Voltaire wouldn't like this one bit.
Representative Linda Sanchez (D-CA) has proposed the The Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act to Congress in the wake of the 2006 suicide of 13-year-old Megan Meier who was harassed on MySpace. It makes emails, IM's and other forms of e-communications a felony if “the intent is to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person.”
Indeed. Believe me, there are a few trolls who serve no other purpose but to insult and demean anyone who doesn't fall into lockstep with them, and I'd personally love to see them in person and ask them to repeat themselves. Sadly, 99.9% of them are too cowardly for that sort of thing. Most of them won't even write under their real names.
That said, this bill is nonsense on so many levels. I know the Obama administration has behaved like a bunch of teenagers with Daddy's credit card at times, and taken the family plane out for a joy ride from time to time, but must we also legislate on the basis of a hormonal teenage girl?
Megan Meier offed herself because her online beau broke up with her (let's overlook for just a moment the fact that said "beau" was actually the adult mother of another schoolgirl). That is terribly sad for the Meier family, but brokenhearted, hormone-ravaged teenage girls do this sort of thing all the time. Usually to the tune of some pop schmaltz stuck on "repeat" on the old CD player or iPod. Oh Lord, deliver me from teenage melodrama! I wouldn't consent to relive those years for all the lead in Chinese toy factories.
As long as there has been childhood, there have been bullies. And with the invention of the Internet, childhood extends out a lot longer for some of those bullies. Usually a good knock in the teeth stops a schoolyard bully in his tracks. On the Internet, I find the old-fashioned practice of shunning to be quite effective. But to have the nanny-state intervene on my behalf is as pathetic as running to the teacher because I can't hold my own at recess. Some people are weak and/or unstable and no amount of government intervention will protect them to the degree that they need protecting.
From another perspective, how long before this is applied to political speech? In Europe and Canada, free speech has already gone by the wayside. You mustn't write anything that is (in the example of Canada's Human Rights Code, Section 13.1) "likely to expose a person or persons to hatred or contempt". So my earlier remark about the lead in Chinese toys? Illegal, despite its veracity. Truth is no defense when hurt feelings are involved.
Democrats are the party of drive-thru abortions and WalMart looters. Republicans are gun-toting potential terrorists. Do you feel exposed to hatred and contempt yet? No, me neither. But you just know that some thin-skinned person on the edge will consider this the straw that breaks their back, right before launching themselves off a rooftop patio and leaving their family to file suit against me. Yawn.
Three or four times a week I am greeted by reminders in my inbox of bills and invoices that are past-due (Disproving the myth that all Republicans are rich. Ahem.). These reminders stress me out. They keep me up some nights, worrying about what to do next. Will Ms. Sanchez and her merry band of censors please get these bullies off my back?
The Internet is a place that bullies feel comfortable being bullies because they can remain anonymous. In the same vein, us nice, normal folk have that same advantage. We don't have to spill our guts to perfect strangers in cyberspace. They never have to know that we're fat, or black, or poor, or crippled, or ugly. If they are bullying us for these things, it's because we put ourselves out there for them to pick apart. Unlike the schoolyard, Megan Meier wasn't forced to go to MySpace. She didn't have to spark up a conversation with a fake boy. And when things began to go pear-shaped, she didn't have to kill herself.
Megan Meier opted out of life, instead of opting out of the Internet.
Comments
I think that is a very important point that is missing in the coverage - she killed herself over a boy. A very mean-spirited (and ultimately fake) boy, but still, a boy. She didn't know that he was fake, she didn't know how awful her "friends" were.
You can't legislate away hurt feelings, though they certainly keep trying. You can't legislate and infer intent. I've called people a few things online that they found amusing, or even flattering, that might be offensive to someone else. Will I be charged for "second-hand distress"?
"a felony if “the intent is to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person.”"
This happens every day on blogs like this and everywhere else. The name calling and school yard taunts would be encompassed in this bill.
DU and Daily KKKOS would be a lawyers drem. ALL the work you want.
Regrettably it is a sad fact that teenage suicide over matters like this were happening long before the internet. What kind of sick adult would get pleasure over tormenting a 13 year old is the real concern. However you're spot on about this proposed "Cyberbullying" being over the top and ridiculous. Have we become that much of a bunch of mamby-pambys. I would be willing to bet if something like this ever did get passed, it would be enforced selectively just like 'hate-crimes'.
Harry, you beast! You called us namby-pamby! I'm offended, and will press charges!
W
The way the bill is written there's no reason to think that speech would not be restricted. For more on its content go to my article on the matter
I agree with what others have said in that it is the parents responsiblity to monitor what their children are doing on line.
Would you allow your child to read a Hustler magazine? The answer is hopefully no- then why would you let them get on line with no filter as they could run across material much more offensive than this.
The woman was a sicko that did this, but my anger is at this poor girls parents.
The best program for kids is parents for online blocking. This will be used to make the web less free or so they think. The regulators are in heat overt getting at the internet to do what they have done to us in our cities. Regulate us to death with fines. It has the added benefit of politico's favoring this since some are plain crooks.
Grow a thick skin or get over yourself if you want to be online is my advice.
Nobody ever called in councilors when kids goy killed in my schools. This society is so fragile because of PC & maintains lies as truth, its become a neurotic generator.
Self Image holds no candle to the violent predator mankind is. We don’t teach self survival anymore. We have an imaginary police & government for that. Imaginary in the fact they are neither concerned for our benefit as individuals or our safety. They have stolen this from us as well with no means to protect ourselves. Nor can we even confront our tormenters. God help us if a war came to these shores. The Liberals have a lot to answer for.
JMO
D:
"I know the Obama administration has behaved like a bunch of teenagers with Daddy's credit card at times"
Are you kidding me? Not like Bush and his false wars right? The man that put himself through school, including Harvard, is a spoiled brat? Hmmmmm, I'm sure that you made similar comments about George "alcoholic, cokehead" Bush, (not to mention his wife whom committed vehicular manslaughter, DRUNK)...Anyway, this is why the conservative movement has come to a jarring halt. No new ideas, name calling, and the biggest joke...you are pro-bullying? America doesn't understand your ridiculous positions. They understand Barack because he shows empathy for his fellow man. Sorry, but just keep digging that hole...
Clinton, you spend an awful lot of time name-calling, yourself. Do you really want this legislation? Think about it.
"They understand Barack because he shows empathy for his fellow man." Bwhah-HAHAHAHAHAHA! Man this guy can't be taken seriously.
Clinton, see the definition of FASCISM.
As a political philosophy, it describes an authoritarian regime that exalts the state above the individual, readily resorts to military action to solve international disputes and seeks to control every aspect of the nation's existence — political, social, religious and economic. Fascism does not embrace communism's devotion to a classless society. First applied to Benito Mussolini's National Fascist Party in Italy in the 1920s, and later to Adolf Hitler's National Socialist Workers' Party in Germany and Francisco Franco's Falange Española Tradicionalista in Spain.
Sound like your exalted Obama? Al of us who thought he was a Socialist were very wrong.
He is a FASCIST! He will be stopped.
Clinton, I thought you were a secret right-wing operative posing as a clueless progressive and now I'm almost certain, so for the rest of you guys I wouldn't pay him a lot of attention as he is most likely one of us. Probably should not have exposed him, but I was concerned that others on the post were getting their blood pressure elevated for no reason.
Clinton you work has been excellent as you have undermined all of the left's causes with inarticulate argument never supported by any facts, just wild eyed emotionalism...
I'm sorry to have let the cat out of the bag, but you work is finished here and you should seek another alias and begin to impersonate air headed left wingers elsewhere. I would suggest going to liberal blogs and use the same approach as you may make them want to disassociate with progressive causes. Again your work here was great as you reinforced our stereo types of wild eyed leftist, but a different tactic is now called for.
Clinton, again I’m sorry to have blown your cover as you have done excellent work
So 99.9 percent of bullies are too cowardly to do anything serious. Where did you get that stat. i think 99.9 percent of the people that read your article lost 15 IQ points.
And seriously, hormones caused Megan Meier to off herself? who are you Hannibal Lector, your cold
Wow...what drivel...
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