What constitutes illegal cyber bullying?

Posted By Law Offices of Jeffrey C. Grass || 21-Jan-2015

In the information age, there are a number of new tech-related crimes that people are accused of committing, such as computer fraud and cyber bullying. In Dallas, Texas, and throughout the nation, some people aren't even aware of the different internet laws that exist, let alone the harsh consequences that may ruin the life of someone convicted of one of these crimes. As a result, it is imperative for everyone to understand these types of offenses and identify the best course of action to take if they are charged with an internet crime.

Stopbullying.gov, a website which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services manages, gives a number of examples of illegal cyber bullying offenses on their site. Cyber bullying may involve different electronic devices (computers, smartphones, tablets, etc.) and takes many forms. For example, bullying may occur in a chat room, on a social networking site, on a website or through text messaging. Victims may experience online harassment in a number of ways, whether embarrassing pictures of them are shared on a website or they receive mean messages. However, when cyber bullying involves threats, the sending of sexually explicit material involving a minor, stalking, hate crimes or recording someone when they expected privacy, it is unlawful. Furthermore, there are other types of cyber bullying which may be illegal in certain states. It is important to remember that these are serious charges which often create a variety of hardships for those convicted.

Please keep in mind that this information does not constitute legal advice and was put together to provide insight into cyber bullying.