California "Cyber-Bully" Bill Takes Effect January 1, 2011

With this recent bill that was passed, it is now illegal to bully someone online and using a false impersonation of someone to target a victim. Cyber bullying is like the same as bullying in person. You may be behind a computer screen and writing horrible rumors and false statements about someone but it works the same way as physical bullying. Those that are caught committing this crime are fined up to $1,000 and/or up to one year in jail. Along with this bill, cyber stalking would also fall into this category. You would be invading someone's privacy and might even threaten their safety.

Many victims of cyber bullying feel a sense of helplessness since there's no way in finding out who may had done it since the sources can come from many places, and you can never be certain to find the right person to stop them from harassing you. It can also make the victim feel beaten down but there's really nothing to do about it, then which leads to damaged self esteem that can take a lifetime to recover. And a victim may always feel that they are being watched and everything that they would have to do would have to be planned carefully. Today, cyber bullying has gone out of control. But hopefully with this bill passed, it would help regulate it.

I am glad that this bill is taking effect because cyber bullying is the same as any other bullying and it is NOT acceptable under any circumstances. I hope that this will reduce the number of bullies and the numbers of victims from this horrible experience in the near future. It hurts many people's reputations and even their own self-esteems.