A recent opinion by the North Carolina Supreme Court declared the cyberbullying statute unconstitutional. The decision affects both those charged with and convicted of a cyberbullying crime and those who have been victims.

How the Cyberbullying Ruling Affects Parents of Minors

For parents of minors in North Carolina, the reversal of the law demonstrates a twofold lesson:

  • Encourage your children to think before they post. While they do have the freedom of speech, their posts can be harmful to other people. They may not be charged with a crime for cyberbullying, but the statements can do irreversible harm. Whether or not a law exists, there have been numerous cases of cyberbullying driving minors to self-harm or commit suicide.
  • Talk to your children about thinking before they react. If your children feel they are the victim of cyberbullying, they may be protected under other laws, such as harassment laws. In most cases of harassment, it is better to seek the advice of a lawyer than to retaliate.

What Parents Can Do About Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can be prevented, from both the victim’s and the perpetrator’s sides, with help from the parents. Regardless of the laws – which continue to evolve as technology changes – attentive adults can guide children through the right and wrong ways to engage with their peers online.

If you are the parent of a child that does not use social media, now is the time to think about when you will allow your child to create social media accounts. Ask yourself: What age would my child be responsible enough to use social media? You should also consider the age restrictions imposed by the social media sites. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat all require a person to be at least 13 years old to join.

Many children begin their social media accounts while they are young. If your child already has social media profiles, be sure to monitor them and tell your child you will be doing it. Supervision for children doesn’t stop in the classroom, on the playground or while you’re present in real life. It should carry over to your children’s online presence, too. Knowing there is an adult watching may be enough reason for children to consider their actions and words toward others.

Get in Contact with a Lawyer if You’ve Been Harassed

The lawyers at Wilson, Reives & Doran can help you fully understand your rights as a victim of harassment. We are here to advocate for and defend your rights. If you need legal help moving forward with your harassment case, call us today at (919) 636-6203 to make an appointment at our Sanford location.

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