• Massachusetts to introduce legislature banning online harrassment
    43 replies, posted
[url]http://wbztv.com/local/anti.bullying.bill.2.1514152.html[/url] [quote]BOSTON WBZ - The Joint Committee of Education has created an single anti-bullying bill that the State Senate is expected to vote on next month. Initially, there were dozens of bills designed to crack down on bullying in schools. The Joint Committee of Education compiled all those pieces of legislation into one for lawmakers to vote on. If approved, children in grades kindergarten through 12 will have anti-bullying education every year as part of their curriculum. Every school district and private school will be have to develop a bullying intervention and prevention plan, and teachers and staff will be required to report any instance of bullying immediately. This also includes and cases of cyber bullying. Supporters of the bill say these days, bullying means more than just taking someone's lunch money. Just last month, a South Hadley teen took her own life after she was allegedly bullied by her peers on Facebook and through text messages.[/quote] Basically if you make fun of someone online or ridicule them, Massachusetts is going to place you under arrest if this passes. [b]Does this violate the Constitution?[/b] No, the First Amendment only protects speech that is not harmful to others.
Bullys are a natural part of growing up. Learning that you can't be on top from a young age keeps you balanced as you get older.
Kids need to be exposed to stuff like this early. If you go into college thinking everyone loves you and life is perfect you are in for an extremely rude awaking.
[QUOTE=FFStudios;20426640] [b]Does this violate the Constitution?[/b] No, the First Amendment only protects speech that is not harmful to others.[/QUOTE] What are you talking about? This isn't true at all. The exceptions to free speech are 'fighting words' (things that can incite violence), obscenity (defined by the Miller test), and libel/slander.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;20426664]Bullys are a natural part of growing up. Learning that you can't be on top from a young age keeps you balanced as you get older.[/QUOTE] But bullying teaches bullies the exact opposite.
Massachusetts sucks anyways.
You cannot stop the internet.
This country is turning into a nation of fucking carebears.
[QUOTE=Bassplaya7;20426923]What are you talking about? This isn't true at all. The exceptions to free speech are 'fighting words' (things that could incite violence, obscenity (defined by the Miller test), and libel/slander.[/QUOTE] Harassment is a crime. If proven, depending on the severity and frequency of the conduct and the harasser's prior criminal record, harassment can be punishable as either a gross misdemeanor or a felony. Harassment can mean many things. It can refer to the actions of a person (or group) who is repeatedly sending you threatening letters, calling you on the phone, or repeatedly sending you unwanted gifts. It can also involve behavior such as following you, watching you, and coming to your place of work or home. This behavior is commonly referred to as "stalking". Harassment can also include intentionally exposing you to materials which the harasser knows, or has reason to know, are culturally offensive or intimidating to you. It is not necessary that the harasser intend for the conduct to produce feelings of fear or intimidation in the victim, only that the harasser has reason to know that the conduct would cause such feelings. In some instances, harassment results from infatuation or romantic obsession. The harasser does not intend for the behavior to make the victim fearful; the harasser is trying to prove "love" for the victim. The law now reflects the understanding that, regardless of the motivation for the conduct, it disrupts the victim's life and may threaten the victim's safety. Harassment is extremely frustrating to deal with, and can be difficult to prove in court. However, if there is sufficient evidence, you can get a restraining order and the offender can be charged with a crime, either for violating the order or for the harassment itself. The law which allows you to get a restraining order defines harassment as "repeated, intrusive or unwanted acts, words or gestures that are intended to adversely affect the safety, security or privacy of another, regardless of the relationship between the actor and the intended target." (M.S. § 609.749, Subd. I). This type of harassment also includes the picketing of your home by a group. Criminal harassment is defined as "engag(ing) in intentional conduct which the actor [harasser] knows or has reason to know would cause the victim, under the circumstances, to feel frightened, threatened, oppressed, persecuted, or intimidated; and causes this reaction on the part of the victim. (M.S. § 609.749, Subd. I). Such conduct can include following or pursuing you, returning to your property without your consent, making repeated phone calls, inducing you to make calls, causing your phone to repeatedly ring, repeatedly mailing or delivering unwanted letters, objects, or gifts to you
I wouldn't call online harassment "harassment" though. When it's online, it's avoidable. When it's happening to you in person, it isn't.
[img]http://ericatwitts.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/big-brother-is-watching-you1.jpeg[/img]
okay enforce it
It's just one of those "Feel good" laws that are impossible to enforce en mass. relax.
Fuk you [highlight]User was banned for this reason:((TROL LOL- Massachusetts))[/highlight]
also, as someone who was bullied; all of the anti-bullying bullshit never helped because it was all synthetic spoon-fed bullshit that didn't comfort me. it didn't convince me that i should talk to teachers because i was convinced that i was being bullied differently from the generic LUNCH MONEY bullies that were being shown so nobody would belive me
why doesnt boston stfu about the internet and ban harrasment IN SCHOOL. i know bullys are part of our lives but online harrasment can be settled out by turning of your laptop
[QUOTE=Zeke129;20426928]But bullying teaches bullies the exact opposite.[/QUOTE] No because bullies in turn get beat up by the system.
[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;20427588][img]http://ericatwitts.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/big-brother-is-watching-you1.jpeg[/img][/QUOTE] No.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;20427527]I wouldn't call online harassment "harassment" though. When it's online, it's avoidable. When it's happening to you in person, it isn't.[/QUOTE] Have you missed the numerous times "anonymous" or whatever internet tough guys call themselves these days have posted just about al the details about a person they can, including contact details(address, phone number, etc)?
Does this mean if I piss someone off who lives in Massachusetts online, they can't piss me off or else they can get arrested. If so, awesome....
Oh god, i can see already how much this'll fail.
This is just like the button they (the US government) wanted to install on keyboards so that if a kid was being owned badly online while playing CS:S, he could press said button and the police would immediately investigate the situation. Well, obviously, we haven't heard anything since. I have a good feeling this bill may be the same way.
Bullies are a natural part of growing up.
snip
I assumed this was already punishable. It should be. [QUOTE=cheeseman52;20426708]Kids need to be exposed to stuff like this early. If you go into college thinking everyone loves you and life is perfect you are in for an extremely rude awaking.[/QUOTE] You think school would be perfect and easy without bullies?
[QUOTE=Zeke129;20427527]I wouldn't call online harassment "harassment" though. When it's online, it's avoidable. When it's happening to you in person, it isn't.[/QUOTE] Not if it's, say, somebody making a Facebook account with your name and making people think you're gay. Or posting someone's personal details to a certain [url=www.4chan.org]less reputable forum.[/url] The problem with this kind of legislation is that people (especially online) assume that "cyber bullying" means making an AIM account and spamming people with "lol u suk ahahhahha", the same way grownups once assumed that bullying meant kids getting beaten up or robbed. [editline]12:04PM[/editline] Also what the fuck I don't see anything about the thread title in the article
[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;20432938]Bullies are a natural part of growing up.[/QUOTE] [img]http://i50.tinypic.com/14137g7.png[/img]
[QUOTE=BaconDioxide;20433652][img]http://i50.tinypic.com/14137g7.png[/img][/QUOTE] But it's not suicide due to bullying, it's suicide due to not knowing how to deal with bullying.
[QUOTE=Perfumly;20433710]But it's not suicide due to bullying, it's suicide due to not knowing how to deal with bullying.[/QUOTE] I don't think you're thinking about the type of bullying I'm thinking about.
[QUOTE=BaconDioxide;20433725]I don't think you're thinking about the type of bullying I'm thinking about.[/QUOTE] What kind of bullying are you thinking about then?
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