the hidden but real social toll of the current consumption of pornography especially internet pornography - on an unprecedented scale.

http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/pornography/recent/2

O.C. pastor, soccer coach pleads not guilty in

molestation case
December 4, 2011 | By Mona Shadia, Los Angeles Times

A pastor and youth soccer coach has pleaded not guilty to charges that he molested
an 8-year-old Huntington Beach girl and possessed child pornography. Christopher
Raymond Olague, 39, of Westminster was arrested by Huntington Beach police in
October after the mother of the girl reported the alleged molestation. Olague
allegedly picked up the girl Oct. 5 for a play date at a park with one of his daughters.
Instead, he took her to the parking lot of a grocery store and molested her,
Huntington Beach Police Lt. Russell Reinhart said.
NATIONAL

72 charged in online child pornography ring

August 3, 2011 | By Andrew Seidman, Washington Bureau

The Justice Department has charged 72 suspected members of an online child

pornography ring that encouraged its members to engage in sexual acts with
children 12 and under and submit gruesome, violent material to build a massive
private database of images and videos on the Internet. The crackdown is the result
of a joint effort by the departments of Justice and Homeland Security launched in
December 2009 to target about 500 people in 13 countries on five continents for
their suspected participation in "Dreamboard," a members-only online bulletin board
that was created to encourage the sharing of graphic images and videos.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL

Sex offenders arrested in raid on Wilmington

motel
June 21, 2011 | By Gale Holland, Los Angeles Times

Stuffed animals, teen magazines and children's underwear were found in a raid of a
Wilmington motel that was home to dozens of convicted child molesters and
registered sex offenders, authorities said Monday. Eight people were taken into
custody Friday for alleged parole violations, including possession of child
pornography or narcotics. Most of those arrested were middle-aged men whose
previous offenses included lewd and lascivious conduct with children or other sex
crimes, said Det. Patricia Batts of the Los Angeles Police Department.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL

Los Angeles libraries grapple with online

pornography
April 13, 2011 | By Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times

It was a rainy Tuesday afternoon in late December, and the Chinatown Branch
Library was buzzing. While a line of children waited to check out books, other patrons
surfed the Internet at a bank of computers nearby. At one computer, a man sat
watching pornography. And parents complained. Every day adults across the city use

library computers to do research, read news, watch YouTube videos and apply for
jobs. And 1st Amendment protections give them the right to also access some
pornography, city officials say. Regular library patrons say it is not uncommon.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL

Muslim leaders focus on contemporary

problems
April 9, 2011 | By Raja Abdulrahim

The title of the evening event at a mosque in Corona was intended to provoke
discussion, even as it raised an eyebrow or two: "The Islamization of Weed?" The
unusual lecture at the Islamic Society of Corona-Norco in February drew about 150
people, most of them younger than 30. The idea, Imam Mustafa Umar said, was to
encourage a dialogue and attract people who might be put off by a more traditionally
religious theme. Not that the speaker, Sheikh Yassir Fazaga from Mission Viejo, was
there to advocate marijuana use or say it was permissible in Islam.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL

Audit finds years-long backlog of

investigations into accused teachers
April 8, 2011 | By Jason Song, Los Angeles Times

Teachers who have been accused of showing pornography to children, kissing a

student, or sexual harassment were not investigated in a timely manner by the state
agency in charge of revoking education credentials, according to a state audit
released Thursday. The state Commission on Teacher Credentialing also had a
backlog of nearly 12,600 cases in the summer of 2009, about three years' worth of
cases, according to a report by the California state auditor. The commission also did
not keep good track of data, some of which was entered by hand, and it was often
slow to look into allegations.
ENTERTAINMENT

Fast Track: Will Ferrell is coming to 'The Office'

January 27, 2011

Will Ferrell will be joining "The Office" for four episodes at the end of Steve Carell's
run. ( Los Angeles Times ) It's official: This year's Coachella is sold out. ( Los Angeles
Times ) Indie darlings Wilco just got even more indie: They've formed their own
music label. ( Los Angeles Times ) "Skins' " creator says his show is the "opposite of
pornography. " Does that mean people who are against the show are actually propornography? ( Los Angeles Times )
OPINION

Christine O'Donnell's real roots

September 23, 2010 | Meghan Daum

I t's true that Christine O'Donnell, Delaware's surprise senatorial candidate, bears
some resemblance to Sarah Palin. Both are attractive brunettes who've staked their
political careers on extreme social conservatism. Both emerged on the national stage
seemingly out of nowhere and proceeded to make liberals and even a lot of
Republicans slap their collective foreheads in disbelief. Perhaps most important, both
are catnip for a media that loves to search for skeletons in closets that also happen
to contain several pairs of designer pumps.
ENTERTAINMENT

Word of Mouth: 'Middle Men's' advertising

takes an adult approach
August 5, 2010 | By John Horn, Los Angeles Times

If you just happen to have watched adult film clips on the Internet lately "Teens
Love to Experiment," "2 Glamorous Women and One Lucky Guy," perhaps? you
might have stumbled across a very unusual advertisement: a trailer for the new
movie "Middle Men." Hollywood has cooked up all sorts of unusual marketing buys in
recent years giant billboards that envelop skyscrapers, newspaper ads that look
like real stories, logos on taxicab hubcaps and baseball bases.

Do we know whether pornography harms people?

By Jo Fidgen

We know that men watching pornography at least

occasionally is an absolute given among my peers, who are, I
like to think, at the relatively well-adjusted end of the
spectrum. In the course of writing this piece I've checked with
at least 10 of them, and they all agreed that the same could
be said about their friends outside of my own circle. (Sorry,
guys.) A Twitter and Facebook trawl of about 45,000 people
also turned up a vanishingly small number of men six who
never watched porn. The tone of several exchanges I had on

the subject made it clear that those few conceived of their

habits as being in sharp opposition to the mainstream.
These are frustratingly unscientific methods of assessment,
partly enforced by the relative paucity of data on the subject,
itself the consequence of our embarrassment. Still, there are
some pointers available. On Friday, a traffic analysis found
that British people click on porn sites more than they do on
social networks. A 2008 study found that 86 per cent of
young adult men watch porn, 69 per cent at least once a
month. And when, a year later, the University of Montreal
tried to conduct a study into the views of men who never
watched porn, it failed to find a single candidate.
The truth is, even the necessity of doing this sort of
groundwork feels a little ridiculous. It seems to me
uncontroversial to say, as an absolute minimum, that it is not
unusual for men to watch porn. If you were feeling just a little
bolder you could surmise that, in fact, a significant majority
of men watch porn; that quite a lot of women do, too; and
that, among young adults, exposure is nearly universal.
Now the Government is trying to catch up. Last week, David
Cameron announced that the major internet service providers
had agreed to the introduction of "default-on" porn filters.
The months-long debate leading up to that step has felt like a
significant moment in the collective understanding of how
profoundly our relationship with pornography has changed
since high-speed internet became the norm. Apparently, a lot
of people who grew up having no option but grot mags at the
newsagent have had a nasty shock. They are only now
discovering, mostly second-hand or by searching for "sex
video internet" on Google, just how accessible, varied and
repugnant this stuff can be.

And yet, many speeches and gallons of ink later, we don't

seem to have got very much further than the principles that
children shouldn't see pornography, and no one should see
images of child abuse. We can't even agree on whose
responsibility it is to enforce these axioms, on whether it's
technically possible, or on whether The Sun should be
subjected to the same rules as YouPorn. We certainly haven't
managed a mature conversation about what sort of moral
framework we want to apply to pornography. To me, the
explanation for this seems obvious. Everyone is willing to say:
pornography is everywhere. Almost no one is willing to say:
and I have seen some of it.
So, um, yes. I have seen some of it. I don't say so with any
sense of pride. Also, in the interests of preserving at least a
wisp of dignity, I should like to add that it's not, y'know, a
hobby. Even so, I guess I know more about it than most of the
wide-eyed ingnues who have formed such strong opinions
about its impact of late. This is why it seems worth
mentioning. In most areas of controversy, the views of the
ignorant are at least occasionally balanced by plaintive
corrections from the better-informed; in this one, the
ignorant, or pseudo-ignorant, have the field almost
unopposed. With a very few exceptions (such as the New
Statesman's Laurie Penny), no one says, well, you haven't got
that quite right, because to do so reveals greater familiarity
than we are generally willing to admit.
That squeamishness about detail isn't merely a matter of
sociological interest. It has real consequences. It means that
the argument about pornography becomes binary: on or off,
consensual or exploitative, arousing or repellent. And then,
because most of us are instinctively opposed to censorship,

we sigh that it's a fact of life, and we just have to put up with
all of it. Consider Cameron's speech last week, which
featured, among the easy (and, it turned out, ill-considered)
applause lines about child protection, only one moment of
engagement with the granular detail of porn, in his vow that
depictions of rape would be banned as if there were
anything bold or controversial about the idea that videos
which normalise so reprehensible a crime should be beyond
the pale.
Because he is a politician, and has therefore never seen any
pornography ever at all ever, that's about as far as Cameron
can go. Probably that's for the best: the really important
debates about pornography should not be about legal
principles, but ethical ones. Here's where my oh, God,
there's no other word for it expertise comes in. I can tell
you, for example, that if you're interested in watching two
people having sex (and see no moral problem in that
interest) but not so interested in watching women being
treated badly, your options are pretty limited. I can tell you
that it is quite common to have 18-year-old girls dressed up
in school uniform and filmed in a classroom. I can tell you
that condoms are rarely sighted, and that performers in the
US who will simply not get work if they insist on them being
used have contracted serious illnesses as a result.
There is lots more of this detail, but it only gets more specific,
and you probably don't want to read about it over your
breakfast. Still, it's enormously important. A few years ago, I
interviewed The Sun's agony aunt Deidre Sanders, who told
me that the biggest change in the make-up of her postbag
since she took up the role in 1980 was the precipitous growth
in letters from men and women whose relationships had been

affected by pornography. I feel pretty confident that I have

always been able to keep fantasy and reality distinct, but
there will certainly be some people for whom that is not true,
and, even if these default-on porn filters delay children's
exposure a little, there will certainly be more of them in
future. One study found that 90 per cent of content on the
most popular porn sites featured physical or verbal abuse
against women, and you don't have to be Mary Whitehouse
to find that concerning. We need to do something about it,
and since we are not going to outlaw pornography altogether,
we need to figure out what that might be.
Here's one suggestion. In my own consumption of porn, I
have always tried to avoid those tropes that I find unsettling.
But in the writing of this piece, I have realised that I am not
careful enough. I avoid the misogynist video, but I may be
careless about avoiding the site that hosts it; I feel bad about
the unprotected sex, but I don't bother going to the great
lengths it would require to find the alternative. I am really
ashamed about this, and I'm going to take a great deal more
care in future. The source of my shame, straightforwardly
enough, is not some new-found moral clarity, but the fact
that you are now reading this, and so my behaviour has been
exposed. For me, at least, the use of pornography has
become a semi-public fact.
In isolation, this doesn't mean very much, except that
everyone I know is going to laugh at me for a while. More
widely, it might mean quite a lot. What if we ditched the
stigma carried by pornography in general, and instead
attached it, loudly, to the pornography that we consider to be
unacceptable? We have seen this principle applied in so
many other areas. People are, basically, too lazy to make

ethical choices. The only way to get us to do so is to

incentivise us with a little bit of shame.
Think of battery farms, of sweat-shop clothes, of yes the
fight against plastic bags. Pornography is not immune from
the behavioural economics that shifted all those battles. If
enough people said they sometimes watched porn, and also
said that they hated the misogyny that accompanies it, some
entrepreneurial spirit would surely intervene. And if there was
a porn site that promised me I could surf it without any risk of
coming across anything I needed to worry about (there are
some out there, but none has reached critical mass), I would
visit it exclusively, with enormous gratitude to its creators for
taking the effort out of doing the right thing.
It is, I suppose, a call for a wanker's code: a contention that
being interested in sex is not the same thing as being
interested in violent misogyny, and an appeal for a proper
conversation about splitting the one off from the other.
Because, yes, we are wankers. But that doesn't mean we
have to be shitheads.

There are frequent calls for action to be taken over pornography but what is
the evidence it harms people who view it?
In 1961, a psychologist called Albert Bandura carried out a groundbreaking
experiment. He had children watch an adult beating up an inflatable doll, then left
each child with the doll to see what he or she would do. The children also threw
punches at it.
He concluded that we are inclined to copy violent behaviour, rather than find it
cathartic.

Years later, Neil Malamuth, a psychology student at UCLA, decided to test our
reactions to pornography in a similar way and has spent his career researching the
subject.
In an experiment in 1986, he recruited 42 men and assessed them on the "likelihood
of rape" scale. Then he divided them randomly into three groups. The first was given
a selection of sexually explicit materials containing scenes of rape and
sadomasochism. The second was given non-violent pornography. The third group the control - was given none at all.
About a week later, in what they thought was an unrelated experiment, each of the
men was paired up with a woman, and told that she was not attracted to him. Then
they had to play a guessing game, with the man having an option to punish the
woman each time she got the answer wrong.
From this and many other experiments, Malamuth concluded that if a man is already
sexually aggressive and consumes a lot of sexually aggressive pornography, there is
a greater likelihood that he will commit a sexually aggressive act.

Some campaigners have used this research to claim pornography leads to rape - but
Malamuth says that is too simplistic.
He draws an analogy with alcohol.
"For some people alcohol simply has the effect of making them more relaxed, letting
them have more fun. For other people it's true that alcohol can increase the likelihood
that somebody will behave in a violent way.
"But if I simply make the overall generalisation alcohol causes violence or leads to
violence, you'd probably say that's glossing over a lot of the nuances.
"Similarly with pornography, for some people, it may be viewed as a positive aspect
of their life and does not lead them in any way to engage in any form of anti-social
behaviour. For some people who do have several other risk factors, it can add fuel to
the fire."

Anti-pornography campaigners are concerned that extreme pornography is becoming

mainstream.

Gail Dines, professor of sociology and women's studies at Wheelock College in

Boston, believes it is a struggle to find non-violent pornography online.
"Even Jules Jordan himself, a very well-known porn director, has said they cannot
keep up with the fans' desire for violent porn," she says.
That is disputed by computational neuroscientist, Ogi Ogas. He and a colleague, Sai
Gaddam, collected data from a billion web searches and online porn sites, and says
they found very little violent porn.
According to his data, most people looking for sexually explicit material online search
for "youth". The next most popular categories are "gay", "MILFs", "breasts", and
"cheating wives".
"Sexual interests are pretty monotonous," he says. "The median number of sexual
interests that people search for was two. You search for the same thing day after
day."
He was surprised by the popularity of so-called "granny porn".

"Women in their forties, in their fifties, even in their sixties are highly sought after," he
reveals. "In fact Britain is one of the countries that has the greatest level of popularity
for granny porn."
He calculates that one in six or seven internet searches are for pornography. Its
prevalence and accessibility to children has led researchers to question what effect it
is having on young people.
Earlier this year the UK children's commissioner asked academics from Middlesex
University to review all the available evidence about the effect on adolescents. They
excluded articles that had a very "particular ideological angle" or gave them a very
low ranking - particularly if they also had methodological problems. They used a
weight of evidence approach to rank the quality and relevance of the papers - and
gave them a strength rating of high, medium or low.
More than 40,000 papers were submitted, but only 276 met their criteria.
Forensic psychologist Miranda Horvath and her colleagues were shocked by the
quality of the research and by "how many very strongly worded, opinion-led articles
there are out there which purport to be producing research, producing new findings
when actually it's really based on opinion".

What did they conclude about the effects of pornography on young people?
"Pornography has been linked to unrealistic attitudes about sex, beliefs that women
are sex objects, more frequent thoughts about sex, and children and young people
who view pornography tend to hold less progressive gender role attitudes."
Most of the recent studies in this field have been correlational. That means you ask a
sample of young people whether they've seen pornography, or how often, and then
ask them what they think of sex or gender role attitudes, for example.
But it is not possible to establish causation from correlational studies, and to say
whether pornography is changing or reinforcing attitudes.
"That is the real next step that research needs to take," says Horvath, "to try to
identify which came first."
The only sure way to do that is with the kind of randomised, controlled experiments
that Malamuth carried out at UCLA, where you expose people in the laboratory to
violent pornography and observe what effects it has on them.

But Malamuth says he can no longer conduct such tests - in case he is right.
"We and other researchers have come up with a dilemma of ethics committees
saying, well, we believe your effects are valid and, therefore, we're very afraid that at
some point we might be sued if even one person claims that they went out and
committed an act of rape by having been exposed to certain materials in your
research."
In other words, it is unlikely that researchers will ever be able to prove that
pornography is causing behaviour change.
Horvath believes it is time to give up looking for cause and effect and instead "focus
on identifying young people's characteristics, vulnerabilities and strengths and how
and why they might be related to their experiences of pornography".
The next step, she argues, is for researchers to broaden their questions to consider
pornography in a wider context.
"You will often hear people saying, I saw a music video or I saw something on the
telly which is very similar to what you would see in pornography.

"Young people see these sexualised images day to day in a whole variety of contexts
and we don't fully yet understand how they process that, and how or whether they
even do distinguish between, say, a music video and pornography."

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism punishable under Cybercrime Law De Lima - See more at:

By MARK D. MERUEAS, GMA News

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/276514/scitech/technology/plagiarismpunishable-under-cybercrime-law-de-lima#sthash.BvHViD6Q.dpuf
Plagiarists, or those who steal and pass off the ideas or words of another as one's
own, could also be held liable under the controversial Cybercrime Law, Justice
Secretary Leila de Lima said Tuesday.
In an advisory opinion, De Lima said plagiarists can be held liable under Republic Act
10175or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012if they are found to be infringing
on copyright or the exclusive rights of a creator over his or her original work.
The new law gives the justice secretary enormous powers to take down content or
block access to sites for suspected violations, even without a court order.
"If an act of plagiarism amounts to a copyright infringement under the Intellectual
Property Code, a special law, then the violator may likewise be held liable under the
Cybercrime Prevention Act if he/she used information and communications
technology (ICT) for its commission," she said in her 10-page opinion.
Oddly enough, the lawmaker widely pilloried for plagiarizing from blogs for his
speeches has found himself again at the receiving end of tirades and ridicule for his
role in the Cybercrime Law. Sen. Tito Sotto is being accused of inserting the
controversial provision on online libel in the law.
However, Sotto has denied inserting the libel provision on the Cybercrime Law and
said it was the handiwork of one of the law's primary authors, Sen. Edgardo Angara,
but only after he (Sotto) had proposed it during the period of amendments.
Sotto's chief of staff Hector Villanueva admitted in August that one of the senator's
speeches had lifted from an American blogger but claimed that it was not against the
law. De Lima's opinion on the new cybercrime law would seem to negate that
defense from now on.
Various groups have separately asked the Supreme Court to stop the implementation
of the Cybercrime Law and declare it as unconstitutional for allegedly violating the
people's guaranteed freedom of expression under the Constitution.
De Lima reminded the public that while plagiarism per se is not considered a crime,
a person can still be punished and fined if the act amounts to copyright
infringement.
Under the IPC, copyright infringement stemming from plagiarism is punishable by
one to three years imprisonment and a fine of P50,000 to P150,000 for the first
offense; three years and one day to six years imprisonment and a fine of P150,000 to

500,000 for the second offense; and six years and one day to nine years of
imprisonment and a fine of P500,000 to P1.5 million for the third offense.
When committed online, however, the punishment can be worse, since Section 6 of
the Cybercrime Act specifically sets a punishment one degree higher than provided
under the Revised Penal Code to "cybercrimes" done on ICT networks.
"If copyright infringement was committed, the violator can be held liable under the
IPC; in addition, he/she can also be held liable under the Cybercrime Prevention Act,
if the plagiarism was committed through an ICT network or facility like the Internet,"
De Lima said.
While plagiarism has a limitless term of protection, a copyright on the other hand has
a limited term, which spans through the life of the author of the work and extends to
50 years after his or her death. After this term, the original work is deemed to have
entered the "public domain" and can already be freely used by anyone.
De Lima reminded the public to avoid plagiarism, regardless of the presence or
absence of sanctions against it. She advised people to cultivate the habit of
attribution. "When in doubt, cite," she said. - See more at:
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/276514/scitech/technology/plagiarismpunishable-under-cybercrime-law-de-lima#sthash.BvHViD6Q.dpuf

Plagiarism also a crime

under Cybercrime law DOJ

Plagiarism, if it corresponds to a copyright infringement under the Intellectual

Property Code, is a cybercrime under the new law

Plagiarism is a cybercrime. Sotto has been accused of plagiarism himself, but the DOJ said it's
not a crime unless under it amounts to copyright infringement.

MANILA, Philippines - Plagiarism -- or passing off another person's work as

one's own -- is also punishable under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, the
Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday, October 2.
In an advisory opinion, the DOJ said that plagiarism, only if it corresponds to a
copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Code, could be
considered a cybercrime under Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime law.
President Benigno Aquino III signed the new law on September 12.
The DOJ pointed out that while cybercrimes generally include cyber-attacks,
online fraud, cybersex and child pornography, Sec 6 of the Cybercrime
Prevention Act also states that it covers "all crimes defined and penalized by
the Revised Penal Code, as amended, and special laws."
The Intellectual Property Code is a special law. Under the IPC, the act of
plagiarism -- when it amounts to copyright infringement -- carries a penalty of
3-6 years imprisonment and a fine of P50,000-P150,000. Under the
Cybercrime Prevention Act, however, the penalty is a degree higher.
"In sum, plagiarism does not in itself result in a criminal violation unless it also
constitutes copyright infringement under the IPC. There is infringement when
any of the copyright or economic rights under Sec. 177 of the IPC is violated
by any other person, or when any of the acts in Sec 217.3 are committed," the
DOJ said.

Stories about plagiarism recently hit the headlines after Sen Vicente 'Tito'
Sotto lifted parts of his speech against the reproductive health bill from a post
written by a blogger called Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist.
Sotto was also attacked for translating a speech by the late US Sen Robert
Kennedy in Filipino and turning it into his own speech again. His speech in
Filipino was also against the reproductive health bill. Sotto is one of the
senators who voted for the passage of the Cybercrime Prevention bill.
In 2010, Supreme Court Justice Mariano del Castillo also saw himself in hot
water after he allegedly plagiarized parts of the decision he penned on
the Vinuya v. Romulocase from 3 foreign legal experts. He is now facing an
impeachment complaint. -Rappler.com

Plagiarism in the Cyber World

Posted by David Rothschild on Jun 30, 2010 2:35:00 PM

A new book said to be written by former hacker turned security consultant, Gregory D. Evans, has
been recently marred by plagiarism accusations.
World No. 1 Hacker, which was published by Cyber Crime Media Publishing House, is said to have
several large portions duplicated from Armando Romeos content, which was previously published on
hackercenter.com.
From The New New Internet:
However, vast portions of the book, published by Cyber Crime Media publishing house, appear to
have been plagiarized. The majority of chapter 12 is, in fact, identical to a previously published
tutorial by Armando Romeo published on hackerscenter.com in 2008. Portions of chapter 9 were also
taken from another manual published on ethicalhacker.net.

The instance of plagiarism was verified using iThenticates plagiarism detection software, which
enabled the user to clearly see incidents of duplicate material between World No. 1 Hacker and
Romeos published content.
iThenticate is made to provide both plagiarism detection features along with ease of use. One of these
features allowed all submitted content to be cross-checked against new content that appears on the
web which is how this particular instance of plagiarism was discovered.
In addition, iThenticate allows submitted content to be referenced against deep repositories of older
content from offline sources like research journals.
Cyber Security is clearly an important frontier on the web the well-being of large organizations
depends on their ability to protect their proprietary information.
Although often overlooked, Content Security is also extremely important. An authors content
whether it is a blog post or a formal publishing is their proprietary information.
Protecting an authors content and preventing people from illicitly duplicating it is one of
iThenticates goals.
It is also iThenticates goal to help small and large publishing houses to protect their reputations by
preventing any plagiarized content from getting out.
Although most authors are trustworthy, Cyber Crime Media should have made it a policy to run a
content check on any materials before publishing them. Using iThenticate before a problem existed
would have saved the publisher money and time dealing with legal problems and bad press recovery.