Week 6

Step 1 - State the Problem

How can victims and witnesses of cyberbullying respond or counter cyber harassment without causing
further harm?

Step 2 - Gather and assess relevant facts in the case

 Cyberbullying is bullying which takes place with the use of technology in social media and other
platforms. It can occur through texts, posts, videos, and etc.
 Victims of cyberbullying can end up having depression, anxiety—pushing them to committing
self-harming actions.
 Cyberbullying differs from face-to-face bullying in terms of leaving a long lasting record, which
could remind others of the events occurred.

Step 3 - Identifying the stakeholders

Cyberbullying has, and can affect these individuals:

 The bullies, are affected as they expose themselves and their ill thought decisions of committing
cyberbullying acts.
 The victims’ lives are affected through the humiliation, and the emotions that they get
overflowed with, which could threaten their chance of having a life with less worries.
 The victims’ families are also affected as they also deal with the consequences of being bullied.
They are the ones the victims have go through with their problems.

Step 4 – Develop a list of options

i. Bullies’ accounts must be terminated by being reported

ii. Victims or witnesses must save their evidence of being bullied such as posts, messages, or other
ways.
iii. Victims should block or ignore the accounts of the people who are harassing them.
iv. Fight cyberbullying with kindness—victims must not fight back.
v. Witnesses should get involved through helping the victims stop or get through the harassment.

Step 5 - Test options (Harm test)

i. Bullies’ accounts must be terminated by being reported

 Harm test: The victim will have a sense of security as they have attempted to cancel the
assault done without taking direct allegations to the bully.
 Publicity test: This choice would be recommended to be shared to the public media—
the public will consider doing the same thing as it will do no harm to the victim.
  Defensibility test: Defending this option against individuals with authority will be
justifiable as it is only done as a form of self defense.
 Reversibility test: Putting the victim and the bully in each other’s shoes will make the
bully realize the hardship the victim had to face as consequence to the case.
 Virtue test: Reporting not only condones warning but also shows that countering virtual
violence without involving one’s self in the situation deeper.
 Professional test: My profession, as it is honorable, the act of stirring away from
defamatory acts will put me in the moral side as I choose to not respond to the issue
that will put me and my profession in danger.
 Colleague test: People who are regularly present around me such as friends, classmates,
professors, and other relatives would choose this option among the rest of the options
as they are likely to avoid more issues to deal with.
ii. Victims or witnesses must save their evidence of being bullied such as posts, messages, or
other ways.
 Harm test: It would be a threat to the bully and help stop any further more actions that
would cause them more harm.
 Publicity test: This choice would not be recommended to be shared to all media—it
would bring light to the victim and the situation, and could result to the bully to have a
more violent reaction.
 Defensibility test: This option can be used to give evidence as the victim attempts to
fight back against the bully, giving them the upper hand in the case as they are the
oppressed.
 Reversibility test: Putting the victim and the bully in each other’s shoes will make the
bully realize the hardship the victim had to face as consequence to the case and end up
regretting as they are opposed with evidence that supports the facts of the events.
 Virtue test: Reporting not only condones warning but also shows that countering virtual
violence without involving one’s self in the situation deeper.
 Professional test: My profession will not be negatively affected as defending one’s self
with the use of facts will not harm the profession.
 Colleague test: People who are regularly present around me such as friends, classmates,
professors, and other relatives would agree with this choice as it will help bring more
justice to the defender.
iii. Victims should block or ignore the accounts of the people who are harassing them.
 Harm test: It would be a harmless solution to ignore the bully but it will not do any
justice to the victim’s feelings—the victim could still feel the pain as they have not
confronted the situation directly.
 Publicity test: This choice would not be recommended to be shared to the media since it
promotes the tolerance of the harassment. It could also encourage the bully to harass
the victim more as they could commit more bullying acts to be noticed.
 Defensibility test: This option will be difficult to defend to a congressional committee as
people of authority usually are more likely to promote taking action.
 Reversibility test: Putting the victim and the bully in each other’s shoes will make the
bully realize the hardship the victim had to face as consequence to the case and end up
regretting as they are opposed with evidence that supports the facts of the events.
  Virtue test: Ignoring or turning the other cheek to the oppressor will raise one’s ethical
values as it would mean trying to understand the bully more.
 Professional test: My profession could be negatively affected if the bully ends up trying
to attack once more.
 Colleague test: People who are regularly present around me such as friends, classmates,
professors, and other relatives would choose this option among the rest of the options
as they are likely to avoid more issues to deal with.
iv. Fight cyberbullying with kindness—victims must not fight back.
 Harm test. The victim would need a lot of courage to face their bully. Friends and family
can help approach the bully and reason out without further threats.
 Publicity test: This choice would be recommended to be shared to the public media—
the public will consider doing the same thing as it will do no harm to the victim. It also
promotes ethical values.
 Defensibility test: This option will not be difficult to defend to a congressional
committee as people of authority would less likely tolerate fighting violence with
violence.
 Reversibility test: Putting the victim and the bully in each other’s shoes will make the
bully realize the hardship the victim had to face as consequence to the case and end up
regretting as they are opposed with evidence that supports the facts of the events.
 Virtue test: Ignoring or turning the other cheek to the oppressor will raise one’s ethical
values as it would mean trying to understand the bully more.
 Professional test: My profession could end up positively affected as there were no risks
taken to fight back. There is only peace and harmony to maintain as the option is to take
place.
 Colleague test: People who are regularly present around me such as friends, classmates,
professors, and other relatives would choose this option among the rest of the options
as they are likely to avoid more issues to deal with.
v. Join an organization which fights against cyberbullying and meet people who victims can
relate to.
 Harm test: Victims will not have the feeling of being alone as they try to get through the
harassment or while moving on from it.
 Publicity test: This choice would not be recommended to be shared to all media—it
would bring light to the victim and the situation, but in a way where there is more
support involved as there are others who are willing to fight with the victim.
 Defensibility test: This option can be used to give evidence as the victim attempts to
fight back against the bully, giving them the upper hand in the case as they are the
oppressed.
 Reversibility test: Putting the victim and the bully in each other’s shoes will make the
bully realize the hardship the victim had to face as consequence to the case and end up
regretting as they are opposed with evidence that supports the facts of the events.
 Virtue test: Reporting not only condones warning but also shows that countering virtual
violence without involving one’s self in the situation deeper.
  Professional test: My profession will not be negatively affected as defending one’s self
with the support of other people who understands the actual situation are able to
support the assaulted.
 Colleague test: People who are regularly present around me such as friends, classmates,
professors, and other relatives would agree with this choice. Joining an organization
when one cannot cope normally is a good way to related and understand other people’s
feelings as they have experienced the same thing.

Step 6 - Make a tentative choice

The problem—cyber harassment, was evaluated with steps 1 to 5. A choice among all solutions was
made in order to have a resolution to the problem. The tests were harm test, reversibility test,
defensibility test, reversibility test, virtue test, professional test and colleague test.

There is thorough consideration as the evaluation was taking place as it did not only test the effectivity
but also the morality of choosing what is the best. The chosen option is believed to be the best as it
possesses the most number of positive evaluation.

Step 7 – Make final choice

Through assessing the possible outcomes, the most recommended option as a resolution to the problem
is to fight cyberbullying with kindness. It is better to confront bullies with peace and understand the
reasons for their actions. Giving chance to speak up and be understood could resolve the problem and
also create a mutual understanding between all parties.

The chosen alternative can be done as much as necessary unless it has a possibility of having zero effect.
The alternative should not be chosen once a negative effect resurfaces and affects the victims in worse
ways.

Although it could result to worse circumstances, the victim will not affect their career, education, or
future in these subjects as they have attempted to resolve problems through acts of peace. As
evidenced by the People Power Revolution which happened in EDSA, fighting violence with peace has
only resulted into the best case scenario. The Anti Cyberbullying Act of 2015 also supports victims and
encourages them to stand up against the bullying. Through sharing in social media platforms by
vlogging, tweeting, and posting, it helps uplift the public on how conflicts can be solved without
committing the act of violence and harming other people.