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Friday, February 3, 2017

New Bill Would Criminalize "Parental Bullying" on Social Media


Illinois House Bill 1769, introduced this week, proposes to amend the Illinois Criminal Code to make it a crime for a parent to engage in "parental bullying." Parental bullying is defined as a parent knowingly and intentionally transmitting any verbal or visual message with the intent to discipline, embarrass, or alter the behavior of the minor that would be perceived as coercive, intimidating, harassing, or cause substantial emotional distress to the minor.

Representative Ford, the bill sponsor, describes "parental bullying" as parents shaming, embarrassing, or humiliating their children on social media in an effort to discipline them. According to news reports, Ford said he was inspired to introduce the bill after a constituent reported to him that she was concerned after her relative shamed a child on social media, and the child was then reportedly teased and beaten up by other kids at school who saw the parent's social media post.

Post Authored by Julie Tappendorf

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