This interesting article from CNN explains the legal implications of the Tyler Clementi tragedy. Because the internet is such a new and quickly evolving phenomenon, laws have not had time to keep up with its developments. In a former case that also ended with a suicide, the perpetrator was not charged because there were no existing laws against cyber incivility.  The two students who transmitted Clementi’s sexual encounter on the internet are being charged with invasion of privacy (and might possibly be charged with bias as well). However, invasion of privacy crimes do not usually carry significant penalties (5 years in jail at most), and some say that this needs to change.

State laws against invasion of privacy treat it like a “nuisance”, similar to graffiti, but as the Clementi case shows, the consequences of cyber bullying can be severe, and so should the penalties.  Legislation has been proposed in congress that would strengthen stalking laws, including via technologies like webcams. Washington privacy lawyer Christopher Wolf, however, says that the revisions in the law will not come easy.

for the full article, click here

to learn how to use social networking sites responsibly, watch this course by Stuart I. Teicher called Ethical Pitfalls in Social Networking