It is now illegal in Missouri to bully someone in cyberspace. The law was passed after a 13-year old girl committed suicide after being harassed via the Internet. The law covers harassment from computers, text messaging and other electronic devices.

Megan Meier committed suicide in October 2006 after receiving a slew of mean-spirited messages over the Internet. Some of the messages were from teens, some messages were from an adult pretending to be a teen. It was her suicide that prompted the bill which Missouri Governor Matt Blunt signed in to law on Monday.

It's sad enough that kids get bullied at schools and playgrounds. But now there are news reports throughout the country reporting harassment through electronic media. What makes the attacks so much more insidious, when compared to physical attacks, is the fact that the attacker can remain anonymous.

The law is a step in the right direction, however it is not the cure. The cure involves teaching kids to treat each other with respect and kindness. However, that may just be nothing more than a dream because kids have been taunting, harassing, teasing, and beating each other up since the beginning of time. I know it's a cynical view, but as long as there are parents who just view this as, "kids being kids", the problem will continue to exist. And in the case of Megan Meier, when a parent helps to perpetuate the problem, what can you do?

At least the law is a step in the right direction. Now victims at least have some kind of recourse. Will the law help? Only time will tell.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/07/01/cyberbullying.ap/index.html