World

New Zealand to make cyberbullying illegal

<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS';  line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">An agency will be set up to work with social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to remove content</span>&nbsp;
An agency will be set up to work with social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to remove content  An agency will be set up to work with social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to remove content 

New Zealand is to make cyberbullying, or trolling, a crime punishable by prison sentences.

The country's parliament approved the Harmful Digital Communications Bill last week and it is expected to come into effect today.

It will mean that people could serve prison sentences for a range of offences including disclosing sensitive facts about another individual or using threatening, racist or obscene language.

An agency will be set up to work with social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to remove content.

Police in Northern Ireland recently warned young people to stay safe online, following the death of Ronan Hughes (17) last month.

Hughes, from Coalisland, Co Tyrone, took his own life after being blackmailed online.