Cyberbullying regulation on the way

[Photo/CFP]

The Cyberspace Administration of China has recently published a draft regulation on cyberviolence to solicit public views. This is undoubtedly a meaningful, if not overdue, move to address the problem that has caused many tragedies over recent years, while most of the perpetrators of the online violence in these cases have been allowed to roam free.

The draft regulation gives a clear definition of "information related to cyberviolence", as illegal and harmful information targeting individuals published online, including insults, slander and libelous information and invasions of privacy, as well as demeaning, discriminatory, or malicious speculation that seriously affects the targeted individual's physical and mental health. The lawmakers of the Council of Europe define cyberviolence as behaviors of using computer systems to cause, facilitate, or threaten violence against individuals, that results in (or is likely to result in) physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm or suffering and may include the exploitation of the individual's circumstances, characteristics or vulnerabilities.

Clearly, it is already an international consensus to strengthen legislative work to deal with issues related to cyberviolence. With more than 1 billion network users in the country, the regulation is likely to serve as a foundation for China to rectify the problems that people have complained of for a long time.

When the final regulation comes into effect, website operators and social media platforms will be duty-bound to do their part to deal with the challenge. They are not only obliged to spot the "cyberviolence information" but also responsible for taking measures such as screening and deleting relevant information, and restricting the transmission of such information to prevent cyberviolence from happening.

Also, the administrators of online forums are responsible to supervise and regulate what is posted. That should prompt the network users to behave themselves in cyberspace that is by no means a land beyond the law.

The regulation should make the punishment for the wrongdoers seeking benefits from the cyberviolence severe enough to reflect the harm they do to not only the individual victim but also the cyber environment, so as to effectively deter others.