Cyberbullying: Does the law need to be strengthened?
Are the consequences of cyberbullying too slack? Are cyberbullies getting away with murder?
Photo by J_O_I_D (Flickr)
A US mother whose cyberbullying resulted in the suicide of a teenage girl has had her conviction overturned on appeal. For those who haven’t heard the story, Lori Drew created a MySpace account under the name of “Josh Evans” and used the account to harass a 13-year old neighbour, Megan Meier, who committed suicide after being told by “Evans” that the world would be a better place without her. Drew was subsequently convicted of violating MySpace’s Terms of Service (ToS).
District Court Judge George Wu overturned the initial ruling stating that:
“Treating a violation of a website’s terms of services … to constitute ‘intentionally accessing a computer without authorisation’ … would result in transforming (the law) into an overwhelmingly overbroad enactment that would convert a multitude of otherwise innocent internet users into misdemeanant criminals.”
The real question here, however, is why Drew faced such a minor charge in the first place. Shouldn’t a (supposedly) responsible adult who bullies a young person into suicide face much more substantial charges than simply having violated a website’s ToS?
What do you think? What would have been a more appropriate charge – and penalty – for Drew? If this had have happened in Canada, do you think the consequences would have been any different?
There are way too many adult bullys and adult bullying should be against the law.
As far as I’m concerned, she killed that girl and should be held responsible for her death. She made that MySpace profile for the intent purpose of harassing Megan Meier, and that action resulted in her suicide. It’s pathetic that they only considered it a violation of MySpace’s terms of agreement.
Totally disagree with the ruling. This was an ADULT harassing a 13 year old and not being convicted for intent to harm. I don’t have much faith in the Canadian justice system so I don’t think anything Canada done would’ve been better than what happened there. My condolences to the Meier family.
the internet is far too full of bullies who post ignorant comments under the guise of anonymity without fear of reprisal – and that is exactly what needs to happen – that woman was directly responsible for that girl’s death and at the very least should have gotten curb-stomped for it. getting away with it like she did is only going to embolden others to do the same – too many ppl hide behind the anonymous internet just so they can say nasty things for the fun of it
i get so tired of reading ignorant comments on websites like youtube and i wish there could be some form of reprisal system for that kind of behavior – freedom of speech is such a cop out (im really getting sick of seeing words like f*g, c**t, and n****r)
I see it as asault, physical or verbal or psycoligcal, it`s asault !
I can’t understand why that adult wasn’t prosecuted under child protection laws. It was a case of emotional abuse to say the least. Whether in Canada or in the States, laws are there to protect children from adults who wish to harm them either physically or emotionally and in Canada, that is until they reach the age of 16. More thought should have been put into possible charges, rather than one that would ultimatelly been appealed.
If if were up to me, I would put Drew away for life. She is pure trash, and what do we do with trash?
In no way should we allow draconian legislation becasue of bad judgment and overreaction. Bullying is not cool, but to sensor and pass legislation “for your own good” is nothing we should even be considering.
This is a bad idea. Where does it end? People can cry foul for anything that they consider offensive. Freedom of speach would be under tremendous assault. Who would decide whats acceptable and whats not?
“*** … would result in transforming (the law) into an overwhelmingly overbroad enactment that would convert a multitude of otherwise innocent internet users into misdemeanant criminals.***”
No, not ever should people consider this. Or be TRICKED into it for the agenda of a very few.
We already have laws for what this woman did… its called ‘harrasment’.
And for those who havent given any real thought to this and are blind to giving up thier personal freedoms, lets take a look at what happens when you allow laws to get out of hand “for your own good / safety”….
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/britain-to-put-cctv-cameras-inside-private-homes/
I just read this column and felt sick.
If Lori Drew had personally committed this act of harassing Megan Meier (or anyone else for that matter) you can be sure charges of harassment, or at the least restraining orders would be issued before the young person took her life. The act would have been visible to other parties and there would have been consequences.
Lori Drew knew what she was doing. She knew how to do it. She hid behind a false identity. She used the internet in a reckless fashion. It resulted in the death of another person.
Lori Drew, if you had been driving your car it in reckless fashion (for what ever reason) and it resulted in the death of another person, vehicular manslaughter charges could easily be laid.
Shame on you Lori Drew.
Shame on the legal system for not protecting the next Megan Meier. If an incident like this doesn’t prompt the legal system to send a clear message that Lori Drew’s actions were wrong, what will it take. No one (let alone an adult) should be allowed to push around young person to the point of death.
I agree that the penalty should have been more severe, but I am also curious as to the reason Lori Drew did what she did. There has got to be a reason that she acted in this way, and I think that that knowledge should also be in this “article”.
What was the roll of Megan’s parents in this? They didn’t comply with the rules on MySpace. They allowed their daughter to interact with a stranger online. Parents need to know who their kids are talking to both online and off. This young lady ahd a history of mental illness and her parents should have been monitoring her computer. Adults can’t continue to give kids technology without also supplying rules and safety education. The situation is tragic, however if Drew’s conviction would have been upheld far too many people would be facing criminal charges for bad choices.
First of all, the statement that “cyberbullying resulted in the suicide of a teenage girl” is incorrect. It may have contributed but it was certainly not “the” cause. The press seems to get this wrong most of the time. It is, hwoever, a better way to draw in readers than stating that Megan’s mental illness and the fight she had with her mom moments before killing herself were probably just as big if not bigger contributors than the vile behavior of Lori Drew. Without having someone to single out as an object of hatred the story loses some of its draw.
I’m sorry Olivia but UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES is it alright for a grown person to bully and speak to a child in this manner. As a Social Worker, I can confirm that there are laws in place to be used when an adult intimidates and harasses a child.
Every young person is going through these so called “mental” problems – it’s called PUBERTY. If a fight with ones parents was to blame, I shudder tho think about how many kids would be taking their own lives.
There are laws and rules against bullying in school to keep young people from bullying each other. How can it be okay for an adult to go into a childs bedroom in the home where she is supposed to be safe from persecution, and bully her?
Hello?!?!?! Olivia, my question to you is, what would your stance be if it was your daughter who committed suicide because of this? I have 4 daughters and I would take personal offense if someone invaded my home to intimidate one of them.
First off, the computer does NOT belong in a child’s room. Second if the child is talking to someone online, as a parent you need to know who that person really is before the relationship developes. I don’t disagree that Lori Drew’s involvement in inexcusable, but criminal, no.
No thirteen year old girl should be given the liberty to have an online relationship with anyone that is unknown to the parents. By allowing Megan to get involved with this
alleged young man and develop feelings for him was a hugh mistake. Every parents need to closely monitor their child’s online frriendships. Just go to the social networking sites like MySpace and kids had 600 friends or more. There is no way that they know all of them, so they are talking to strangers. As your Mom taught you and me as a child, YOU Don’t Talk to Strangers, PERIOD!
As much as I dislike with Lori Drew did, she is not the key factor as to why this child took such drastic measures.
The computer should never have been in her bedroom, she should not have had a MySpace account, especially when she lied about her age, she should not have been allowed to talk with a stranger online, etc. Need I say more? Children need to be closely supervised, especially when they have any type of a mental disorder and PUBERTY is not a clinical term. Too many other factor are involved in this tragedy and the parents grief and anger is what fueled the media. This is tragic for everyone involved and I am not defending Drew’s actions, she was an idiot but not a criminal.
100% true
The problem is. Laws have become unable to deal with the rapid advancement of technology; i.e. criminals are able to perpetrate crimes in ways that the law wasnt designed to deal with when it was originally legislated. The law has essentially in my view become quite antiquated on many different fields, and I believe that Cyber crimes are among the forefront of that issue. To Olivia: Yes this girls suicide is probably not the sole result of the actions by Lori Drew. That being said, however, you cannot deny that the intimidation and depredation of a young, and obviously troubled, girl did not act as a catalyst towards her suicide. Not being a lawyer, nor familiar with the US. Legal system I would say that Criminal negligence resulting in death is the least I would charge her with, and I believe that she, as an adult, should take full responsibility for her actions. I agree with the majority of people here who would like to see and end to the indiscriminate attacks on people via the internet. The internet is a wonderful tool, but among its chief attribute, being its education stimulant, other less savory attributes have snuck in. Those being for the promotion of hatred, racism, sexual debauchery, and verbal abuse.
I believe that the law needs to be restructured to cope with these pressing issues.
Olivia and Carolyn, in some ways you are both right. There must of been more in the young teenage girls life that made her commit suicide than just one cyberbully. It definitely contributed and was in part the cause, but there is surely more to the story than is published to the public eye. There is no circumstance that an adult (or even from another teenager) should speak in the manner that was done, and a level of punishment should be dealt with to the guilty. My questions would be how was Megan’s mental state prior to the suicide and how was she coping with everday life. Also, a question to Lori would be why? What could Megan have done to her to warrant such verbal abuse.
The Meier family has my condolences but lets be adult about this. So because of some A-hole you guys think we should all lose our freedom of speech? Freedom of speech is meant for unpopular speech, not popular. If you don’t like seeing f*g, c**t, and n****r then don’t look. No one is forcing you to turn on your computer. Maybe you would prefer something like Nazi Germany, or China where no one can say anything that the government doesn’t agree with. Cyberbullying acts are just an excuse to control free speech. Read the act before you form an opinion.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/14/cyberbullying-ensnare-free-speech-rights/
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h6123/show
Did no one else sing “sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me” when they were kids?
Cyberbullying is still bullying, regardless if it by a teenager or an adult appropriate action needs to be taken at the legal level to crimilaize the act and deal with the individuals. No one should be able to hide behind anonymous names when they act in a manner that should be or is illegal.
Regardless of Lori Drews reasons, or perceived reasons, she should be in jail as her actions were to damage the metal state of a young person.
This happen to me through myspace with a game called mobsters. I hada guy who I would block new ID, block new ID, block new ID. I have made a report to mobsters and to myspace on this. The people who stood up for me he also made threats to them. He told a person who stood up for me that he won’t stop it until he stops playing the game this is cyber bullying I have reported this problem to Mobsters and to myspace and they have done nothing about it. The social networking companies need to take action on this for this is wrong when someone on a game gets that bent out of shape and makes threats they nee to do something about it.
[...] there is no doubt that kids are at risk from online bullies and predators, as the sad case of Megan Meier clearly demonstrates, is providing them with a panic button really the best way of dealing with the [...]
see she was 13. this is ridiculous that this happened. yes i agree., but she shouldnt have gone through that anyway
The online world is fraught with danger, and adults masquerading as teenagers for various nefarious reasons, from paedophiles through to just plain emotional blackmail, as is the case here. There should be better controls to prevent this type of tragedy from happening.