Saturday, January 25, 2014

What Kinds of Laws May Apply to Cyberbullying Activities?

There are many different kinds of criminal laws and civil laws that might apply to cyberbullying activity, depending on how it is done. These include: • Criminal laws; • Constitutional and civil rights violations (depending on whether the state gives private rights of action); • School rules and regulations; • Regulatory agency regulations; • Hate laws; • Defamation; Impersonation • Illegal intrusion laws; • Terrorism laws; • Hacking-related laws; • Extortion; • Sexual exploitation laws; • Dissemination, production, or possession of obscenity or child pornography; • Privacy laws; • Theft, vandalism, and criminal trespass; • Misappropriation; and • Harassment and bullying/cyberbullying-specific laws. Depending on the jurisdiction, what written policies have been signed by the students and their parents, and whether the school is a public state school or a private non-state supported school, the school may also be able to discipline the students, expel them, or suspend them.