Cyberbullying Laws
Cyberbullying Protection by Law in California and Alabama
Cyberbullying has caused rampant damage all across America. It is a crime that can destroy its victims. In fact, the cyberbully often has more power than a regular bully. Because of the damages incurred through cyberbullying, individual states have created their own laws about cyberbullying. However, America is a democracy, and the federal government has not yet issued laws over the whole county. Though cyberbullying is a prevalent and potentially dangerous problem across all of the United States, each jurisdiction has their own laws about cyberbullying. California and Alabama are two states that try to protect students from cyberbullying. However, the two states alternate political …show more content…
According to Alabama law, cyberbullying is an act of harassment that is committed through any electronic device (England, Alabama). Similarly, England states that in California cyberbullying is viewed as “harassing, intimidating, or annoying another person via electronic communications” (California). In Alabama, harassment is “a continuous pattern of intentional behavior” directed towards one person that is recognized as having a particular characteristic. The law further states that the following acts constitute harassment: placing a student in reasonable fear for his body or property, significantly interfering with performance, opportunities, or benefits of another person, creating a hostile environment and so on (Crain 5). When harassment occurs via any electronic device, it is categorized as cyberbullying. In California, however, cyberbullying in the form of harassment is when any person contact another through some kind of electronic means and uses obscene language or threatens. The other type of cyberbullying is posting personal information in order to cause fear (England, California).
California was actually one of the first states to write laws that specifically address cyberbullying (Analysis of Policy Regarding Cyberbullying). Calif. Educ. Code Sec. 32260-32261 requires all schools to include thorough policies in their safety plan. It also requires students …show more content…
In Alabama, each school has a cyberbullying policy, and an official designated for filing complaints. They will provide authorize forms for complaints (England, Alabama). According to England, California is also more thorough in the requirements it makes of the schools. All schools need a process for filing cyberbullying complaints, and for investigating them. The schools are also required to deal with incidents of suspected bullying, establish an appeal process for a student who is challenged, and outlaw retaliation against a students who reports bullying.
Cyberbullying has caused rampant damage all across America. It is a crime that can destroy its victims. In fact, the cyberbully often has more power than a regular bully. Because of the damages incurred through cyberbullying, individual states have created their own laws about cyberbullying. However, America is a democracy, and the federal government has not yet issued laws over the whole county. Though cyberbullying is a prevalent and potentially dangerous problem across all of the United States, each jurisdiction has their own laws about cyberbullying. California and Alabama are two states that try to protect students from cyberbullying. However, the two states alternate political …show more content…
According to Alabama law, cyberbullying is an act of harassment that is committed through any electronic device (England, Alabama). Similarly, England states that in California cyberbullying is viewed as “harassing, intimidating, or annoying another person via electronic communications” (California). In Alabama, harassment is “a continuous pattern of intentional behavior” directed towards one person that is recognized as having a particular characteristic. The law further states that the following acts constitute harassment: placing a student in reasonable fear for his body or property, significantly interfering with performance, opportunities, or benefits of another person, creating a hostile environment and so on (Crain 5). When harassment occurs via any electronic device, it is categorized as cyberbullying. In California, however, cyberbullying in the form of harassment is when any person contact another through some kind of electronic means and uses obscene language or threatens. The other type of cyberbullying is posting personal information in order to cause fear (England, California).
California was actually one of the first states to write laws that specifically address cyberbullying (Analysis of Policy Regarding Cyberbullying). Calif. Educ. Code Sec. 32260-32261 requires all schools to include thorough policies in their safety plan. It also requires students …show more content…
In Alabama, each school has a cyberbullying policy, and an official designated for filing complaints. They will provide authorize forms for complaints (England, Alabama). According to England, California is also more thorough in the requirements it makes of the schools. All schools need a process for filing cyberbullying complaints, and for investigating them. The schools are also required to deal with incidents of suspected bullying, establish an appeal process for a student who is challenged, and outlaw retaliation against a students who reports bullying.