Law about cyberbullying?
Answers
Explanation:
Examples of State Cyberbullying Laws
Although cyberbullying is considered a relatively new form of harassment and intimidation, most state have school sanctions (and some have criminal penalties) for cyberbullying or electronic harassment in general. However, only about a dozen of those states have school sanctions for acts of cyberbullying committed off-campus. Below is a sampling of state laws addressing cyberbullying:
California - State law defines "bullying" in the context of an educational facility to include "communications … by means of an electronic act," while the Safe Place to Learn Act, along with other code sections, establish a student’s "inalienable right to attend classes on school campuses that are safe, secure, and peaceful." The use of "an electronic communication device" to cause someone to fear for their life is charged as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
Florida - Florida's "Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act" prohibits bullying of any K-12 student or staff member, including specific references to cyberbullying (defined as "bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication"). The law doesn't include criminal sanctions for such acts, but directs school districts to draft policies and to report instances of bullying.
Missouri - Cyberbullying is defined by Missouri statute as bullying "through the transmission of a communication including, but not limited to, a message, text, sound, or image by means of an electronic device;" school employees are required to report any known instances of bullying. An individual who uses social media to bully another person (with violent threats, specifically) may be charged with harassment, a Class A misdemeanor, but this becomes a Class D felony if the victim is 17 or younger (and the defendant is 21 or older) or if the defendant has a prior harassment conviction.