In Japan, they will be punished with prison terms for cyberbullying

Last Monday, the Japanese parliament decided to change the legislation regarding liability for online harassment. Now for cyberbullying, you can get a sentence of imprisonment for a period of 1 year or a fine of 300,000 yen (about 127 000 rubles). The corresponding change has been made to the Criminal Code and should soon work. 

Previously, the measure of responsibility was a fine of 10,000 yen or detention for less than 30 days.

It is worth noting that the adoption of the amendment caused controversy and controversy, opponents of tougher penalties assured that changing the norm could lead to blocking criticism of the actions of the authorities, but the position of supporters of the innovation still won. At the same time, a compromise was reached: three years after the entry into force of the amendment, a study should be conducted on the impact of the norm on the expression of freedom of opinion in the country.

Conversations about the need to toughen penalties for cyberbullying began in Japan after the suicide of reality TV star Hana Kimura. The girl committed suicide against the background of online violence that was applied to her in the months leading up to her death. After the news about tougher penalties for cyberbullying, Hana's mother praised the new law, indicating that cyberbullying is a crime, CNN reports.