Bengo4.com Hosts a Special 20th Anniversary Symposium on Online Backlash and Cyberbullying

Bengo4.com, Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo; Taichiro Motoe, President and CEO, Lawyer) announces that it held a special 20th anniversary symposium on Friday, July 4, 2025, on online backlash and Cyberbullying exploring the root causes and possible solutions to online Cyberbullying and public backlash from the perspectives of law, media, politics, platform providers, and affected individuals. Archived footage of the symposium will be available on the Bengoshi.com News YouTube channel to reach a wider audience.



Panel Discussion 1: The Realities of the Harms of Cyberbullying

Panel Discussion 2: Creating a Society Without Cyberbullying and Online Backlash

■ What is the Special 20th Anniversary Symposium on Online Backlash and Cyberbullying?
The Symposium on Online Backlash and Cyberbullying brought together speakers from a range of perspectives, including victims, policymakers, and lawyers, for panel discussions that explored challenges and measures from the on-site experiences of all involved. Influencers, TV personalities, politicians, and legal experts came together to dive deep into the nature and future of the issues at hand from a legal, policy, technology, and public awareness perspective.
 
■ Symposium Background
Since its founding, Bengo4.com has operated under the principle of making lawyers more accessible, aiming to create a society where anyone can easily access legal knowledge, bridging the gap between the internet and the law. However, with the rapid growth of the Internet, verbal attacks, such as Cyberbullying and online backlash, have become part of our everyday lives, sometimes devolving into serious legal and social problems. These problems are not limited to celebrities. Anyone can become either an unintentional perpetrator or a victim. That is why we believe that a shift in individual consciousness is truly needed, along with improvements in the legal system, public awareness action, and other social efforts.
The symposium brought together speakers from a range of perspectives, including victims, lawyers, politicians, and media editors, where they discussed the realities of harm and paths toward social solutions. Archived footage of the symposium is now available for a wider audience.
 
■ Overview of the Bengo4.com Special 20th Anniversary Symposium on Online Backlash and Cyberbullying Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion 1: The Realities of the Harms of Cyberbullying
MINAMI, who was the victim of Cyberbullying through social media and video streaming sites, speaks candidly about the realities of the harm and its impact on her mental and physical health. Lawyer Shimizu added legal insight into the situation, explaining the level of protection offered by current laws.
Video URL: https://youtu.be/1iAbbDls6XQ
 
Speakers (in no particular order):
- MINAMI (influencer)
- Yohei Shimizu (Co-Chair Partner Attorney at Law, ALCIEN Law Office)
- Sakiko Yamaguchi (Editor-in-Chief, Bengoshi.com News)
 
Panel Discussion 2: Creating a Society Without Cyberbullying and Online Backlash
Victims of Cyberbullying, politicians, and lawyers join a panel discussion bringing together the diverse perspectives of legal systems, laws, platforms, content creators, and the media to create a shared vision for society where people can feel safe speaking out.
Video URL: https://youtu.be/OGaF_Zlq3Ok
 
Speakers (in no particular order):
- Koki Ozora (member of the House of Representatives)
- Yohei Shimizu (Co-Chair Partner Attorney at Law, ALCIEN Law Office)
- Nagisa Watanabe (TV personality)
- Sakiko Yamaguchi (Editor-in-Chief, Bengoshi.com News)