Source: in-cyprus.philenews.com
Coordinated online harassment campaigns and the malicious publication of people’s addresses and other personal details (doxxing) would become criminal offences under a bill proposed by the chair of the House Legal Affairs Committee, Foteini Tsiridou.
The bill aims to protect people from bullying, serious harassment, blackmail and the exposure of their personal details by anonymous or fake social media accounts. It would amend the law on protection from harassment and stalking.
Tsiridou told philenews that existing law already covers online harassment. The bill, she said, targets coordinated attacks specifically, and the publication of details that could put someone or their family in serious danger. “The text explicitly protects freedom of the press and of speech, political criticism and satire,” she said.
The state has a duty to protect its citizens and its children in the light of new technology and new ways of communicating, she added, rather than running to catch up with developments.
Organised online targeting
The main change is a specific offence of “organised online targeting”. To prove it, prosecutors would need to show, among other things, prior agreement or some other form of coordinated action, knowledge that the behaviour was organised, and a substantial contribution by the accused.
Several people voicing views at the same time, or one after another, would not in itself count. There would have to be a shared aim of harassing or intimidating a specific individual.
Publishing personal details
A separate offence would cover publishing information that can locate or identify someone, without the right to do so, in order to cause fear or harassment, or to expose the person to real and serious danger. This includes a home address, a current or usual location, personal phone numbers, details of a workplace, and information about children in the family.
The provision would not replace data protection law. It is intended to allow prosecution in cases where such information is used to intimidate or harass.
Tougher penalties for fake accounts
Penalties would be graded according to how serious the behaviour is and what its consequences are. Aggravating factors would include:
- using fake or multiple accounts;
- using automated tools to spread content on a mass scale;
- carrying on despite a court order or official warning;
- publishing details of the victim or their family.
Courts would also gain powers to ban further unlawful online behaviour. They could order a person to stop making available any content under their control that appears, on the face of it, to be linked to the alleged harassment.