PNP bares guidelines on how to counter cyber harassment

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police has released guidelines on how citizens may deal with cyber harassment.

The PNP’s Web Services and Cyber Technology Division, an office under the Information Technology Management Service, defines cyber harassment as “an immoral behavior by someone or a group, who uses technology such as computers, internet or mobile devices to send disturbing messages to bother, humiliate, threaten, or stalk someone else.”

The guide, a brainchild of Chief Inspector Felizardo Eubra, is now posted in the PNP’s website. The PNP also hopes to produce and distribute brochures on the subject. 

Eubra said the dissemination of the guide is part of the PNP’s pro-active approach to battling criminality.

The guide states that cyber bullies or those engaged in harassment may make use of electronic mail, instant chat messaging, blog messages, text messages, digital photos, videos and all other means of electronic communication.

“This is the first time that the PNP has released such a guide. We are taking a pro-active approach against cyber harassment and are making people aware that there is such a thing and that they could have already been a victim of such without them realizing it,” said Eubra.

Eubra said that while most cyber harassers operate anonymously, there have been cases where victims know their harassers.

“In some cases, a cyber harasser can also harass in face-to-face encounters. Harassing over the computer may be a natural extension of their disturbing behavior,” Eubra said.

“Some people who become cyber harassers may be the victims of harassment and are taking out their anger and frustration in the Internet. They may be targeting the people who harassed them or they may have picked a different target,” he said.

Eubra also said that some people may engage in cyber harassment “just for fun.”

A cyber harasser may even engage in blackmail by threatening to make public their targets’ dark secrets or embarrassing experiences, through photos or videos.

Eubra said many of the victims of cyber harassment are minors who visit social networking sites such as Facebook. “Sometimes, harassers will pick on someone based on a message that he or she has posted or sent that the harasser doesn’t like,” he said.

Eubra said cyber harassment can be as dangerous as actual physical harassment.

“People who commit cyber harassment pick on an individual just for the feeling of power that it gives them, financial gain or favor. Because the Internet seems to give anonymity, cyber harassment is often seen to have less liability to the cyber harassers, which can encourage them to continue and be aggressive,” he said.

Eubra advises victims of cyber harassment to compile and document all nasty messages and postings. Victims are also advised to save the website addresses containing the hostile information, embarrassing pictures or negative messages.

Eubra said that with the compiled data, it would be easier for the police to trace and pounce on the harassers.