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Mom Pushes Panel For Law Against Internet Bullying

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By CHRISTOPHER LEONARD, The Associated Press

Published: December 19, 2007

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The mother of a teenage girl who committed suicide after being taunted online urged a state task force on Internet harassment Monday to recommend criminalizing such behavior.

Gov. Matt Blunt formed the task force in response to the death of Tina Meier's 13-year-old daughter, Megan, who killed herself last year after being teased on her MySpace page by a fictional teenage boy named "Josh." A neighborhood mother and two girls played a role in creating the hoax because they wanted to keep tabs on Megan's gossip.

"I can start MySpace accounts on every single one of you, and spread rumors about every single one of you, and what's going to happen to me? Nothing," Tina Meier told the task force at its first meeting here. "People need to realize that this is 100 percent not OK, that you're going to go to jail."

A local prosecutor decided Lori Drew, her daughter and a teenage employee did not violate state laws against stalking, harassment or child endangerment. Drew's attorney, Jim Briscoe, has said the children designed the account and sent the messages to Megan. Drew wasn't aware of the hurtful messages sent prior to Megan's suicide, he said. A few other Internet users joined in with cruel taunts before her death.

The task force, which includes legislators and law enforcement officials, hopes to have a draft law written to submit to state lawmakers when they convene in January.

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