Members of the U.S. House of Representatives struggled Wednesday for a way to stop Internet bullying of children without violating free speech.
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Bullying always has been mean-spirited, but a House Judiciary subcommittee was told that federal law does not make it a crime to engage in cyberbullying that becomes destructive to its young victims. The worst examples resulted in child suicides.
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Rep. Linda Sanchez’s bill would make severe electronic bullying a crime, defined it as repeated, hostile and severe communications made with intent to harm.
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Sanchez, a Democrat, named her legislation the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act in honor of a 13-year-old Missouri girl who hanged herself in 2006.
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Meier was the victim of an Internet hoax by an adult, Lori Drew, whose conviction under a computer fraud law was tossed out. The judge cited vagueness of the law, which does not involve cyberbullying, and the chance that innocent Internet users could become subject to criminal charges.
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Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz took a different approach in proposing a new federal assistance program. Competitive grants would allow nonprofit Internet safety groups to work with schools and communities to educate them of online dangers.
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Sanchez told the committee, I want to acknowledge how difficult it will be to craft a prohibition on cyberbullying that is consistent with the Constitution. But I also believe that working together for our children, we can and must do so.
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She said annoying e-mails, political blogs and an unfriendly text to an ex-boyfriend should remain legal, while serious, repeated and hostile communications made with intent to harm should constitute a criminal offense.
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I believe that we can protect our right to free speech and victims of cyberbullying at the same time, she told the Judiciary subcommittee on crime, terrorism and homeland security.
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Missouri already has taken action, passing a law that cyberbullying can be charged…