Criminalization of Cyberbullying: The Constitutionality of Creating an Online Neverland for Children Under a Tinker-Bell Analysis

• Author: Randall Morgan Briggs
• Position: J.D./D.C.L., 2018. Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University.
• Pages: 1059-1100

Criminalization of Cyberbullying: The Constitutionality of Creating an Online Neverland for Children Under a Tinker-Bell Analysis TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................ 1060 I. Exploring the History of the Right of Free Speech in the United States......................................................................... 1065 A. Government as the Protector of Individual Rights .............. 1066 B. The Supreme Court’s Recognition of Permissible Restrictions on Speech ......................................................... 1068 1. Applying Strict Scrutiny to Content-Based Laws ......... 1069 2. Speech Traditionally Limited Due to the Content of its Message ................................................................ 1072 a. The “Fighting Words” Exception ........................... 1072 b. The “Obscene Material” Exception ........................ 1073 c. The “Incitement” Exception ................................... 1074 d. The “True Threats” Exception ................................ 1076 II. Jurisprudence Relevant to Criminalizing Cyberbullying ........... 1076 A. Speech Limitations Furthering Legitimate Pedagogical Concerns Are Constitutional ........................... 1077 1. Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District ............................................................... 1078 2. Bethel School District No. 403 v. Fraser ...................... 1079 3. Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier ...................... 1080 4. Morse v. Frederick ........................................................ 1081 B. Jurisprudence Analyzing Restrictions of Cyberbullying Under the First Amendment ........................ 1082 1. Bell v. Itawamba County School Board: The Fifth Circuit Extending Tinker ............................... 1082 2. State v. Bishop: North Carolina’s Analysis of the State’s Cyberbullying Law .................................. 1085 III. Analyzing the Constitutionality of Louisiana’s Cyberbullying Statute ................................................................. 1087 A. Louisiana’s Cyberbullying Statute....................................... 1088 B. Applying Federal First Amendment Jurisprudence to Louisiana’s Cyberbullying Statute .................................. 1088 1060 LOUISIANA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 78 1. Louisiana’s Cyberbullying Statute Fails to Survive the Two-Pronged Test of Strict Scrutiny ....................... 1089 2. Louisiana’s Cyberbullying Statute Fails to Use the Traditional Genres or Tinker ......................................... 1092 C. Applying Louisiana’s Constitutional Protections to Louisiana’s Cyberbullying Statute .................................. 1092 IV. Proposed Solutions for Louisiana .............................................. 1095 A. Amending Louisiana’s Cyberbullying Statute to Survive Strict Scrutiny ......................................................... 1096 B. Amending Louisiana’s Cyberbullying Statute to Include the Traditionally Restricted Genres ........................ 1096 C. Louisiana Should Amend the Statute to Track the Tinker-Bell Analysis ............................................................ 1098 D. Louisiana Statutes Must Comply with Louisiana’s Constitutional Protections .............................................................. 1099 Conclusion .................................................................................. 1099 INTRODUCTION Megan Meier, Phoebe Connop, Ryan Halligan, Jesse Logan, Hope Sitwell, Jamey Rodemeyer, Amanda, Todd, and Katlin Loux all died before their 19th birthdays. 1 Copyright 2018, by RANDALL MORGAN BRIGGS. 1. See Megan’s Story , MEGAN MEIER FOUND., http://www.meganmeierfound ation.org/megans-story.html (last visited Oct. 29, 2017) [https://perma.cc/RN7V-GV 4K]; Mark Hodge & Ian Murphy, ‘AN ABSOLUTE TRAGEDY’ Schoolgirl hanged herself over fears of online backlash over racially offensive Instagram snap, SUN (Aug. 28, 2016), https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1687224/schoolgirl-hanged-herself-over-fears-of-online-backlash-over-racially-offensive-instagram-snap/ [https://perma .cc/499E-UB2B]; John Halligan & Kelly Halligan, Ryan’s Story , http://www.ryan patrickhalligan.org (last visited Nov. 2, 2017) [https://perma.cc/9V53-BUEG]; Mike Celizic, Her teen committed suicide over ‘sexting’ , TODAY PARENTS (Mar. 6, 2009, 8:26 AM), http://www.today.com/parents/her-teen-committed-suicide-over-sexting-2D80555048 [https://perma.cc/HJV4-DV9H]; Patience Ley, Cyber Bullying, PREZI (Mar. 18, 2014), https://prezi.com/mxhrody4tlkx/cyber-bullying/ [https://perma.cc /8NYW-DNU8]; Michelle Dean, The Story Of Amanda Todd, NEW YORKER (Oct. 18, 2012), http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-story-of-amanda-todd [https://perma.cc/HRV4-CY59]; Susan Donaldson James, Jamey Rodemeyer Suicide: Police Consider Criminal Bullying Charges, ABC NEWS (Sept. 22, 2011), http://abcnews.go.com/Health/jamey-rodemeyer-suicide-ny-police-open-criminal-in 2018] COMMENT 1061 Jesse lost her life at age 18. 2 Phoebe was 16 years old. 3 Amanda was 15. 4 Jamey was 14. 5 Ryan, 6 Hope, 7 and Megan 8 were 13. Katlin, who lived a few miles south of Shreveport, Louisiana, had just graduated from high school. 9 She was 17. 10 What was the cause of these young peoples’ premature deaths? They were victims of suicide provoked by cyberbullying. 11 vestigation/story?id=14580832 [https://perma.cc/6AKG-HTUS]; Loresha Wilson, Louisiana teen deaths highlight dangers of bullying, USA TODAY (Sept. 26, 2013, 5:50 PM), http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/25/student-bullying-suicides/2867781/ [https://perma.cc/4P5H-4ZYZ]. 2. Celizic, supra note 1 (recounting Jesse Logan’s suicide after her ex-boyfriend shared nude photographs of her with their classmates). 3. Hodge & Murphy, supra note 1 (explaining 16-year-old Phoebe Connop’s suicide after her peers cyberbullied her for making racially insensitive remarks). 4. Dean, supra note 1 (recounting Amanda Todd’s suicide after a man took nude photographs of her during an online chat session and sent them to her classmates). 5. James, supra note 1 (recounting Jamey Rodemeyer’s suicide after he was bullied online with homophobic slurs). 6. Halligan & Halligan, supra note 1 (detailing Ryan Halligan’s suicide after experiencing pervasive bullying during face-to-face confrontations and online communication). 7. Ley, supra note 1 (detailing Hope Sidwell’s suicide after her ex-boyfriend shared nude photos of her with their classmates). 8. Megan’s Story , supra note 1 (detailing 13-year-old Megan Meier’s suicide after she was catfished and cyberbullied, via social media, by an adult in her neighborhood). 9. Wilson, supra note 1. 10. Id. (explaining the story of Katlin Loux’s tragic suicide one week after her high school graduation because of pervasive bullying). 11. There is no uniform definition of cyberbullying. See, e.g., NANCY WILLARD, EDUCATOR’S GUIDE TO CYBERBULLYING AND CYBERTHREATS 1 (Apr. 2007), https://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Other-Resources/School-Safety/Safe-and-Supportive-Learning/Anti-Harassment-Intimidation-and-Bullying -Resource/Educator-s-Guide-Cyber-Safety.pdf.aspx (defining cyberbullying as “cruel[ty] to others by sending or posting harmful material or engaging in other forms of social aggression using the Internet or other digital technologies”) [https://perma.cc/ZSJ5-T5ZY]; MARCI FELDMAN HERTZ & CORINNE DAVID-FERDON, CTRS. FOR DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION, ELECTRONIC MEDIA AND YOUTH VIOLENCE: A CDC ISSUE BRIEF FOR EDUCATORS AND CAREGIVERS 3 (Jan. 2009), http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/EA-brief-a.pdf (defining cyberbullying as “any kind of aggression perpetrated through technology—any type of harassment or bullying (teasing, telling lies, making fun of someone, making rude or mean comments, spreading rumors, or making threatening or aggressive comments) that occurs through email, a chat room, instant messaging, a website (including blogs), or text messaging”) [https://perma.cc/9GUX-NVAG]. Louisiana defines cyberbullying as the “transmission of any electronic textual, visual, written, or 1062 LOUISIANA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 78 Each of these tragic suicides is sufficient to provoke an emotional response that, in turn, spurs corrective or preventative legislative action. 12 Beyond simple emotionalism, a recurring problem that has created an observable and detrimental harm to society, such as cyberbullying, justifies legislative response. 13 Pervasive cyberbullying frequently impacts academic decisions, 14 leads to real-world confrontations, 15 and too often culminates in tragic suicides. 16 In 2015, 34% of middle school students surveyed reported experiencing cyberbullying. 17 Children are particularly vulnerable to the damaging effects of cyberbullying because their brains are still developing. 18 Cyberbullying oral communication with the malicious and willful intent to coerce, abuse, torment, or intimidate a person under the age of eighteen.” LA. REV. STAT. § 14:40.7 (2017). 12. See, e.g., MO. REV. STAT. § 565.090 (2017) (“A person commits the crime of harassment if he or she . . . [k]nowingly frightens, intimidates, or causes emotional distress to another person by anonymously making a telephone call or any electronic communication.”). 13. See, e.g., Wilson, supra note 1. Cyberbullying has become so pervasive that it has appeared on prominent societal icons, such as South Park. See Peter Anthony, ‘South Park’ Season 19 Episode 5: Top 5 Moments From ‘Safe Space’ [RECAP], DESIGN & TREND (Oct. 22, 2015, 12:14 PM) (on file with author). 14. Christina Warren, Rebecca Black Quits Middle School After Bullying, MASHABLE (Aug. 12, 2011), http://mashable.com/2011/08/12/rebecca-black-quits-school-bullying-poll/#38sqn.dJnOq1 (explaining how Rebecca Black was bullied after becoming a viral sensation for her hit song “Friday”) [https://perma.cc/8SAE-9PZW]. 15. Damon Sims, Cleveland...