Post # 3

SOME STATES PUSHING FOR LAWS TO CURB ONLINE BULLYING
The AP reports that states from Oregon to Rhode Island are
considering crackdowns to curb or outlaw online bullying,
the behaviour in which kids taunt or insult peers on social
Web sites like MySpace or via instant messages. However,
there is still some disagreement over how effective
crackdowns will be and how to enforce them.

This article is interesting because it is yet another example of a behavior that has been considered unacceptable and even illegal in some places in the real world, but has been almost completely ignored on the internet. Clearly, bullying is not a good thing. However, trying to find a way to regulate it will likely be as hard as it is to regulate any of the other unsavory behaviors that are so prevalent, such as child pornography, libel, and general transmission of conspiratorial plots by terrorists and criminals. This doesn't mean it is impossible, though. The main challenge is stopping the problematic behaviors without censoring peoples freedom to speak and criticize one another. The problem with that is obvious. Bullying, of course, is a type of criticism. Certainly, it is different than the civilized discourse that our founding fathers might expect from the enlightened citizenry of the republic, but it is criticism to be sure. The challenge, then, is figuring out how to separate the bullying from all the other criticism. As is the case with criticism, that's easier said than done.

http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/16746515.htm