Cyberbullying Bill in Illinois

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Illinois is seemingly about to pass a law to criminalize any instances of cyberbullying that involve a direct threat to another person. Penalties include up to one year in jail for the first instance of harassing someone online, with repeat offenses leading to up to three years imprisonment. Oddly, the bill only mentions web sites or web pages and doesn’t cover other mediums through (or other venues in which) cyberbullying can occur. I figure that more and more of these bills will pop up in various state legislatures over the next year or so. I am concerned, however, that they might cause adults to rest on their laurels now that a law is on the books. There is so much to be done in terms of education, prevention, and extralegal responses. Laws are, and will never be, a panacea.

22 Comments

  1. My 17 year old daughter is being cyber bullied by a 40+ year old woman who was her father's first wife. I am taking this newly passed law as far as I can. I will update and let everyone know if the law is really as effective as they hope.

  2. My 16 year old daughter is being cyberbullied by a classmate and neighbor. He is portraying to be her on differrent websites, putting her picture on trashy websites and putting her personal information all over trashy websites. Her address, first and last name, cell phone number, birthdate, cell phone carrier, etc… has been put on websites. We called the police and were told there are no laws against this and there is nothing they could do. Help!! She is very upset and thinks her life is ruined. I don't know where to go next

    • have your daughter push the subject and block the people from her computer so that she can't see the posts. but first print out anything you can and take it to your local police dept. i feel really bad for your daughter hope she keeps her chin up!

  3. Please, please, don't let this person get away with this. Perhaps you could claim that she is being stalked, I know there are laws, thank god, against stalking someone .

    Good luck to you, perhaps an attorney could be of help.

  4. there's some cyber-bullying going on at "political" websites…I've seen one particularly disturbing site that outs gay politicians and attacks blog commenters by their blog names. For some bloggers this is as damaging in certain ways as attacking them by using their real names.

    The site I'm thinking about also encourages their commenters to attack others. Thanks for posting this.

  5. in the univison chicago chat room is a person with the nick>>>> chikitas3xy that is very ofensive with everybody/ i wold like that someone help us to sove this problem

  6. IN THE UNIVISION CHICAGO CHAT ROOM IS A VERSON UNDER THE NICK>>> CHIKITAS3XY. THAT IS DOING CIBERBULLING. I WOULD LIKE THAT SOMEONE HELP US TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THANKS.

  7. im currently being cyber bullied. im 16 and my police station basically said they cant do anything to stop it. its horrible and there NEEDS to be laws on this. im sick and angry and pissed at the goverment. something needs to be done. its a very lawful thing that is going on literally everywhere.

  8. Grace, please go to your guidance counselor, there is no reason for you to be bullied. You might be able to go to Legal Services to obtain a lawyer to help you. Best, Susan.

  9. After dealing with police and such the kids involved got basically a slap on the wrist. They gave them a warning. I highly doubt anything is going to stop. Its made not only my family and i break down but all our friends and even my dean at my school. They go to a public school whereas i go to a private one so we are all frustrated.

  10. I WANT 2 KNO WOULD THIZ BILL BE VERY EFFECTIVE 2 EVERYONE WHO IZ CYBERBULLING OTHERS AND WOULD THIS ALSO HELP THE ONES WHO ARE DEFINATELY SUFFERING FROM THIZ CAUZE…………………………..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~

  11. I witnessed my older sis be cyberbullied by an ex this ex has put up mean comments on her photos and put ALL of our info all over facebook. wat should i do?

  12. My 14 year old daughter is being cyber bullied now. Found a website she belongs to called "Formspring". This is where anyone can (even if you dont know them) can post a comment to you or ask you a question. Then you respond if you want. I was so appalled that you can post and ask questions anonymously and you have no have no idea who is posting. Many of these posts are telling my daughter that they hate her and she should just go kill herself. If you cant see who posts these things what options do you have? I have banned my kids from the computer now unless it's for homework. I have deleted their Facebook accts. At my wits end. My 24 yr old son has started a web page for this. And I think everyone should start one to try to pull together communities in fighting this.

  13. @Barb.

    I have been through the same thing as your daughter. I see that what you did is in protecting your daughter, but make sure you sit down and make sure your decisions are not punishing your daughter for something she has no control over. When children feel helpless from cyberbulling, they need parents support and the littlest thing can make the child feel more depressed. My suggestion is to go to the police and tell the school. Make sure your daughter feels supported and that she knows you are there. Bring her best friends over and spoil them so she knows she has people, because i know from expierence that thats what we need. I hope i have helped you.

  14. I am 52 and just recently went back to college to finish by bachlor's degree in criminal justice. I am doing a research paper on an aspect of juvenile misbehavior and I picked cyberbullying, I am saddened by the stories I have read and the lack of support by our local police departments. If you can't get authorities to listen to your stories maybe local news channels will. Never give up trying to protect yourself.

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