Is cyberbullying a crime?
“Yes, there can be legal consequences,” says attorney and founder of Carter Law Firm, Ruth Carter. “Depending on the rules of your state and the circumstances involved, discipline can include expulsion from school, criminal charges for harassment and/or civil lawsuits for defamation and other harms.”
"The last thing anyone wants is a suicide or school shooting because of cyberbullying."
DeGarmo adds that due to the prevalence of the issue, most schools have created specific policies for cyberbullying. “Ten years ago, no one gave much thought to this issue,” he says. “But now, schools are paying more attention. The last thing anyone wants is a suicide or school shooting because of cyberbullying.”
The consequences for cyberbullies depend on the specific circumstance. Many cyberbullying cases wind up getting prosecuted as harassment. Some cases result in civil court, while others might warrant criminal charges and prosecution for hate crimes, impersonation, harassment, cyberbullying and violations under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA).
In addition to the larger laws, individual states have their own rules for cyberbullying. Stopbullying.gov offers a state-by-state map to highlight the specific policies.
But where do we draw the line between what cyberbullying is and what it isn’t? What are some of the specific crimes cyberbullying can fall under? See this quick list below for reference.