Cyberbullying bill on the horizon
by Margot | October 5, 2009 | First Amendment | Comments Off
A cyberbullying bill introduced after a federal judge nullified the jury verdict in the MySpace suicide case has thankfully not been well received. The bill calls for up to two years in prison for electronic speech meant to “coerce, intimidate, harass or cause substantial emotional distress to a person”.
One of the bill’s opponents, R-Texas Gohmert, joked that the bill could target mean-spirited liberal bloggers who harass him and his family regularly.
Joking aside, there’s no question that the proposed bill treads on dangerous, probably unconstitutional, first amendment grounds. Journalists of both old and new media should take notice, and take offense.
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