• Blog Post

    The Line Between Cyber-bullying and Freedom of Speech

          The intersection of free speech and safety on social media has been a hotly debated topic for many years.  Because cyber-bullying takes many different forms, it is difficult to define.  While several states criminalize cyber-bullying, the language of these statutes vary greatly and are just recently being challenged under First Amendment grounds.  In June, the North Carolina Court of Appeals upheld the state’s cyber-bullying statute over a First Amendment challenge.[1]  This decision is noteworthy because it contrasts a 2014 New York Court of Appeals decision striking down an Albany County cyber-bullying statute.[2]  While the statutory language of these cyber-bullying statutes differ to some degree, the respective state…