Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

N.Y. top court says cyberbullying law violates free speech
WHBL ^ | 07/01/2014 | Daniel Wiessner

Posted on 07/01/2014 8:54:23 AM PDT by aimhigh

New York's highest court said on Tuesday that a law designed to criminalize cyberbullying was so broad that it violated the First Amendment, marking the first time a U.S. court weighed the constitutionality of such a law. . . .

The Court of Appeals in a 5-2 decision said it was possible to pass a law outlawing bullying via social media or text message that respected free speech rights, but the county's statute went too far. . . .

“The problem is, it’s going to be really tricky to write a law that is comprehensive in its coverage of bullying and at the same time passes constitutional muster,” he said.

(Excerpt) Read more at whbl.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: New York
KEYWORDS: cyberbullying; freespeech
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

1 posted on 07/01/2014 8:54:23 AM PDT by aimhigh
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: aimhigh

I agree. What constitutes “bullying”? Mere criticism?


2 posted on 07/01/2014 8:58:02 AM PDT by rusty schucklefurd
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rusty schucklefurd

If it isn’t physical, it isn’t bullying. ‘sticks and stones...’


3 posted on 07/01/2014 9:02:58 AM PDT by cuban leaf
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: aimhigh

If it’s going to be so “tricky” to write such a law, then don’t. Not every problem needs a government solution.


4 posted on 07/01/2014 9:15:29 AM PDT by IronJack
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rusty schucklefurd

Ironically, “bullying” laws are the biggest weapon of the real bullies.


5 posted on 07/01/2014 9:15:58 AM PDT by fwdude (The last time the GOP ran an "extremist," Reagan won 44 states.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: IronJack
Not every problem needs a government solution.

Needed said again, bigger, bolder, and underlined.

6 posted on 07/01/2014 9:19:52 AM PDT by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: aimhigh

Politicians would love such a law. Any criticism at all would be “bullying.”


7 posted on 07/01/2014 9:21:22 AM PDT by abb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OneWingedShark

In this case, as in so many, a heavy-handed law will do far more harm than good, and will spawn dozens of attempts to “fix” the original shortcomings, each iteration containing even more shortcomings, until a whole catalog of completely ineffective, burdensome, and increasingly draconian laws and regulations pollute the books and make even more behavior felonious.


8 posted on 07/01/2014 9:24:38 AM PDT by IronJack
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: aimhigh

Everyone “knows” what bullying is, just like loitering and jostling. Problem is that it’s impossible to write a law that defines them clearly and unambiguously.
Liberals love to write laws as long as the laws restrict freedom.


9 posted on 07/01/2014 9:32:51 AM PDT by I want the USA back (Media: completely irresponsible. Complicit in the destruction of this country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rusty schucklefurd

I have a friend who is being cyberstalked.

He has been issued a TRO and we are in court, right now, to expand the TRO.

I can generically get into what constitutes such in this instance later today.

But, suffice to say that when one persons Free Speech impairs another’s you have crossed the line and further, making slanderous and defamatory accusations which impedes your ability to obtain work, interferes with social and business and the person admits their intent, they have crossed the line.

Quite clearly here.


10 posted on 07/01/2014 10:03:09 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: I want the USA back

Zactly.

You know it when you see it.

Constant, consistent and even escalation of verbiage, contact, etc changes the game.


11 posted on 07/01/2014 10:08:23 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: aimhigh

When the eighth grader here told us it would be so bad like death ifvface book wasn’t available along wth a good phone, the kind everyone at school had even and especially the poor ones on the breakfast program, the answer was No

In middle school, kids need to learn how to approach other people. To verbalized ideas. To get others’ immediate reaction in the form of facial expression. They need supportif friends criticism as well as defense

And they need at that time to be out and about not sitting, getting fat and typing conversations

So no phone just the ‘loser phone’ for contacting us

This did not sit well

We said yes you can have all this stuff later

Facebook is not for middle schoolers nor is surfing the net

And I wanted to know very well who was coming and going around here and what was being talked about

My friends said I could spy on the kids looking at the search history

Not only was there not enough time in the day for that, and no I am mot spying on my kids, if I’m strong enough to do that I’m strong enough to just say no, but it would be after tfe fact and what do I do with the info? Take away Facebook? I thought is save the trouble and do it then

Not great but they could see the reason so they knew it wasn’t punishment or torture for the sake of power

Then there was the slew of stories - girls getting into problems for se ting, the bullying, the lack of social skills

We pulled them out of that system and into a private school the next year where parents were paying multi thousands for education to not fool around and had no money for all the electronics and there was no government money for all of it

End of issue. But it’s a big issue

As long as people continue to think that somehow Facebook is ok for middle schoolers

Don’t they have schoolwork to do?

Now there’s every electronic gadget known, here.

And they are all treated as what they are - tools

People vote for Obama. They let their kids play with dangerous things

Lots of stupidity out there. I’m not joining

Freedom of speech needs to be treated with respect not pulled in because parents are senseless


12 posted on 07/01/2014 10:28:34 AM PDT by stanne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fwdude

indeed, daddy’s or big brother’s little girl is the bully tool.


13 posted on 07/01/2014 10:29:03 AM PDT by lavaroise (A well regulated gun being necessary to the state, the rights of the militia shall not be infringed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: cuban leaf

I dont know, I think they are going to kill social media and it might not be a bad thing.

If anything I say can be construed as offensive or bullying, guess what, bubye facebook... it was a nice try at national cohesion but laws like this are going to put a total chill... already race, domesric-terror/violence and gender cards were bad enough...


14 posted on 07/01/2014 10:31:22 AM PDT by lavaroise (A well regulated gun being necessary to the state, the rights of the militia shall not be infringed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: cuban leaf

I dont know, I think they are going to kill social media and it might not be a bad thing.

If anything I say can be construed as offensive or bullying, guess what, bubye facebook... it was a nice try at national cohesion but laws like this are going to put a total chill... already race, domesric-terror/violence and gender cards were bad enough...


15 posted on 07/01/2014 10:32:04 AM PDT by lavaroise (A well regulated gun being necessary to the state, the rights of the militia shall not be infringed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: aimhigh

I’d argue cyber bullying laws not only violate the 1st amendment, they provide a backdoor to completely circumvent it.

Call a politician a moron on a forum and they would file a butt hurt report in a minute claiming you were bullying them.


16 posted on 07/01/2014 10:34:36 AM PDT by IamConservative (If fighting fire with fire is a good idea, why do the pros use water?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vendome

Please don’t think that I am saying that there is no such thing as cyber bullying, just that possibly this particular law may be too broad and could be used to silence legitimate criticism.

Just as the charge of “racism” is used to silence opposition by defining it so broadly that any criticism of Obama becomes “racist”, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t true racism out there.

I wish you and your friend all the best in stopping this true sicko who has obviously major issues.


17 posted on 07/01/2014 10:44:01 AM PDT by rusty schucklefurd
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: rusty schucklefurd

The funny thing is this stalker just accosted me in the elevator and made a point to violate the TRO in place and made scandalous and scurrilous remarks that are slanderous.

I don’t even know this whack job.

She just got on the elevator and starts in on me.

Game on.

I fking hate stalkers and the last one I had took almost a year to get rid of.

Kept the 10 or 11 numbers she kept calling me from.

Frickin Marie Laveau....


18 posted on 07/01/2014 10:57:40 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: rusty schucklefurd

TRO extended.

weird person.


19 posted on 07/01/2014 11:24:10 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: rusty schucklefurd

She’s got issues all right and we cancelled her subscription.


20 posted on 07/01/2014 11:27:08 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson