http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/04/new-zealand-cyberbullying/?ncid=rss_truncated/

New Zealand makes cyberbullying a crime
@danielwcooper | 47 Mins Ago

Internet troll

New Zealand has passed a law that criminalizes one of the least desirable facets of the internet: cyberbullying. The legislation effectively prohibits sending messages to people that are racist, sexist, critical of their religion, sexuality or disability. The rest for determining harm will be if these communications were designed to cause "serious emotional distress," and if a person is found guilty, could face up to two years in jail. In addition, the bill creates a separate crime of incitement to suicide, which will see a person jailed for up to three years if they are found to be encouraging such an act.


The government will now set up a new digital agency that will have the job of dealing with complaints that both Twitter and Facebook have, so far, failed to cope with. These publishers will be able to sign safe harbor deals with this new agency, as long as they promise to delete allegedly offending messages within 48 hours of discovery.


Of course, part of this law simply codifies rules that are enshrined elsewhere concerning hate speech and abuse. There are, however, criticisms that the open-ended wording of the bill could cause children to be criminalized, as well as undermining free speech.

SOURCE: New Zealand Parliament,

That's good the government has done something right. Needed to be done. It got very dangerous.

Where as I don't like the idea of anyone,having to give up any rights as far as ,free speech, nor the idea of children being criminalize. * I want to read to law itself *
It probably is a good idea, if New Zealand has had even half the child suicides we have in the United States, from cyber bullying.

Facebook harassment & threats are mostly adults (as far as I know?). Who should... walk away & forget about it. IMO

interesting information. There does seem to be a legitimate concern in regards to hindering free speech, however, the internet has become a haven for hateful expression, mostly by keypad commandos who find it easy to be tough guys online.

Cyber bullying has indeed led and effected younger people and have ended in suicide.

That's a shame.

Even with a new digital agency to monitor what would otherwise be private (or at least restricted) communications (*cough*), I don't see how they could possibly realistically enforce this law.

Probably in the same methods used by Dateline when they would entice pedophiles.