The internet has grown rapidly in the past years to the point that it becomes a part of almost everyone's daily life. Through the internet we can do a lot of things easier and faster, if not instant. But with the ease and advantages brought to us by the internet comes some threats and things that we must be watchful of to keep enjoying the internet and avoid landing in jail.
Here we listed some things everyone must not do online to avoid worst consequences in theirs lives and helps make the internet a great place for everyone.
1. Cyberbullying
According to Dictionary.com, cyberbullying is "to bully online by sending or posting mean, hurtful, or intimidating messages, usually anonymously". This includes blackmailing, bashing, extortion and sextortion, insulting racially or ethnic slurs, attempting or infecting victim's device with virus, spamming or flooding email inbox and making threats in any other possible form by the using the internet. Cyberbullying may post a traumatic effect on the victim's life that might lead up to suicidal acts. It is a crime punishable by law in almost every corner of the earth.
2. Illegally Using or Stealing Someone Else's Identity for Advantage or Committing Crime
Known as 'Identity Theft', it is a crime committed when an individual or group obtains and illegally uses someone's personal and financial information for their own advantage or in order to make transactions. This mostly occurs in social media and banking sites. In social media sites, these identity thefts usually uses the victim's name and photos who are usually popular individuals to sell, advertise or promote their businesses.
Of course there's always a place in jail for anyone who commits this crime. In the Philippines for examples, this crime punishable by the "Data Privacy Act of 2012".
3. Plagiarizing
As defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, plagiarism is " the act of using another person's words or ideas without giving credit to that person". This is really a serious issue in the content/article writing industry, where for the sake of money and instant contents, some publishers especially beginners just copy-and-paste contents (text, videos and images) from other websites to their own without giving proper credits. You might not want to be shocked seeing your monetizing account get banned or worse a notice of case filed against you. Remember also that even the commandment says, "Thou shall not steal".
4. Defaming/Discrediting Someone Online
This is the act of making comments or posts that will unjustifiably damage the name and reputation of an individual or group by making false accusation and bad opinion.
Some cases usually happens between famous personalities to newspaper articles and gossip blogs. The person or group involve in such this act may face libel and slander cases which may lead to landing in jail and paying for the damages.
In the end, it is us that will make the internet a better virtual world or worse than the real world. Let us all be a responsible user.
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