I have written about cybercrimes before; however, due to the number of questions that I receive from expats on the best ways to deal with cyber harassment or cyber bullying, I found myself returning to the subject. It is indeed an important and serious issue because it deals with the safety of individuals and the possibility of crimes being committed. People are ignorant that there is a law here to protect them that punishes criminals with prison and fines.

An Asian expatriate family is being harassed through Facebook and faces a constant nuisance, and does not know what it should do to stop this person or reach him. It's simple for those who know that there is a law for cybercrimes in Kuwait - a severe law that shows no compassion and tolerance for the perpetrators of these crimes, which usually causes a lot of psychological harm to the victims.

Previously, I have to point out that cyber bullying was not considered an issue in Kuwait and was dismissed as "child's play". But in 2015, the government passed a new law called the electronic crimes law. This law saw heated debate between supporters and opponents, as it sought to regulate the mechanism of dealing with electronic media, including social media, of which Twitter is the most widely used in Kuwait.

Many people found the law against public freedoms and a decline of democracy in Kuwait. But this law against cybercrimes had become a necessity. After all, it is a penal law that brings safety and security to Kuwaiti society and users of social media against organized crime, which is often managed by terrorist organizations or criminals.

Cyber bullying is the use of information technology to harm or harass other people in a deliberate manner. In the US, cyber bullying could be limited to posting rumors or gossip about a person on the Internet, bringing about hatred in others' minds, or it may go to the extent of personally identifying victims and publishing materials severely defaming and humiliating them.

The increased use of international technology networks and information systems has led to a lot of risks. It spawned new types of cyber bullying and cybercrimes such as theft and forgery by electronic means, and also offenses against morality and public behaviors, breach of confidentiality regulations, kidnapping and encouraging terrorism. For many years, there was no law in Kuwait against such ill practices on social media. This encouraged many who used technological means to meddle with others outside the scope of criminalization.

To those who may feel that they are under threat on social media, please let me tell you that the Kuwait e-crimes law criminalizes using the Internet or information technology to threaten or blackmail a person to force him to do something or abstain from doing so. The threat of a felony or infringing on the dignity of persons or their honor and reputation will lead to a penalty of imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years and a fine not exceeding KD 20,000 and not less than KD 5,000, or either of them.

The cybercrimes department at the interior ministry can be reached at [email protected]. Don't become a victim!

By Muna Al-Fuzai

[email protected]