Syed Sadaf Bukhari
With the advent of technology emerging from pcs to the world of AI ,there has been the rapid expansion in cyber bullying via diverse and versatile ICT gadgets .These electronic gadgets /technology was mainly considered fruitful and beneficial for the development of the society to a greater extent .Nevertheless at the same time it has posed a great threat not only to the traditional society but to the digital world at large. According to UNICEF, cyber bullying is a repeated behaviour aimed at scaring, angering or shaming those who are targeted. According to research cyber bullyings origin can be traced back to 1990s and it escalated in mid 2000 with widespread smart phones and social media bringing high profile cases like Megan meirein 2006. In 2015 according to cyber bullying statistics from Safe Foundation over half of the adolescents and teens have been bullied online and about same no. being engaged in cyber bullying.
If we talk about our own UT Jammu and Kashmir according to the official figures shared in the parliament in 2025 there has been seen and increasing rate in the cases of cyber bullying from 154 in 2021 to 173 in 2022 and 183 in 2023.An official report from cyber police crime Bulletin 2020 noted 150 cybercrime complaints from women aged 18-30 , though only 4 lead to formal inquiries .The national crime record Bureaus 2022 report documented 54 cybercrime cases involving female victims in Jammu & Kashmir with underreporting likely driven by stigma and societal pressure. Bullying in every aspect has been forbidden from the societal perspectives and even from the religious point of view. It’s clearly mentioned in the Holy Quran ‘O’ you who believed let not one group mock another group, It may be that they are better than them” Quran 49:11. Cyber bullying however now has been a global threat leading majority of the youth in depression, anxiety, social withdrawal self harm or suicidal thoughts.
“To combat cyber bullying and unethical AI use, a unified effort from parents, schools, and communities is essential. By implementing strict laws, awareness campaigns, and counseling, we can promote responsible internet behavior and create a safer digital environment for youth.”
Thoughts May prevail why is cyber bullying happening? What are the causes behind it? How is it different from traditional bullying? Just give it a simple thought .Traditionally harassing others, calling others by mocking names, physical assault ,power dominance are mostly face to face were people are conscious and aware about the bully where as in cyber bullying the culprits or the cyber bullies are anonymous and show power imbalance . Lack of moral education and providing access to smartphones to teenagers leads to expansion in cyberbullying which can cause constant fear, psychological trauma that can even extend to adulthood and have been proven to have greater effects on the mental health of the individual ruining and draining him / her physically as well and that Individual who is the future of society turns futile and less contributing .
Dr Sir Mohammad Iqbal has rightly said bullying here is structured where power silences the weak. Cyber bullying does require a combative efforts from parents, schools, communities by adopting various anti bullying polices, laws, and counseling sessions to students. We must raise awareness among masses about the ill effects of bullying and responsible internet use and in fact strict cyber laws must be implemented to create much safer internet environments .We must limit our teenagers and aware them about using the AI tools unethically so that at least if not completely but to some extent protect our youth getting indulding in such heinous cybercrimes just like cyber bullying.
(The author is a Research Scholar at the Department Of Education & Behavioural Sciences University of Kashmir, Srinagar. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
