There is no legal definition of online bullying within UK law. However there are a number of existing laws that can be applied to cases of online bullying and online harassment, namely:
- Protection from Harassment Act 1997
- Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
- Malicious Communications Act 1988
- Communications Act 2003
- Breach of the Peace (Scotland)
- Defamation Act 2013
Guidelines revised by the Crown Prosecution Service in 2018 explain how cases of online bullying will be assessed under the current legislation. Download the ‘CPS Guidelines’ here.
The Defamation Act 2013 came into force on 1st January 2014. To read the act and for more information click here.
Don't forget we have free CPD online training for professionals which includes a module on online bullying. Please do distribute it to whomever you think would be interested.
European Law
European Data Protection Legislation is now being applied to issues of online bullying, online harassment and identity theft.
In 2010, Giovanni Buttarelli, the Assistant European Data Protection Supervisor, outlined how EU Data Protection could be implemented to protect individuals from online bullying and online harassment.
Conference Report: “Cyber-Harassment in Schools” (2010)
In 2014, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union are due to implement reforms to the EU Data Legislation.
The European Commission has also been active in curbing online abuse by forming an agreement with 17 of the world’s leading social networks, including Facebook and Myspace, to ensure young people and children are better protected online.