Internet Crimes
Yesterday’s indictment of Lori Drew of suburban St. Louis, who allegedly helped create a MySpace account in the name of someone who didn't exist to convince Megan Meier she was chatting with a 16-year-old boy named Josh Evans, is a long overdue wake-up call to all those who are bullying or harassing others by posting and sending fraudulent messages on the Internet.
Drew was charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing protected computers without authorization to get information used to inflict emotional distress on the girl. Each of the four counts carries a maximum possible penalty of five years in prison. Lori Drew will be arraigned in St. Louis and then moved to Los Angeles for trial.
Megan hanged herself at home in October 2006, allegedly after receiving a dozen or more cruel messages, including one stating the world would be better off without her. Both Megan and MySpace are named as victims in the case.
According to the indictment, Drew and her coconspirators allegedly "used the information obtained over the MySpace computer system to torment, harass, humiliate, and embarrass the juvenile MySpace member in direct violation the My Space agreement. The indictment contends they committed or aided in a dozen "overt acts" that were illegal, including using a photograph of a boy that was posted without his knowledge or permission.
Facebook has experienced similar problems. At Indiana University and the University of Virginia, two Facebook groups recently caused an outrage by making fun of Asian students. A student at Fisher College in Boston was expelled last year for his online criticism of a campus security officer.
This is the first time the federal statute on accessing protected computers has been used in a social-networking case, but I sure hope it isn’t the last. As a mystery writer, I spend considerable time on the Internet collecting research, updating my website, and social networking with fellow writers. I have no idea how much of my private data is out there in cyberspace, but I do know that anyone can become a target of harassment and false charges. And once a message is posted or a charge made, it’s very difficult to prove it false and even more difficult to trace.
Hopefully, more cities and states will soon add cyberbullying and harassment to the growing list of Internet and computer crimes.
Drew was charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing protected computers without authorization to get information used to inflict emotional distress on the girl. Each of the four counts carries a maximum possible penalty of five years in prison. Lori Drew will be arraigned in St. Louis and then moved to Los Angeles for trial.
Megan hanged herself at home in October 2006, allegedly after receiving a dozen or more cruel messages, including one stating the world would be better off without her. Both Megan and MySpace are named as victims in the case.
According to the indictment, Drew and her coconspirators allegedly "used the information obtained over the MySpace computer system to torment, harass, humiliate, and embarrass the juvenile MySpace member in direct violation the My Space agreement. The indictment contends they committed or aided in a dozen "overt acts" that were illegal, including using a photograph of a boy that was posted without his knowledge or permission.
Facebook has experienced similar problems. At Indiana University and the University of Virginia, two Facebook groups recently caused an outrage by making fun of Asian students. A student at Fisher College in Boston was expelled last year for his online criticism of a campus security officer.
This is the first time the federal statute on accessing protected computers has been used in a social-networking case, but I sure hope it isn’t the last. As a mystery writer, I spend considerable time on the Internet collecting research, updating my website, and social networking with fellow writers. I have no idea how much of my private data is out there in cyberspace, but I do know that anyone can become a target of harassment and false charges. And once a message is posted or a charge made, it’s very difficult to prove it false and even more difficult to trace.
Hopefully, more cities and states will soon add cyberbullying and harassment to the growing list of Internet and computer crimes.
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